Students
Meet some of our current students. Learn why students chose Hopkins, the research they’re pursuing and their experiences while in the program.
KHUDEJHA ASGHAR, PHD STUDENT
Area of Interest
Women’s, Sexual and Reproductive Health
Khudejha Asghar works at the intersection of research and practice on violence against displaced women (VAW), children (VAC), and people of diverse SOGIESC. She is interested in systems-level change and joined PFRH to build skills in advocacy and large-scale survey analysis. To date, she has co-developed NASPA's Core Blueprint to address sexual violence at universities and International Rescue Committee's (IRC) Safe at Home family violence intervention. She has worked on mixed-methods research and programming with partners such as the CDC, Fenway Health, House of Ruth Maryland, Institute for Reproductive Health, Universidad de los Andes, UNHCR, and UNICEF, in Colombia, DRC, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Pakistan, and the United States. In the last year, she is most proud of contributing to IRC's organization-wide policy statement supporting employees of diverse SOGIESC.
MICHELLE baack, MSPH '20, PHD STUDENT
Area of Interest
Adolescent Health
My research interests center around adolescent health both domestically and globally. Within this focal area I primarily focus on mental health as well as sexual and reproductive health with overarching interests in wider population health and wellbeing. My current projects with the Global Early Adolescence Study, Center for Adolescent Health, and Gates Institute of Population & Reproductive Health reflect this range of interests. The support for my diverse interests and the expertise of the faculty within the department are why I chose PFRH. Further, studying within this department fosters a wide range of skills and competencies that will help me in exploring significant issues of the future.
SAM BECKWITH, PHD STUDENT
Area of Interest
Adolescent Health
I am a social and behavioral science researcher who conducts qualitative and quantitative research related to adolescent health and behaviors. My primary research interests are adolescent opportunity, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and positive youth development; additionally, I am interested in the ways these topics overlap and build on one another. The end goal of my research is to build a better understanding of the ways programs and policies can serve and empower young people, improve outcomes starting at a critical juncture in their lives, and reduce inequities. I currently work as a research assistant within the Global Early Adolescent Study, and conducted research at the non-profit research organization Child Trends prior to joining PFRH.
KRISTIN BEVILACQUA, PHD STUDENT
Area of Interest
Women’s, Sexual and Reproductive Health
Kristin is a second-year doctoral student in the department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health. Her research interests lie at the intersection of women’s health and intimate partner violence with a primary focus on the risk factors for violence and the differential impacts of violence on health. Prior to coming to Hopkins, she earned her MPH from the University of Michigan in the department of Health Behavior and Health Education Kristin currently works on several projects focusing on the impacts of housing and other state-level factors on the risk for and health impacts of violence as well as a study on shared contraceptive decision-making among Latinx women and their providers in Baltimore. Kristin chose PFRH because of the department’s focus on interdisciplinary scholarship and faculty dedicated to gender-based violence research.
bre calhoun, phd student
Area of Interest
Maternal, Fetal and Perinatal Health
Bre Calhoun is a PhD student in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health. Her area of specialization focuses on the inequities in healthcare delivery that leads to the disproportionate rates of Black and Hispanic maternal mortality, following in-hospital deliveries, in the United States. Her interest in health equity began at a young age as she witnessed the lack of access to quality medical care in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan and how social determinants of health impacts the health of populations over an entire life course. She aims to create sustainable solutions to prevent mortality from pregnancy-related complications and ensures that minority women in the United States can experience a safe pregnancy, labor and delivery experience, and postpartum care.
Her past research experience includes: studying the lack of access to surgical treatment for obstetric fistulas and the quality of the data collection methods for women in Kampala, Uganda, omega-3 fatty acids as a postpartum depression treatment method for women in Ann Arbor, Michigan, implementation of a technology-enabled treatment program for stroke patients at Mayo Clinic, and evaluating the reliability of deep brain stimulation YouTube videos for movement disorders with the Neurosurgery Department at Mayo Clinic Florida. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Movement Science / Kinesiology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a Master of Science in Global Health Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco.
SNEHA LAMBA, PHD STUDENT
Area of Interest
Population and Health
I chose the PFRH department within Hopkins for my doctoral studies because of the interdisciplinary approach and global lens it provides for the pursuit of my research interests. I am interested in using econometrics to answer questions that lie at the intersection of gender and health. This includes exploring how women’s empowerment and leadership can improve health outcomes. I hope to design and evaluate policies mainstreaming gender and equity within health systems in developing countries through my training at Hopkins.
ELIZABETH LARSON, PHD STUDENT
Area of Interest
Women’s, Sexual and Reproductive Health
My research interests include the use of normative approaches to understand family planning use and how social norms affect women’s and couple’s decision making around family planning internationally and with a focus on Francophone West Africa. Prior to starting my PhD in the PFRH department, I earned my MSPH from the International Health Department, Health Systems Program at JSHPH. I currently work on several projects, including Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA), a large scale international mobile phone-based survey on key sexual and reproductive health indicators. I also participate on a project based out of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Health that aims to understand how to increase women’s voices in demand generation for family planning to ensure the ethical provision of family planning care to women in Francophone West Africa. I chose PFRH because of its role as a leader in the international family planning field.
QUIANA LEWIS, MPH, phd student
Area of Interest
Adolescent Health
My research explores the intersection of family structure, income and child health. I am specifically interested in understanding the unique experiences of youth raised by grandparent caregivers. I currently work as the Research Coordinator for the B Lab which develops programming for youth affected by trauma. Prior to Hopkins, I worked as a grant maker at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation where I managed a wide range of grants related to healthcare system transformation and youth advocacy. I was drawn to PFRH because of the stellar research and supportive faculty and staff.
Stacy V. Lu, MSPH '21, PhD Student
Area of Interest
Maternal, Fetal, and Perinatal Health
I am interested in exploring the intersection of nutrition and disability health across the life course using qualitative and mixed methods. Specifically, I am interested in understanding the parenting and infant feeding experiences of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. My experiences working with disabled persons and having ADHD myself are deeply connected to my commitment to disability justice and advocacy. I received my MSPH in the Department of PFRH and chose to continue my PhD in the same department because of the research opportunities aligned with my interests and supportive network of faculty and mentors.
Aries Viviana Nuño, MSPH
Area of Interest
Women’s, Sexual and Reproductive Health
My research interests center around the socio-cultural influences on an individual’s experience with their sexual and reproductive health, including seeking services and the ability to exercise autonomous decision-making. My experience has involved work with HIV/AIDS education and prevention, as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, as well as programs concerned with youth leadership and empowerment. I am currently an active volunteer with Sahiyo, providing research and outreach support to strengthen culturally mindful interventionism, as well as increase awareness and advocacy towards ending female genital cutting (FGC).
My field placement is with the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programming working on the USAID MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics project, specifically on developing human centered design workshops to improve experiences in maternal health and voluntary family planning. I am working closely with the MOMENTUM Nigeria team, providing formative qualitative research support related to prevention and mitigation of the impacts of FGC in health facilities and communities.
I will soon be working as a research assistant with the Reproductive Health/Behavioral Health Team at the Center for American Indian Health, participating in several ongoing projects involving building healthy relationships among Native American youth, adults, and families. I will also be providing formative research support on the expansion of web-based access to self-administered STI and HIV testing to Indigenous populations across the US.
I am motivated by the diverse and inclusive PFRH community, no less inspired by my fellow classmates’ individuality that is showcased by the originality and thoughtfulness of their opinions.
Erica Selznick, MSPH Student
Area of Interest
Women’s, Sexual and Reproductive Health
Erica is a second year MSPH student in the PFRH department. Her research interests include contraceptive access, sexual education, health equity, and LGBTQ+ issues. Prior to attending Bloomberg, she received her undergraduate degree at Hopkins, majoring in Public Health and working as a research assistant on projects such as the BOSS Cohort Study, relating to breast and ovarian cancer, and TalkBRCA, relating to genetic testing. Currently, Erica is doing her field placement in Ghent, Belgium at the International Centre for Reproductive Health where she is working on projects focused on contraceptive knowledge, use, and attitudes for young adults in Europe and comprehensive sexuality education and media in Kenya. She has worked extensively with the European Parliamentary Forum on a continent-wide survey regarding contraception in Europe, taking part in monitoring translations, coding surveys, organizing survey dissemination, and preparing data analysis. Erica has thoroughly enjoyed her time at JHSPH, especially in the PFRH department where she has met passionate and inspiring peers who share her love for the field and engage in meaningful and impactful conversations both inside and outside of the classroom.
BIANCA SMITH, PHD STUDENT
Area of Interest
Adolescent Health
My decision to attend Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health was based on the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health (PFRH)'s commitment to social justice and health equity. University-affiliated institutes, such as the Urban Health Institute, highlighted the impact PFRH was making not only in the research world, but also in the Baltimore community. My research interests surround the impact of structural racism on health outcomes in African American adolescents and young adults.
ANAISE WILLIAMS, PHD STUDENT
Area of Interest
Women’s, Sexual and Reproductive Health
Anaise is a fourth-year doctoral student in PFRH. Her research interests lie in women’s economic empowerment, social norms, and gender-based violence in low-resourced settings. Prior to coming to Hopkins, she earned her MPH from Columbia University and worked in Bangladesh for several years conducting program evaluations of women’s employment and empowerment programming through the University of Oxford. Anaise currently works on several projects focused on violence and gender at both the PFRH department and the World Bank. Anaise chose the doctoral program at PFRH due to the department’s dedication to work on violence and social norms.
Krista Woodward, MPH, MSW, PhD Student
Area of Interest
Child Health
Krista is a second-year doctoral student in the department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health. Her research interests lie at the intersection of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and grief focusing on systems-level solutions to mitigate poor health outcomes across the life course. She currently works at the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) supporting early childhood practice and policy transformation to improve child and family flourishing and resilience across the nation. Prior to coming to Hopkins, Krista worked at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) as a Program Officer in the Public and Patient Engagement Department studying the science of engagement in research and developing tools to support PCOR workforce. She completed her dual MPH and MSW degrees at Washington University in St. Louis School of Social Work and BS in Psychology at Lafayette college.
Emily Young, PhD Student
Area of Interest
Adolescent Health
My research lies at the intersection of adolescent and school health. Specifically, I am interested in the implementation science of school health frameworks and how school environments influence adolescent health behaviors and outcomes. These interests stem from my years as a high school English teacher in Baltimore, and from my ongoing work with the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health. I chose to pursue doctoral studies with PFRH to further develop skills and expertise in school-based program design, implementation, and evaluation alongside faculty who work closely with Baltimore City Public Schools – the place where it all started for me! I currently work as a research assistant for ‘Nobody Asked Me’, a collaborative research project between JHSOE and JHSPH that explores young Baltimoreans’ experiences living and attending school in the city.