Education: Duke University, Class of 2025
Program of Study: Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science
Hometown: Niagara Falls, New York
GCS Focus: Engineer Better Medicines
GCS Advisor: Dr. Ashutosh Chilkoti
Why Grand Challenges Scholar?
To me, the goal of engineering better medicines is intrinsically inseparable from, and driven by, my interests in health equity. Currently, I work as an undergraduate researcher on a project to rationally engineer nanobodies against Ebola-secreted glycoproteins for low-cost diagnostic tools in low-resourced settings. Additionally, I work as a health policy intern with North Carolina (NC) Integrated Care for Kids, researching food insecurity screening, intervention policies, and the role of value-based payment models for incentivization. These two projects both reaffirm my passion for health equity and show me that research could have a profound impact on the betterment of medical innovation and health systems transformation. As a Grand Challenge Scholar (GCS), I hope to continue to explore how I can use science as a route for advocacy. I am excited that the GCS program provides a platform for more exploration, whether exploring health policy or working for educational equity initiatives that empower under-represented minorities to pursue the sciences. Overall, I hope to utilize my experience as a GCS to learn how to implement programs that sustain such educational and health equity research efforts.