#WeAreEmoryEPI: Meet Maria Garcia Quesada

Meet Maria Garcia Quesada! Maria is a first-year PhD student with research interests in infectious disease epidemiology, vaccines, and their intersection with climate change, as well as water & sanitation issues. In this feature, Maria talks about her most recent projects, why she chose Rollins, and some fun facts about her. Read more below!

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

I completed my BS in Public Health and Neuroscience at Tulane University and my MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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

I am wrapping up two projects I was working on at Johns Hopkins, one evaluating the global impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and the other looking to understand the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 among children <5 years of age and their household members.

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

I was looking for a good research match in a place I would enjoy living. During the interview process I had the opportunity to speak with several faculty who are working on really exciting projects, as well as with several students who sold me on living in Atlanta. As an ID person, I was also attracted to the proximity to the CDC.

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

I’m only a couple of months in, but I’ve loved being back in classes, getting to know my cohort, and eating my way through Buford Highway.

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

1. I am fluent in Spanish and French
2. I play capoeira (Afro-Brazilian martial art)
3. I will eat almost anything except olives.

Thanks for speaking with us, Maria! Stay tuned next Monday for another feature of #WeAreEmoryEPI!