Read about SPH people, research and impact.
SPH Blog
Why go back to school to study nutrition?
I studied nutrition as an undergrad at Boston University. Tuition wasn’t cheap, so I joined the ROTC to pay for school. When I graduated, I went into the Navy and spent six and a half years on active duty. I knew that I wanted to go back to nutrition. It was always the end goal.
What motivates you about public health?
Alicia Yang is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. She graduated from the UW with an MPH in Nutritional Sciences.
Why did you decide to get an MPH in nutritional sciences?
Francisco Rios Casas grew up in the Los Angeles sprawl in an area known as Santa Ana. As he spent more time exploring the city during high school, and later at the University of Southern California, Francisco became more aware of the impact the built environment can have on physical and mental health, especially in low-income Latino communities like the one he grew up in.
Military pilots are often responsible for the lives and safety of others, but they, too, face a variety of unique health risks.
Marian Hyatt, a physician in the United States Army, recalls a helicopter pilot who had partial numbness and weakness on the top of his left foot. The condition was most likely due to nerve damage resulting from frequently resting his knee against a lever that controls the ascent and descent of the aircraft.
Helping wounded warriors on the road to recovery
Francis Haegil Kim had only been at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan for three weeks before a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device on base during a Veterans Day 5K. Four Americans were killed and 16 others were injured in the attack.
Nancy Tovar-Garcia graduated with a degree in public health.
What’s your story, how did you get to the UW?
Youssef graduated in 2018 with a degree in Public Health. In 2020, he became a graduate student at Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the UW.
Why did you join the military?
When I was 18, I didn’t have a lot of direction in my life. I call it my “pursuing pleasure phase.” I saw myself going down the wrong path, and decided I needed to change that.
What interests you most about nutrition?
I’m always fascinated by what I learn in my nutrition classes. It's helped me to achieve a positive mindset, and I know that I can use the knowledge I’m gaining to help others.
One of the first classes I took at the UW was Nutrition 200: Nutrition for Today. I was learning things that I could use right after the class ended.
What would you like to do in the future?
Kate Tokareva graduated in 2019 and is attending the UW School of Medicine.
How did you discover public health?
Why did you decide to go back to school to get your bachelors?
I went to a couple of different colleges when I was younger and I failed a lot. I didn’t have a real goal or an educational role model. Now that I have kids of my own – two daughters who are 3 and 6 – it’s really important to me that I become a role model for them.
What did it feel like to get in to the UW?
Deanna Ly graduated in 2019 with a BS, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Why are you passionate about public health?
Joseph Lee is now an Associate Clinical Systems Analyst at Stanford Health Care
Why did you choose health informatics and health information management?
Why minor in nutrition?
As a competitive athlete, food has always been a big part of my life. The health of your body is integral to your success as a runner. Minoring in nutrition allows me to maximize my abilities as an athlete by learning about the specific nutritional demands of the body.
Why minor in global health?
Through the Biology Honors program, I enrolled in a course that took a public health approach to HIV/AIDS. The course opened my eyes to global health. I’ve always had an interest in aid work and foreign policy, but I was never able to isolate a specific major or minor, until I found the Global Health Minor. It was exactly what I wanted to do.