Students Discuss the Future of Public Health

Integrative

"I envision a future in public health centered around developing a more integrative health care system. I see data playing a pivotal role in guiding corporations and health systems to enhance patient care, ultimately impacting health care on national and global scales."

Varshini Batti, MS ’25, Health Informatics

Equal

"I envision the future of public health as one where health equity is prioritized. I think it’s important to understand that not everyone is privileged to access health care, particularly those populations that are disproportionately affected by chronic and infectious diseases. As public health experts, we must champion policies that ensure people are met where they are."

Don-Pedro Ume, MPH ’25, Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases

Action

"I envision a future of public health where we, as trusted voices, advance climate action and protect the health of the most vulnerable populations from climate change."

Cristina Arnés Sanz, MPH ’25, Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Climate Change and Health

Wellness

"To me, public health is about ensuring that people live not only longer, but healthier and happier lives. By emphasizing prevention, we can invest in holistic wellness, providing robust mental health support alongside accessible physical health resources. Creating environments that promote wellness through education, nutrition, and physical activity will empower individuals to take charge of their health. It’s truly inspiring to envision a future where public health prioritizes inclusivity and prevention, paving the way for healthier, thriving communities."

Michelle Ly, MPH '25, Health Policy

Accessibile

"I envision the future of public health as having great health equity. As time progresses, public health and medicine will further overlap, revolutionizing our community’s potential for full equality and accessibility to health. I believe this generation will take a large step toward realizing this, which fills me with incredible pride. I look forward to seeing the outcome of our hard work."

Shivani Saluja, MPH ’26, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Impactful

"I envision the future of public health as a time when we create opportunities for change in the treatment of marginalized communities, especially in our health care system. This means using the opportunities and resources available to me, to make the best impact I possibly can on my community."

Oghenetefike Okotete, MPH ’26, Health Care Management

Collaborative

"I envision the future of public health as one that harnesses the power of data-driven insights, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global partnerships to address complex health challenges. I hope the world can treat public health as a global cause and aggregate all possible resources to serve all humans."

Houmin Xing, MS ’25, Biostatistics

Sustainable

"With rising environmental issues like climate change, food insecurity, and pollution, prioritizing environmental health is crucial to addressing health inequities. I hope to see progress in the form of sustainable policy and legislation that values the interconnectedness of the environment and humankind!"

Janhavi Kulkarni, MPH ’26, Environmental Health Sciences

Interconnected

"The future of public health emphasizes the intrinsic interconnectedness of human, environmental, and planetary health. As we face more complex global challenges – climate change, environmental degradation, and growing health inequities – public health will need to evolve into a more integrated and systems-based approach focused on preventive care and resilient communities."

Bryn Redal, MPH ’25, Environmental Health Sciences

Holistic

"The future of public health, to me, emphasizes connectedness around the world and the importance of holistic health care systems to prevent and treat/cure health issues. Diversity of thought and reliance on scientific evidence will play a huge role. We will view past shortcomings as lessons and apply them to current and future public health legislation!"

Betty Derege, MPH ’25, Health Policy

Multidisciplinary

"The future of public health will be shaped by a multidisciplinary approach, leveraging innovation and community engagement to improve health outcomes. For me, this future means not only contributing to research but also implementing it for prevention, promotion of health equity and to empower communities to lead healthier lives with longevity."

Cecilia Jiye Lee, MPH ’25, Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Reliability

"I see the future of public health focusing on reliable information and early detection as central to effective global health strategies. I see myself in research and teaching, contributing to a future where these efforts lead to healthier communities and a significant reduction in chronic disease burdens."

Bernard Frempong, MPH ’26, Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Healthy

"I see the future of public health as one that emphasizes keeping people in all parts of the world healthy. I hope to see a field that develops in a post-COVID society and relies on our previous shortcomings to prevent future pandemics."

Olivia McCarthy, MPH ’26, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Community

"The future of public health is centered on the voices of young people and championing their wants, needs, and health. To me, public health is about working with communities to achieve their goals and using my privilege and position in public health to champion equitable health for communities."

Nimisha Srikanth, MPH ’25, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Accuracy

"I see public health becoming more tech-driven and focused on equity. AI, big data, and wearables will enable us to track and predict health trends in real time, making prevention a priority. What this means to me is the ability to impact underserved populations with lower costs and higher accuracy."

Kevin Lai, Executive MPH ’26, Informatics