Amienata Fatajo

Rising senior at the UNC-Chapel Hill

Major: Political science and medical anthropology with a certificate in health communications and marketing.

Summer research project: I worked with Dr. Marissa Hall this summer, assisting her with tasks related to her research on front-of-package warning labels on products such as tobacco and alcohol and examining their impacts on health behavior. Additionally, I contributed to the development of policy fact sheets for alcohol- and diet-related diseases in North Carolina. I also collaborated with Aline D’Angelo Campos on manuscript editing, as well as conducting a preliminary literature review on the impact of people’s perceptions of organic food and its importance in their diet.

Most interesting discovery this summer: Learning about different pathways in public health. 

Favorite FERN workshops: I found the resume and networking workshop to be insightful, as it provided guidance on how to update a resume to be competitive for various opportunities. The positionality workshop was also enlightening, as it discussed socioeconomic status and other factors in relation to research.

Coming up next: My plans after school are to take a summer off to travel, pursue graduate studies in public health, and explore fellowship opportunities in public health and international development. My future research interests include how our environment influences broader health outcomes.

Random fact: I studied abroad this past semester in London with Honors Carolina in the Honors Global program.

Ridha Masagazi

Rising senior at the UNC-Chapel Hill

Major: Nutrition science with a minor in chemistry.

Summer research project: I worked with Dr. Lindsey Smith Taillie and my graduate mentor, Carlos Roberto Soto Diaz, and examined how acculturation influences the consumption of ultra-processed foods among Hispanic people in the U.S. I did an extensive literature review and organized the results sections.

Most interesting discovery this summer: I was surprised about the different pathways a lot of the faculty and graduate students took to get where they are at. Coming into this internship, I had no plans for post-grad. However, hearing all the different paths helped me create one for myself.

Favorite FERN workshops: I liked the STATA and Qualtrics workshops because they enabled me to enhance my data analysis skills. I also liked the resume and networking workshops because I learned a lot of tips and etiquette for writing emails, presentations, and professional conversations which helped me form and establish strong connections at GFRP. Furthermore, Dr. [Deborah] Stroman’s sessions were very insightful in terms of how many structural factors influence health in the U.S.

Coming up next: I plan to obtain my MPH in Epidemiology right after I graduate, and I’d like to work with programs that tackle maternal and child health issues.

Random fact: I have lived in five countries!

Checkna Diawara

Rising fourth-year at the UNC-Chapel Hill

Major: Nutrition (Health and Society)

Summer research project: Checkna worked with Lindsey Smith Taillie, Anna Grummon, and Sarah Frank on a project examining the relationship between environmental nudges and healthy food choices.  

Favorite FERN workshops: “My favorite workshops included the PhD panels on nutrition and health behavior, the cover letter workshop, and the graduate school workshop. The PhD panels really opened my eyes to the different paths people have taken to work in nutrition and on public health projects. The cover letter and graduate school workshops helped me gain a sense of what I could do right after I graduate and how I could best prepare myself for that time, when it comes.”

Coming up next: “I’m really looking forward to helping Dr. Taillie and her team on their environmental nudges project this fall. I’m also exploring my post-graduate options, including working with the Food and Agriculture Organization and different fellowships for recent graduates.”

Aaliyah Saunders

Rising fourth-year at NC State University

Major: Applied Nutrition Science

Summer research project: Aaliyah worked with Marissa Hall on research that uses eye-tracking technology to observe how individuals perceived various types of front of package food labels. She also worked with Aline D’Angelo Campos finding literature to give broader social context on pandemic effects on diet quality. “The most thought-provoking thing I learned this summer was how predatory food companies are with their promotional techniques for high-sodium/-sugar/-fat foods and drinks.”

Favorite FERN workshops: “My favorite workshops this summer were the Networking and STATA 101 workshops. Networking was never something I felt I was very strong at, but the workshop helped me understand how I can go about making connections within the field in a way that is bound to be the best responses. I also enjoyed the STATA workshop as it opened my eyes to programming and how helpful that skill can be in various fields.”

Coming up next: “I plan on taking a gap year to work and gain more experience before applying to grad school.”

Emerald Izuakor

Rising sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Major: Nutrition and Hispanic Linguistics

FERN research project: Exploring the effects of elevated atmospheric CO₂ on the nutrient density of food

Key research findings: Based on my research, elevated CO₂ concentrations lower the density of important nutrients such as iron, zinc, and protein in many of our crops. However, the exact mechanisms that facilitate this are unclear, so that is an area for future research. If current trends continue, we will be facing a public health and food security crisis that will affect mainly the Global South. Hopefully, the correct legislation and investment will mitigate this issue.

Future research interests: Environmental nutrition; maternal-fetal nutrition; sustainable agriculture; and health and food equity

Favorite FERN workshops: Informational interviews

Sydni Wright

Rising junior at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Major: Public Health Major, Spanish Minor

FERN research project: East Durham’s Food Apartheid

Key research findings: Overall, I found that individuals living in areas identified as food deserts are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes, re-hospitalizations, and earlier death when compared to those not living in areas identified as food deserts. I also found that people living in food deserts are more likely to be BIPOC, have lower incomes, and have lower levels of education compared to people living outside food deserts. This means that people who already face marginalization are further marginalized because their place of residence determines the level of access they will have to nutritious foods.

Future research interests: Healthcare systems policy and management

Favorite FERN workshops: Race Realities with Dr. Debby Stroman; student panels; Positionality Mapping