#WeAreEmoryEPI: Inside the APE (GFE Edition!)
Category : #WeAreEmoryEPI
Welcome back to #WeAreEmoryEPI! This week, we heard from two second year EPI/GLEPI MPH students that received a Global Field Experience (GFE) award for their APEs this Summer. Read more below to hear about their projects and where they traveled to!
Tell us about your academic history/where you went to school.
Alia: I received my Bachelor’s degree in Human Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from Emory University’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Claire: Before Rollins, I attended Tufts University where I majored in International Relations, concentrated in Global Health, and minored in Spanish, while also playing soccer for four years.
What are your primary research interests?
Alia: I am interested in leveraging insights from the intersection of molecular epidemiology and immunology to drive improved surveillance for and early detection of emerging vector-borne, zoonotic, and tropical infectious diseases.
I enjoy exploring how the immunologic characterization of risk factors for different infection outcomes and associated transmission dynamics can inform prevention activities at the population scale.
Inspired by my upcoming thesis research regarding the role of micronutrient deficiencies in progression from latent to active leprosy infection, I have also recently become interested in the fascinating (and challenging!) methods used to harness -omics-level data.
Claire: As a GLEPI student pursuing a Certificate in Climate and Health, I aim to work towards Climate Preparedness among individuals living in under resourced and vulnerable settings. I want to research sustainable strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on health outcomes.
Where did you travel for your APE & how long were you there?
Alia: I worked in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for 6 weeks.
Claire: I traveled to an Indigenous community called Santa Apolonia in Guatemala and was there for six weeks.
Tell us about your APE project.
Alia: Under sponsorship from the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s (KKI) Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases RISE Graduate Research Fellowship, I worked with the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) and Emory University’s School of Medicine to support the development of a longitudinal cohort study derived from a cross-sectional serosurveillance pilot conducted in 2023. The ongoing longitudinal arm of the study is monitoring a group of participants from the pilot study who were seroreactive to a leprosy-specific antigen for progression from latent to active infection. Additionally, we are interested in characterizing hypothesized risk factors for infection progression like helminth co-infection and micronutrient deficiencies.
Claire: In Santa Apolonia, I collaborated with fellow Rollins student, Amelia Heckman, and local community stakeholders to develop a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). We created and administered 115 culturally sensitive surveys, conducted twelve key informant interviews in Spanish, and employed quantitative and qualitative analyses using SAS, Excel, and MAXQDA. We are now finalizing the assessment and will distribute it to community leaders and stakeholders to guide future health polices and initiatives.
What is something you learned while living in a new place/working on your APE?
Alia: While working at AHRI, I was privileged to attend 2 fantastic conferences: the 50th anniversary of the WHO’s Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and the close-out of the TBGEN-Africa study. Listening to the conversations had by professionals at both events taught me that shared focus across disciplines and institutions is a quintessential aspect of sustainable progress in public health. I found it very valuable to hear how public health practitioners from diverse backgrounds utilized their unique skillsets to contribute to goals that require an incredible degree of cooperation.Claire: I learned how challenging it can be to design a culturally sensitive survey that is both easily understandable and free of bias, while also capturing the comprehensive data needed for analysis. I also discovered how fun it is to live with nuns 🙂
How did you find your APE project?
Alia: My APE advisor, Dr. Jessica Fairley, was an ongoing research mentor of mine, and I was actively looking for ways to get more involved in her group. She applied to be a mentor with the Ferguson RISE program, and she suggested I apply and request to match with her so I could be involved in her work in Ethiopia while also participating in the training activities organized by KKI.When did you start looking for an APE? When did you start working for your APE organization/advisor?
Alia: I started planning my APE toward the end of Fall semester so I’d have ample time to apply for the Ferguson RISE program and GFEFA (Global Field Experience Financial Award) early in the Spring semester, but I didn’t formalize travel plans or project objectives until March. I was introduced to my Ethiopian colleagues via Zoom in April, and I formally began working on-site in June.Claire: I started looking for my APE during winter break and began working on the GFE and literature reviews in March/April.
Are you pursuing any certificates? If so, was it difficult to meet your APE requirements?
Alia: Yes, I am in the Infectious Disease Epidemiology (IDEPI) and Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology (GME) certificates. The GME requirements were more challenging to meet than the IDEPI requirements, so I actively designed my experience at AHRI to allow me to study under immunologists and molecular epidemiologists and explore a blend of wet- and dry-lab work environments.Claire: I am pursuing the Climate & Health Certificate, which strongly encourages students to choose an APE that either provides substantive experience with climate change or offer hands-on experience with tools relevant to climate and health. However, the APE does not have to meet these specific criteria to qualify, making it relatively straightforward to meet the certificate requirements.
Any advice for people looking to complete their APE with a GFE award (or people looking to travel abroad for their APE in general)?
Alia: Traveling abroad for work is equally about contributing to your project and finding value in the experiences and topics that are important to your mentors and peers, so get comfortable saying yes to things! While at AHRI, I was passionate about the research, but I was also excited by the chance to have lunch with colleagues I’d never met before, tour labs I wasn’t a part of, attend talks from other departments, and generally catch a glimpse of the things that were important to the culture of the institution.
Claire: Begin the process of searching for an APE early so that you can secure an opportunity that closely aligns with your research interests.
What are three fun facts you want people to know about you?
Alia:
- It is a lifelong dream of mine to hike the Appalachian Trail.
- I have dyed my hair every color of the rainbow (some colors on accident).
- I am an avid plant parent, and my favorite houseplant is the Begonia maculata.
Claire:
- I played an extra year of soccer at Emory while pursuing my MPH
- I am bald (alopecia)
- I’ve run the Boston marathon!
Thanks for joining us this week, and stay tuned to see who we talk to next on #WeAreEmoryEPI!
Contact Information:
Alia: I am happy to provide advice to prospective applicants to KKI’s Ferguson RISE Graduate Research Fellowship. If anyone is interested in discussing the application, research opportunities, funding structure, etc., please feel free to email me at alia [dot] bly [at] emory [dot] edu.
Claire: Instagram — Clairewilkinson12
Thanks for joining us on #WeAreEmoryEPI this week!
