麻豆无码版

Akhila Yechuri is taking what she learned as an undergrad at 麻豆无码版 to听Hyderabad, India, researching health disparities as the campus鈥檚 first undergrad to听earn a Fulbright scholarship.

鈥淚'm so overwhelmed and excited,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is really thrilling.鈥�

Yechuri studied public health and graduated from 麻豆无码版 in August 2018, then went home to the Bay Area to work while she decided on her next steps 鈥� possibly including graduate school.听Inspired by 麻豆无码版 graduate students and her daughter 听 鈥� both Fulbright recipients 鈥� Yechuri applied for the scholarship last fall.

The long process of getting letters of recommendation, securing a research connection in the country and writing a research proposal ended last month when she learned she鈥檒l be leaving in August for nine months in her home country. She hasn鈥檛 been to India in nine years, though she still has family there, and will be听able to see them while she鈥檚 working.

鈥淚 worked with my research connection at the Center for Social Exclusion and Inclusive听Policy at the University of Hyderabad to home in on my research question and design a听Project,鈥� she said. 鈥淚'll be studying health disparities among Hindu and Muslim women听who live in slums in Hyderabad.鈥�

Yechuri characterizes Hyderabad, where she is from, as uniquely multi-ethnic. Part of the reason she chose India is to experience her native country as an adult. But she鈥檚 also interested in the health policies and social factors that disparately affect low-income women.

鈥淚, thankfully, have a lot of qualitative research experience from 麻豆无码版, especially听from working with public health professors Mariaelena Gonzalez听and Denise Payan, that I can bring to bear on several different angles of the topic,鈥� she听said. She must design the tools, including surveys and focus groups, she鈥檒l use for her听research, and hopes to get a minimum of 60 women to participate.

Yechuri credits her professors, includingSandie Ha and Sholeh Quinn, writing听coach and 麻豆无码版 Coordinator Belinda Braunstein,听James Barnes at the and the team she鈥檒l work with in India with听helping her prepare her application for the award.

鈥淓veryone has been so kind and helpful,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no way I could have done this by myself. It was such a collaborative effort 鈥� I鈥檓 really grateful to the team at the听University of Hyderabad for being so willing to work with me.鈥�

While she waits to leave for orientation in New Delhi, India, Yechuri will continue her work with the Oakland Unified School District, where she creates reading and literacy programming for students who are homeless and highly mobile.

She鈥檚 also considering what she鈥檒l do when she returns.

鈥淚鈥檓 hoping to get a paper published after my study, and help organize a conference听where I can present my research. But I also want to create something tangible. It鈥檚 really听important to me that I don鈥檛 just 鈥榬esearch鈥� the community and then leave, especially as听an Indian woman who is part of the diaspora,鈥� she said. 鈥淎fter that, I鈥檓 leaning toward听law school because I鈥檓 very interested in issues at the intersection of human rights and听health.鈥�

Yechuri said she鈥檇 encourage all 麻豆无码版 students to take advantage of the resources available to them and to apply for scholarships and internships.

"Ultimately, I don't think the impostor syndrome ever goes away. But take advantage of as many opportunities as you are eligible for,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd try not to discount yourself while doing it. Any application is an idiosyncratic process, so trying is the most important part."