Lillian Grady

Discipline and date of your BA or BS degree: Environmental Science – May 2023 
What influenced your decision to pursue a Master of Public Health at UConn?: I’ve always had a passion for human health, and I feel that a Masters of Public Health puts me on the best track to be able to combine this passion with my background in environmental science. I was attracted to UConn specifically for its strong programs and abundant resources.  
Background: I graduated from the University of Vermont in 2023 with a B.S.in Environmental Science and a minor in Biology. My area of concentration was environmental biology,with a particular interest in the impact of our changing interactions with the environment on human health, and also infectious disease. Since then, I have been working as a research assistant under Dr. Olga Toro-Salazar and Dr. Nancy Trout at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.  
Life Outside Work and School: Outside of work and school I love to roller skate! I recently joined the Hartford Area Roller Derby League. I also love to hike with my dog, read pretty much anything I can get my hands on, and watch bad movies with friends.  
Your immediate (next 1-5 years) career goals: My passion lies in epidemiology and infectious disease prevention and I would like to find a career related to these goals. Currently the careers I believe have the most potential for this are along the lines of environmental epidemiology or field epidemiology. As I progress through graduate school I intend to take courses that I feel best prepare me for these fields, and to make connections with people currently working in them.