‘This is Public Health’ 2024 Ambassadors ready to make their mark

Two graduate students at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University will be giving public health a bigger voice in the coming months. Jared Christian and Shriya Dev have been selected “This is Public Health” (TIPH) student ambassadors for the 2024-25 academic year.

“This is Public Health,” a continuing initiative by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), aims to raise awareness about the field of public health through activities sponsored by the program’s student ambassadors.

Virtual events, social media engagement, and other projects are all tools the program uses to inform broadly about public health, public health education, and career paths within the industry, hoping to inspire interest in the next generation of public health practitioners.

As ambassadors, Dev and Christian will connect with students nationwide, sharing their journey and elevating the field of public health.

“I’ll be taking over the ASPPH social media to highlight key public health issues, attending graduate fairs, and offering insights to prospective students,” Dev said. “It’s also a great opportunity to network with peers across the U.S. during our monthly Zoom meetings.”

Christian agreed, noting, “In this role, we'll be engaging with potential students at graduate fairs, doing social media takeovers, and connecting with other public health students. I’m excited to share my experience as a Tulane public health student!”

A second-year MPH Disaster Management student in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Christian completed his undergraduate studies at Eastern Kentucky University in biomedical sciences and globalization and international affairs. He became interested in the TIPH ambassador program after having a great experience as an ambassador for the school’s Office of Enrollment Management and Admissions Office. 

“The experience offers chances to showcase Tulane as an incredible school and location to learn about disaster management to potential students and expand the knowledge of the field within public health,” Christian said.

Dev came to Tulane after earning her undergraduate Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. She is in the first year of her MPH program in Epidemiology.

She gravitated to the TIPH program partly due to its diversity, as it offers her a chance to connect with different students from different backgrounds across the U.S.

“The TIPH ambassador program offers an incredible platform,” Dev says. “It allows me to share my passion for population sciences and my journey in the field, while also helping others navigate their own paths in public health. Being part of this program would not only deepen my understanding of diverse public health challenges but also prepare me for a meaningful career in the field.”

Both are staying busy beyond taking classes and serving as ambassadors. 

Dev is working part-time as a research assistant in the Household Air Pollution Study, a role she says has given her the opportunity to develop new skills while learning real-life applications of research methodologies. 

Christian is a research assistant for the Highly Vulnerable Children Research Center and is a teaching assistant. He’s also president of the Student Government Association and involved in Global Scholars, the Admissions Ambassadors program, and the local Medical Reserve Corps. 

As for the future, Christian is now considering medical school, but with an eye on disaster response.

“I want to help my community prepare for and respond to disasters as climate change has impacted their severity. This could be through disaster medicine, emergency management, or public health preparedness. I'm excited to pursue different avenues and pathways after graduation.”

Meanwhile, Dev aspires to a career in research.

“I’m particularly interested in projects focused on nutrition, obesity, lifestyle, and chronic diseases, and I hope to collaborate on initiatives that drive impactful change in public health.”