Q: Please tell us about yourself – where did you live before Seattle and what were you doing?

A: I am originally from Flint, Michigan but before moving to Seattle I came from San Diego where I completed my undergraduate at San Diego State University in Public Health. I worked with the Department of Defense HIV Prevention Program in San Diego, as well as worked on research endeavors in Peru and Mexico focusing on infectious disease surveillance and prevention.

Q: What’s your academic focus and what research are you doing as a Research Assistant (RA)?

A: My academic focus is on building a skillset that will allow me to contribute to community-based participatory research in low resource settings and implementing intervention strategies. While my primary focus is on infectious diseases like malaria and HIV, I have taken a new interest in the importance of cervical cancer screenings and contraceptive use. I have the privilege of working with Dr. Steve Gloyd and his efforts in Cote d’Ivoire where we work in connection with PEPFAR (The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) to strengthen and improve HIV prevention, PMTCT (prevention of mother-to-child transmission) outcomes, treatment programs, and improvement of health delivery systems. 

Q: What’s been the most valuable part of your Research Assistantship thus far?

A: Having Steve as my advisor has helped me to assimilate into the graduate program seamlessly and has been a real joy. This position has helped me to navigate the balancing of time and effort, which is an invaluable skill in itself when beginning this graduate program.

Megan Malone is a recipient of the Department of Global Health Endowed Fellowship for Global Health Excellence, Equity and Impact.