My name is Maya Deshmukh (she/her), and I am a fourth year Global Disease Biology student planning to graduate this upcoming June. As I look back on my undergraduate experience, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have received at UC Davis. I have not only been able to grow as a student, but through the GDB major, I have been able to explore the many nuances within One Health in my coursework and find what I am passionate about. Being a GDB student has allowed me to find my way to public health and pursue research which has opened doors that I never thought possible.

I recently completed my practicum titled “Assessing the Impact of Insurance Type on the Risk of Dementia Among Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury” in the Statistical Solutions for Public Health research group under Dr. Miriam Nuño. This research opened the door to volunteering with the Alzheimer’s Association to promote opportunities among early career researchers and students within the Alzheimer’s and related dementia research space. I was also able to present my work at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) and at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) Neuroscience Next. Upon graduating, I will be attending Columbia University to pursue my MPH in Epidemiology, with a focus on Comparative Effectiveness Outcomes Research. Overall, the GDB major has allowed me to find my voice in research and discover my passion for public health and epidemiology, which I am excited to carry on into my future career.