Graduate Spotlight: Adriana De Resende

Meet Adriana De Resende, a Rutgers School of Public Health MPH graduate!

Adriana De Resende will be receiving her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology from the Rutgers School of Public Health.

As a member of the Class of 2025, Adriana has combined research with real-world application, using her studies and work to help advance health equity across diverse communities. Her path to public health began at the Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), where she discovered the importance of community-engaged research to shape meaningful policy change.

Adriana is also the recipient of the 2025 Bernard D. Goldstein Award for Epidemiology, which recognizes exceptional academic achievement among masters-level students in their concentration.

While completing her MPH, Adriana collaborated with faculty across the university—including EOHSI, the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School—gaining valuable insight into how interdisciplinary work can drive impact. She credits these experiences, along with the guidance of her faculty advisor, Dr. Judith Graber, as integral to her growth as a public health professional.

We sat down with Adriana to hear more about her public health journey, her passions and goals, and what’s next.

---

What inspired you to pursue public health, and how has your time at Rutgers School of Public Health shaped your journey?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to research. I always pictured myself at a lab bench, using pipettes and well plates to find solutions to major health problems. That was how I imagined making my mark. After completing my undergraduate studies at Rutgers, I stumbled upon a research assistant position at the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI). That opportunity completely shifted my perspective. I learned that health research doesn’t have to be isolated—it can and should involve direct engagement with people and communities.

Working at EOHSI introduced me to incredible faculty and students from the Rutgers School of Public Health. Their passion and dedication inspired me to pursue my MPH and deepen my impact in public health research. It’s been a transformative experience that reshaped how I view my role in improving health outcomes.

What has been the most rewarding or transformative experience during your time at Rutgers? 

The most transformative experience during my time at Rutgers has been working in public health research at EOHSI. I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to a wide range of projects that serve incredibly diverse communities—from volunteer firefighters and healthcare workers to pregnant women and World Trade Center responders. Many of these projects have been in collaboration with faculty from the Rutgers School of Public Health, whose work I deeply admire. Being able to learn from and work alongside such passionate and accomplished public health professionals has been both inspiring and humbling. I truly look up to the impact they’ve made—and continue to make—in the field.

These experiences have shown me the real-world value of public health research and the importance of building on the work of those who came before me. It’s been especially rewarding to contribute to findings that can help shape policy and improve health outcomes for communities in need.

You’ve been recognized with the 2025 Bernard D. Goldstein Award for Epidemiology. What does receiving this award mean to you?

It was such an honor to receive the 2025 Bernard D. Goldstein Award for Epidemiology! Balancing full-time work with the demands of the MPH program was a challenge, so this recognition was really special. It’s rewarding to see that the effort and commitment I put into my studies didn’t go unnoticed. I feel very grateful and appreciative to have been recognized in this way.  

What advice would you give to current and future public health students?

My biggest piece of advice for current and future public health students is to get involved with the communities around Rutgers. Before returning for my MPH, I didn’t fully realize how essential community engagement is to public health work. It’s one thing to study public health in the classroom, but it’s another to see its impact firsthand. I was fortunate to continue working at EOHSI while pursuing my degree. That experience allowed me to stay involved in meaningful research while applying what I was learning in real time.

Being able to connect theory with practice not only deepened my understanding but also helped me grow into a more well-rounded public health professional.

What’s next after graduation, and how do you hope to make an impact in public health?

After graduation, I’ll be continuing my work in public health research as a research coordinator. I believe this field plays a critical role in shaping the guidance and policies that directly affect people’s health, and much of that begins with strong epidemiological studies. My hope is to keep contributing to research projects that have a real, tangible impact on people’s health and well-being. Public health is all about improving lives at both the individual and community level, and I’m excited to be part of that ongoing effort.