Field of Study USA: Social Sciences

Shravya Sompalli

Shravya Sompalli is a graduate of Brown University with an ScB in computer science and ethnic studies. While a researcher in the Human Trafficking Research Cluster at the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, she worked closely with the grassroots collective Red Canary Song to visualize and communicate changes over the past two decades in the policing of Asian massage work – commonly portrayed as synonymous with human trafficking – in New York. Partly building on this work, Shravya’s senior thesis investigated the integration of technological tools and discourses surrounding the potential of technology in the work of state and corporate anti-trafficking actors while considering the limitations of technological initiatives from the perspective of grassroots organizations.

She also worked in the Sociotechnical Systems and Wellbeing Research Lab (SWRL) at Brown, using mixed computational and qualitative methods to facilitate a greater understanding of how posters on online forums sought help on reproductive health-related concerns in 2024. After graduating, Shravya conducted data and policy work in support of Cook County’s Human Rights Ordinance as an applied data fellow in the county’s Department of Human Rights and Ethics.

Given the growing interest of many international anti-trafficking actors in the potential of interventional technology, Shravya’s Fulbright-Nehru project is examining how anti-trafficking NGOs in Bengaluru are using technology in their victim identification and empowerment initiatives. This project seeks to build an understanding of the perceptions of NGO employees on the efficacy and usability of technological tools. It also aims to find out how users identify and balance potential privacy and security concerns with the adoption of such tools.

Ajay Nathan

Ajay Nathan, originally from Marietta, Georgia, studied science, technology, and international affairs at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, with a concentration in global health and biotechnology. He is passionate about expanding and improving healthcare access globally through the use of digital technologies and holistic models of care. In his senior year, Ajay completed his undergraduate honors thesis investigating the effectiveness of digital health platforms during and since the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Concurrently, he was conducting research at the Georgetown Medical Center, looking at how the knockdown of cellular communication may limit tumor growth in mice.

Ajay has participated in various research fellowships at Georgetown. He has also served as president of DCivitas Consulting, a pro bono nonprofit consulting firm that works with D.C.-based nonprofits. Besides, he has guided prospective students as a tour guide and new students as an orientation advisor; he has also been involved in student organizations such as the South Asian Society. In his free time, Ajay enjoys creative writing, hiking, jogging, and exploring cafes.

Ajay’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is looking at the potential use of telemedicine in hospice care and palliative care within Tamil Nadu. The project is identifying palliative care centers (PCCs) across the state to conduct a qualitative assessment of the current status of hospice and palliative care. Apart from reviewing public health records, the project is holding interviews with healthcare practitioners and PCC patients across the state, in government hospitals, government community centers, and private community centers. The aim is to identify the larger trends regarding the efficacy of telemedicine in the treatment of hospice and palliative care patients.