#WeAreEmoryEPI: Meet Franchesca Amor Aguilar!

Meet Franchesca Amor Aguilar! She is a first-year MPH Candidate in Epidemiology and one of the department representatives for the Rollins Student Government Association. Let’s meet her!

Tell us about your academic history/where you went to school.

I received my Bachelor of Science in Biology from Gettysburg College in May 2022. While there, I also got a minor in East Asian Studies on the Chinese track.

What are your primary research interests?

My primary research interests are infectious disease epidemiology, vaccine epidemiology, outbreak response, and health inequities. However, I am still discovering new research interests!

Are there any exciting projects that you are currently working on that you’d like to share with us?

I’m currently working with the RECOVER Project under the Emory Health Services Research Center, an NIH-funded project focusing on understanding long COVID. I currently help organize and clean the data collected through REDCap from the five healthcare sites working with the Atlanta hub. (This project has several different hubs throughout the country!) In February, I will be working on a study with the CDC focusing on strategies to prevent respiratory illnesses among people who experience homelessness.

What is your favorite part about earning your MPH at Emory?

I love how supportive everyone at Rollins is! I never feel like I have to “compete” with my classmates because we’re all willing to share information and knowledge. It really resembles the collaborative nature of the public health field!

When applying, what were you looking for in a public health school, and what factors drove you to pick Rollins?

I picked Rollins because of the friendly atmosphere here. I didn’t think a graduate school campus could feel so welcoming. I also loved the connections that RSPH has with other public health organizations because I knew that meant I could gain different work experience.

How have you been spending your free time?

Lately, I’ve been listening to audiobooks and learning Spanish. I’m currently listening to Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. (I just recently discovered it is also a Netflix series!)

What advice do you have for people who may be interested in getting their MPH?

If you’re even remotely interested in getting your MPH, just do it because you can learn so much about a little bit of everything! Ask questions, attend faculty/student panels, and visit the campus!

What are three fun facts that you want people to know about you?

1. I was the best female player at my undergrad’s e-sports competition in a Super Smash Bros tournament and finished top 10 overall!
2. I was born and raised in Hawai’i, so I know a little Hawaiian and can speak Hawaiian Pidgin!
3. I love to sing! I performed twice at my undergrad’s cultural talent show, once in English and once in Tagalog.

Thanks for talking with us, Franchesca! We loved getting to talk to you, and stay tuned to see who we’ll speak to next!