Field of Study USA: Public Health

Safwan Islam

Safwan Islam is a first-generation college student and a recent graduate from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he received a BA in public health (with honors) and a BA in biology. As a part of his senior honors thesis, Safwan conducted an original grant-funded pilot study exploring the occupational health risks among gas station workers in the United States.

During his time at Brown, Safwan was the founding president of the Bengali Students’ Association (BSA) which has the goal of building a sense of community among the Bengali diaspora on the campus and its neighborhood. Among the 450 student groups at Brown, BSA was recognized by Brown as the Student Group of the Year in 2024. Safwan’s leadership extended beyond BSA and into student government, where he was elected by the student body as one of the 12 members of the Undergraduate Finance Board (UFB) to collectively manage a fund worth USD 2.1 million for activities of the campus student groups. Safwan is also highly involved in community health work, where he has served as a volunteer and assistant project manager for various projects at a free clinic in Providence.

Beyond academics, leadership, and public health work, Safwan spends a significant amount of time weightlifting, learning about new exercises, and applying exercise physiology to improve his workouts.

Safwan’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is examining how adults aged 18 to 65 diagnosed with hypertension in Delhi perceive the link between air pollution and hypertension, and how those perceptions shape adoption of protective or preventive behaviors. Using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews stratified by age and gender, the project is conducting a four-phase qualitative study affiliated with Ashoka University under the supervision of Dr. Poornima Prabhakaran. Safwan plans to disseminate the findings of the study in various languages through academic seminars, community sessions, and a policy brief aimed at informing counseling and prevention strategies both in India and the United States.

Alisha Flexwala

Alisha Flexwala is a 2026 dean’s distinguished graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a BS in psychology. She pursued an interdisciplinary education in psychology, neuroscience, and communication, thereby shaping her aspiration to become a physician who values both science and compassionate care. At UT Austin, she contributed to neuroimaging research at Dr. Franco Pestilli’s lab, working on clinical MRI data and white matter analysis. She is now a co-author on two of the lab’s research publications. As a Gilman scholar, she also participated in cognitive neuroscience research at the University of Geneva during her study abroad program in Switzerland.

Alongside research, Alisha is actively engaged in mentorship, clinical service, and education. She has mentored students to support their academic and personal growth, and has served as an undergraduate teaching assistant for an upper-division psychology course on cognitive development. At UT Austin’s Health Services, she supported the physical therapy team in patient care and recovery. Her lived experiences have shaped her commitment to advancing equitable healthcare and improving patient outcomes through global collaborations.

Alisha’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is examining how traditional Rajasthani Kathputli puppetry can be adapted to support maternal health education among underserved communities in India. Through interviews and collaborations, the project is exploring culturally grounded approaches to communicating health information in accessible and engaging ways. Using qualitative research methods, the study is also evaluating the effectiveness and broader potential of integrating traditional art forms into health initiatives. Ultimately, the project aims to demonstrate how cultural innovation can promote maternal well-being in sustainable ways, thus contributing to healthier mothers and babies.

Mmasinachi Ezuma-Ngwu

Mmasinachi Ezuma-Ngwu completed her BS in public health science at the University of Maryland in 2022. Between 2022 and 2023, she volunteered at clinics, including the Pregnancy Aid Center and the Covenant Psychiatric Services, where she supported underserved patient populations. From 2023 to 2025, she worked at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) as a postbaccalaureate research fellow in the Inherited Neuromuscular Diseases Unit. She continued in the same lab as a special volunteer in 2026. Her research focused on spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), where she analyzed the skeletal muscle transcriptome and led a project to identify disease-specific biomarkers using samples from a Natural History Study. She also codeveloped a patient-reported outcome measure, the HI-Questionnaire, now used in such a study. She is a co-author on a publication in Brain Communications examining neuronal injury biomarkers in SBMA and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis type 4 (ALS4). Mmasinachi has presented her work at conferences, including those of the Society for Neuroscience and the Student National Medical Association. She is interested in pursuing medical school and advancing research in the medical field.

In India, dementia is rapidly increasing, with millions of families serving as primary caregivers with limited formal support. In her Fulbright-Nehru project in Karnataka, Mmasinachi is examining how dementia severity, patient needs, and caregiver well-being interact to shape caregiver burden. Using a realist review and stakeholder interviews, she is evaluating existing interventions such as psychoeducation, support groups, and respite care. She is also collaborating with clinicians and community organizations to codesign and pilot a culturally tailored, scalable intervention. Through this work, she aims to identify effective, context-specific strategies to reduce caregiver burden and inform policies that strengthen support systems for families caring for individuals with dementia.

Tenzin Dechen

Tenzin Dechen is a biostatistician with experience in healthcare delivery and data science. She holds an MPH in epidemiology from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Her work focuses on applying data analytics to understand clinical workflows, support care coordination, and inform health system improvement.

Tenzin spent nearly a decade at the Center for Healthcare Delivery Science at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Boston, where she worked with diverse health and population datasets, including electronic health record (EHR) data, to evaluate care delivery, assess quality, and support data-informed decision-making. Her work comprised statistical modeling, causal inference, and predictive analytics, with applications in population health and health equity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she contributed to the development of forecasting models to help anticipate patient demand and guide resource planning. She also codeveloped a mobility-based Business Risk Index using location data to examine patterns in transmission risk and support hospital operations.

Currently on a self-directed sabbatical, Tenzin is focusing on global health systems and digital health infrastructure. Her work emphasizes the use of EHR systems to improve data quality, workflow efficiency, and patient care in resource-limited settings.

Tenzin Dechen’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is exploring how an EHR system can support patient care and clinic operations at Sera Mey Health Center, located in a Tibetan settlement in southern India and serving both Tibetan and neighboring rural populations. Using historical paper records and newly digitized data, the project is examining patterns in patient care, identifying gaps in follow-up, and evaluating how workflow factors such as patient volume and wait times shape service delivery. By generating practical insights and tools tailored to the center’s needs, the project aims to support clinical workflows, improve efficiency, and enable more patient-centered healthcare in the resource-limited setting.

Deodutta Roy

Prof. Deodutta Roy is a professor emeritus at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work at Florida International University (FIU), Miami. He joined FIU as a professor in 2004 and served as the founding chairman of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health from 2005 to 2011. Prior to FIU, he was a tenured professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (1998–2004). His leadership in building the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at FIU established him as a key figure in public health academia.

Nationally and internationally recognized for advancing translational exposomics –bridging genome, exposome, and environmental public health – Prof. Roy has received several prestigious awards, including the Junior Faculty Development Award from the American Cancer Society, the Scholar Award in Cancer Research from the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Fulbright Senior Scholar Award. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and monographs, and holds two patents. He has trained 15 doctoral students and numerous postdoctoral fellows. His work has garnered over 6,000 citations on ResearchGate, underscoring the breadth of his scholarly influence.

Prof. Roy has been at the forefront of exposomics research, exploring how environmental DNA and RNA can serve as records of the human exposome, and can help in understanding the environmental causes of chronic diseases. His work integrates machine learning and bioinformatics to analyze complex, multi-omics datasets, and advancing computational approaches to environmental health sciences, brain health, and cancer research.

Dr. Roy’s Fulbright-Nehru project is integrating teaching, curriculum development, and collaborative research to advance environmental public health education and exposomics research at Amity University, Haryana. Focusing on the air quality in the Delhi National Capital Region, it is exploring links between environmental DNA and early brain health. The curriculum incorporates exposomic methods and analytical tools, alongside holding of workshops and boot camps. By addressing the challenges of air pollution and neurodevelopmental risks in children, the project aims to build institutional exposomics capacity and fulfill the Fulbright mission by fostering academic collaborations between the United States and India.

Claire Wulfman

Claire Wulfman holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Vermont and recently completed her master’s in public health from the University of Utah. Her academic path has been shaped by her curiosity and drive to create more equitable systems of care. As an undergraduate, she was involved in student government, biomedical research, collegiate athletics, and tutoring in writing. All through her master’s program, Claire contributed to a nationwide sleep study by coordinating participant recruitment and conducting cognitive assessments. She has served as a health educator with the Planned Parenthood’s Teen Council Program and has also been a counselor for sexual assault victims; besides, she was a community outreach assistant with the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault. For her practicum, Claire traveled to Peru to study family planning beliefs and behaviors.

As a community outreach officer on the Student Advisory Committee, Claire organized volunteer initiatives and policy engagement events for fellow graduate students. She has also contributed to research on sexual and reproductive health and rights in India. Her capstone project explored how gender norms affect stress and mental health among college-aged men; this built on her broader interest in social constructs of masculinity and gender-based violence. Claire’s interdisciplinary interests bridge public health, gender equity, and social justice. Her passion for addressing gender-based violence stems from her experience supporting survivors, promoting prevention, and researching the role of masculinities. Outside of academics and work, Claire finds joy in poetry, cooking, and spending time in the mountains.

Claire’s Fulbright-Nehru project is examining how NGOs based in Mumbai are engaging with men and boys on the topic of public-space sexual harassment (PSH). Working with these local organizations, Claire is assessing how concepts of masculinity, gender roles, and safety are communicated and implemented. Through interviews, field observations, and policy analysis, her research aims to identify effective strategies to promote gender equity and inform future interventions to address PSH in India and beyond.

Ray Wipfli

Ray Wipfli holds a BS in molecular biophysics and biochemistry with a concentration in medicine from Yale University. In addition to his primary undergraduate degree, he received a certificate in global health studies through the selective Yale Jackson Institute’s Global Health Scholars Program. He already has over a decade of experience working in global health through his nonprofit organization, Energy in Action, which specializes in youth-targeted interventions in Uganda. Through this organization, of which he is both the founder and the chief executive officer, he has led countless public health interventions concerning sanitation and hygiene, sexual and reproductive health, and prevention of drowning. Furthermore, he has facilitated and published multiple research studies examining health knowledge and behaviors in Ugandan youth. Ray is interested in forging strong international connections to further the mission of health across the world, with a specific focus on youth and non-communicable diseases.

Ray’s Fulbright-Nehru project is to conduct an evaluation of the updated Kids and Diabetes in School (KiDS) campaign in New Delhi, India. The campaign targets the rapidly rising health and economic burden of diabetes in India, home to the world’s second highest number of diabetic patients. The research seeks to inform future health policy related to adolescents.

Nundini Varshney

Nundini Varshney is a public health advocate and aspiring physician with a strong background in clinical research, health education, and community-based initiatives. She graduated cum laude in human biology and with a minor in business from the University of California San Diego. Her academic foundation is complemented by extensive clinical research experience across Southern California, where she has contributed to studies focused on Alzheimer’s dementia, anemia in chronic kidney disease, and novel cancer therapies targeting genetic mutations.

In parallel with her scientific work, Nundini has led efforts to increase access to life-saving education and resources. She is the founder of a student-led organization that has trained over 4,000 middle- and high-school students in CPR and AED (automated external defribillator) usage. Her advocacy work has contributed to the development and co-sponsorship of legislation mandating annual CPR and AED training for students and teachers across California.

Her interests lie at the intersection of medicine, policy, and education, particularly in the fields of cancer prevention, adolescent health, and reproductive justice. With a commitment to serving marginalized populations and a deep appreciation for culturally informed care, Nundini seeks to bridge the gap between science and community impact. She aims to pursue a career in oncology that integrates clinical care, research, and advocacy to advance health equity at both local and global levels.

Nundini’s Fulbright-Nehru public health project in Rajasthan is focusing on improving adolescent awareness of cervical cancer and increasing the HPV vaccination uptake. In collaboration with Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, she is surveying students, parents, and educators in Jaipur, Rajasthan, to identify gaps in reproductive health education, particularly omissions related to HPV and cervical cancer in national guidelines. The project is also developing context-sensitive interventions shaped by cultural, gender, and economic factors. Nundini will use her findings to deliver evidence-based policy recommendations to support equitable vaccine access across state-funded health systems.

Shrea Tyagi

Shrea Tyagi received her BS from Yale University, where she majored in neuroscience with a strong focus on interdisciplinary, patient-centered research. Her academic journey bridges basic science, global health, and the arts, with a particular interest in gastrointestinal illnesses and the cultural factors that shape access to care. At Yale, she contributed to multiple research labs. In the Turner Lab, she designed an algorithm using BioPython to identify viral “cheats” in bacteriophage populations and later conducted her own experiment studying their interactive life cycles. In the Anirvan Nandy Lab, she developed a novel video-based diffusion model capable of predicting the quantifiability of each pixel in a frame. She used this model to analyze how
visual predictability correlates with gaze movement and neuronal spiking across different neural populations in marmosets.

She also contributed to medical innovation in East Africa as part of Road2IR, a capacity-building program for interventional radiology, where she led survey-based research to identify
post-training barriers and also designed new hospital documentation systems to support clinical standardization. Her commitment to health equity and stigma reduction is deeply informed by her lived experience with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this regard, in collaboration with IBD India, Shrea is leading a project to use Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form, as a tool for healing and empowerment among IBD patients.

Outside of research, Shrea was the captain of Yale Kalaa, the university’s premier Indian classical dance team, and a member of both Dhvani, Yale’s Indian classical music group, and Whim ’n Rhythm, one of Yale’s senior a cappella groups. She is also the founder of the AutoKind Collective, a nonprofit focused on storytelling and culturally tailored chronic illness support.

Shrea’s Fulbright-Nehru research is examining how cultural stigma affects access to care for IBD patients in India. The study’s focus is on marginalized groups, including women of reproductive age, individuals with low socioeconomic status, and the elderly. The project aims to identify barriers to care and seeks to support culturally informed interventions in order to improve health equity for IBD patients across diverse Indian communities.

Shreya Suresh

Shreya Suresh graduated summa cum laude from Lafayette College in May 2025 with a BS in neuroscience and a minor in music. During her undergraduate career, she had the incredibly rewarding opportunity to spend a semester abroad in India as part of the School for International Training’s public health, gender, and sexuality program. In India, Shreya conducted an independent study focused on examining youth community mental health initiatives and the democratization of mental well-being in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In April 2025, she presented the findings of this study at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As an aspiring mental health practitioner, Shreya acknowledges that her Indian heritage will undoubtedly influence her clinical practice, and therefore understands the value of understanding this cultural perspective while contributing to the field of public mental health in India.

Shreya has had a variety of other experiences that have strengthened her passion for public mental health. She built on her background in public health through the Public Health 360 Program run by Global Health and Education Projects. As part of this comprehensive public health training, she attended speaker sessions hosted by public health professionals, practiced her writing and communication skills, and collaborated with a global team to develop and present a grant proposal to combat food insecurity in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Shreya’s Fulbright-Nehru project is examining the efficacy and experiences of community mental health workers under a task-sharing model, which involves training community members to provide basic health services within their communities. She is also examining the reciprocal benefits of task sharing for both health workers and their communities by assessing the following: the training received by community mental health workers; mental health care access/utilization in their communities; psychological/social impact on community mental health workers; the relationship between these community providers and formally trained mental health practitioners; and the necessary next steps to further democratize mental well-being.