Nilakshi Biswas is a second-year Global Health Policy MPH candidate. In addition to being a student she is also a research assistant for the Prevention and Community Health Department, where she researches and copy edits papers before they are submitted and published. Her current project looks at risk communication during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia.
Biswas attributes her rewarding experience at Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) to the faculty. “The faculty here have diverse backgrounds and extremely interesting work and experience that they are able to share through projects and networking connections," she said. "Talking and being able to approach the professors informally have led to both my culminating experience (CE) within reproductive health and my practicum in nutrition policy.” She explained that her classes led by such distinguished faculty have been easily transferable to work environments.
Biswas advises future students to reach out to professors early on to see what opportunities may be available. “There are lots of projects available to you as a student that would not be otherwise, and these certainly were important to my growth as a public health professional,” she said.
Biswas' most memorable experience at Milken Institute SPH was in November 2017 while attending the PAHO 29th Sanitary Conference where she was selected to attend a seminar on International Development Consulting.
Between the benefits of the faculty and location of Milken Instiute SPH, Biswas is set up for a fruitful career in public health.