Conference Reflections from Our IAPHS Student Committee

What did we think about our 2024 conference in St. Louis? And what did we learn?

Pre-Conference Workshops

“I attended the pre-conference workshop ‘Studying Mortality using Harmonized National Health Interview Survey Linked Mortality File Data (NHIS-LMF) from IPUMS.’ Having worked with National Health Interview Survey before, this workshop provided a great foundational understanding of the survey and the ability to link this survey to death records data. I learned about how prior researchers have leveraged this linkage to generate novel insights as well as helpful limitations to keep in mind when working with this dataset, such as the populations surveyed and changing variable availability over time. I especially appreciated the application exercises and tutorial that was provided. I am excited to utilize this rich dataset in future population health projects!”

– Austin Le, Medical Student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria

Plenary Sessions

“This year’s theme was centered around the timely topic of declining life expectancy in the United States, so each day of the conference started with a plenary session on life expectancy. Even though early (thank you IAPHS for the free coffee each morning!), these sessions were a great opportunity to hear from well-known, esteemed scholars in the field like Eileen Crimmins, Jennifer Karas Montez, and Jennifer Dowd. Attending the plenary sessions is a great way to learn the state of population health science and this year was no different – I make a point to go each day. I also really enjoyed hearing from the award winners from this year. Cynthia Colen’s discussion of mentorship was particularly inspiring.”

– Anna Shetler, Sociology & Demography PhD Candidate at Penn State University

Presenting a Paper

“Presenting at this year’s IAPHS conference was a transformative moment in my career as an Assistant Professor of Global Health at the University of Richmond. It was my first time delivering an oral presentation in this new role, and I was thrilled to share findings from one of my dissertation chapters titled “Quality of Care and Health Insurance Uptake in Namibia.” The audience’s engagement and enthusiasm made the experience incredibly rewarding. During the Q&A session, I received invaluable feedback, particularly on how to better frame my key takeaways for policy impact. A central message I emphasized was that to increase health insurance coverage, governments in low- and middle-income countries must invest in making health insurance more affordable and accessible. Ensuring that no one is left behind is critical for advancing universal healthcare. Overall, the experience was energizing and has inspired new ideas for my future work in global health.”

– Nigel James, Newly-appointed Assistant Professor of Global Health at the University of Richmond

Mentoring Lunch

“The mentoring lunch  was a great opportunity to meet well-recognized researchers and thought leaders throughout IAPHS, including Mark Hayward, Roland Thorpe Jr., and Phillip Alberti. I sat at Roland’s table and our group of about 7 individuals had a candid conversation about institutional fit for research agendas and how to navigate the early career stage of being a researcher in Population Health Sciences. I met a few people who also had interest in health equity as a core component of their work and also attended a few of their presentations. It was a worthwhile event and I think it was great to have the opportunity to learn from some champions of the field!”

– Michael Green, Population Health Sciences PhD Candidate at Duke University School of Medicine

Student Get-Togethers

“Student and ‘near-peer’ networking opportunities were in full swing at IAPHS! To bring in some fresh air and movement, on Thursday morning, the Student Committee led a walk to the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Participants came from wide-ranging disciplines and phases of academic journeys spanning from undergraduate to post-doctorate and beyond. We all enjoyed the great weather and conversation! In the evening, some of us got together to watch a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.”

– Samantha Doonan, Population Health PhD Candidate at NYU Grossman School of Medicine