Q&A with 2016 Bass Connections Team Member Joshua Grubbs

Joshua_Grubbs

Published December 12, 2016 under Education News

Joshua Grubbs was a member of the 2015-2016 Bass Connections team "Environmental Epidemiology in Latin America: Leishmania." We talked with him to learn more about the project and her hopes for its outcomes.

Name: Joshua Grubbs
Hometown: St. Petersburg, Florida
Majors: Chemistry and global health, pre-medicine track
Graduation Date: 2018

Why did you join this Bass Connections project?

This project combines two of my interests: human and environmental health. Focused on “environmental epidemiology,” it encompasses some of the most interesting parts of the natural and social sciences. This lends our work to interventions that improve human health and make a real impact on people’s lives.

What has been the best part of Peru/the project? 

More than anything else, I like the people here. Our community partners have been exceedingly helpful and welcoming since the beginning. The team I live and work with has also been fantastic. We all have different interests and career goals, so it is a good, diverse group.

What do you hope to accomplish as part of this project? 

I hope to gain a better understanding of the epidemiology in this area. Even after looking through the literature on the topic. There is still a lot we do not know about leishmaniasis, especially right here. By participating in this project, I can keep developing my public health skills and contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding a neglected disease.

Why did you decide to co-major in global health? 

I have always seen myself as a hard sciences person, but I have a soft spot for culture. Majoring in global health allows me to contextualize the science and make it useful and purposeful. Plus I like to travel, seeing different people and places.

To learn more about the team's work in Peru, view our multimedia feature and video about the project.

 

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