Rollins Professor: Audrey Gaskins

For this week’s #IamEmoryEPI, we caught up with Dr. Audrey Gaskins!

Tell us where you went to school:

I received my Bachelors of Science in Engineering from Duke University (2004-2008) and my Doctorate of Science in Nutrition and Epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health (2010-2014).

What are your primary research interests?

I am interested in how nutrition, lifestyle, and environmental exposures affect a couple’s ability to conceive and have healthy pregnancies and babies.

What did you do this past summer?

I had my first baby in May so I spent my summer on maternity leave caring for a sweet baby boy and soaking up all his newborn snuggles.

How did you find the research that you are currently conducting?

After I finished my undergraduate degree I worked as a post-bachelorette fellow at the NICHD where my mentor was studying how oxidative stress affects menstrual cycle function. It was during those two years that I became fascinated with the topic of human fertility and how little we knew about the factors that affect a man and woman’s chance of conceiving.

What is your favorite part about being at Emory?

The people. Everyone I have met so far is incredibly welcoming and collaborative which is not the standard at many other big research institutions.

Do you have any advice for MPH students?

Don’t feel like you have to narrow down your interests immediately (you can do this later). The MPH program gives you many incredible opportunities to learn about all the different areas of public health- enjoy them! 

What are three fun facts about yourself?

1. One of my favorite workouts is boxing- I even continued doing it during my pregnancy, up until I was a week from my due date!
2.  I was a vegetarian for a long time… until I married a Texan
3. My research on TV watching and semen quality was mentioned in one of Conan O’Brien’s monologues