Shahmir Ali, is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at NYU’s School of Global Public Health, with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Prior to joining NYU, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in public health studies and political science. Shahmir, a Pakistani-American, cites his global background as a major inspiration and contributor to his passion for public health. His past research and publications have spanned work in the US, China, Australia—where he spent many of his formative years—and Pakistan. [As an NYU student, he has been involved with research on campus such as the South Asian Health and Research or (SAHARA) Initiative.] Earlier this year, Shahmir was part of an innovative team of researchers that conducted a widely-circulated study exploring social media as a recruitment platform for knowledge regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In this episode we discuss his experience gathering information on COVID-19 as the pandemic progresses as well as his journey to the Ph.D. and advice for prospective students.

To learn more about the NYU School of Global Public Health, and how our innovative programs are training the next generation of public health leaders, visit publichealth.nyu.edu.