Public Health Research

Jayda Liu
She is a 12th grade student from Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, US. She is interested to work on public health research.

Jayda is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)-in-Training student. She is particularly passionate about urban health, which is an interdisciplinary area of public health, urban planning and design, and public policy. She aspires to enter the medical or public health sector. Her aim in this mentorship program is to learn to use statistical data to apply to her area of interests.

Scope of the program

Overall structure

The public health research took a critical look at how Richmond (VA) has attempted to build health equity by addressing food deserts.

Learning objectives

• Understanding the relationship between health, health equity and the local food environment.
• Understanding the relationship between local initiatives and larger policy implications.
• Use of unique local documents on Richmond that could be interpreted through a larger lens framed by key issues.

What challenges did she face?

• With heavy commitments outside of the mentorship program, Jayda had to plan her time efficiently.

How did our program in Public Health Research help her?

• Under the mentor’s guidance, she was able to quickly grasp and apply concepts that were taught.
• Jayda was doubting about her chosen topic half way through the program. However, she preserve and after much research digging, she managed to complete the program with an incredible and polished research paper.

Matched Professor

The mentor is currently an Associate Teaching Professor and Public Health Program Coordinator at Rutgers University. She is a certified member of National Board of Public Health Examiners and Masters Certified Health Education Specialist and Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health for undergraduate network, Society for Epidemiologic Research and New Jersey Public Health Association.

Recommendation letter

Based on your knowledge of this student, would you recommend this student to selective universities? Why or why not?

“Let me know if you’d like a recommendation for college. I am very happy to write one. Jayda belongs in a challenging, top-ranked school. In my opinion, she should consider top ranked private liberal arts colleges, as faculty at those institutions focus on their undergraduates (rather than on their graduate students) and there are often greater opportunities for engaging in research/personal growth.

What a wonderful job you did of finishing off the rough spots and producing a fine, polished work. I encourage you to publish it, though you may need to trim it down depending on the publication.“

Mentor from Rutgers University