Meet the postdocs driving the future of public health

Postdoctoral researchers are a backbone of public health innovation, driving advanced research and development while bridging the gap between doctoral training and professional expertise. Postdocs are temporary positions for people who have recently completed their doctorate, helping them build advanced research experience and a publication record. In celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, their vital contributions highlight just how essential postdocs are to advancing scientific discovery and strengthening the academic community.  

 

Get to know some of our postdocs 

 

Halide Aydin 

Second-year postdoctoral research fellow for the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies 

Faculty Mentor: Martin Binks 

Research Focus: Women’s health, specifically women with polyendocrine metabolic ovary syndrome (PMOS).  

“I'm interested, within that population, in metabolic health and health behavior change,” said Aydin. “Especially in how dietary, behavioral, and social factors influence women's health and how that research can be translated into practical evidence-based interventions.” 

Mentoring opportunities: Aydin has also been working alongside high school students in another collaborative program Mason offers. “This is our second year mentoring a group of high school students from Thomas Jefferson High School for their research practicum,” Aydin said. “We're doing a systematic review, specifically looking at behavior change techniques in lifestyle interventions, particularly nutrition and physical activity.” 

Shuo Feng 

First-year Postdoctoral Researcher in Health Informatics 

Faculty Mentor: Alicia Hong 

Research Focus: Nutrition, especially macronutrients, cardiometabolic health, and related health conditions, as well as using AI-assisted models for intervention design and implementation. 

“I appreciate the opportunity to explore how artificial intelligence can be integrated into public health interventions,” said Feng.  “I plan to strengthen my understanding of how AI and digital technologies can be used to develop more personalized, scalable, and evidence-based interventions while also expanding my perspective on translating scientific knowledge into practical public health solutions.” 

What’s he’s excited about:  

"The workplace and research environment is collaborative and interdisciplinary,” Feng said. “I can see future potential. I am excited about the opportunity to learn from colleagues across departments, collaborate across disciplines, and explore new approaches to public health research, particularly the use of AI and digital technologies in public health interventions.”  

Julia Hsin-ping Hsu  

First-year Postdoctoral Researcher in Health Informatics 

Faculty Mentor: Alicia Hong 

Research focus: Health information access and information-seeking behavior, particularly among populations that may face barriers to accessing health and social services 

“I use computational methods, including AI, NLP, LLMs, and network analysis to understand how people navigate complex information environments and to explore how technology can make health and social service information more accessible and useful,” said Hsu. 

Research Insight: “One important insight from my research is that even when information and resources are available, people may still have difficulty accessing, navigating, and identifying the information that best meets their needs,” Hsu said. “My previous work on disability service information showed how fragmented information environments can create barriers to effective information access. Building on this work, my current research explores how older adults seek health and social service information through government websites, including the challenges and barriers they encounter during the information-seeking process.” Hsu hopes this work will inform the design of more accessible, user-centered digital information systems. 

What she’s learning as a postdoc: “Under Dr. Hong’s guidance, I have also been learning more about the development and evaluation of digital health interventions and how research can be translated into practical applications,” said Hsu. “I especially value the opportunities she has provided to connect with researchers, state agencies, and community partners, which have helped me better understand how academic research can respond to real-world needs and create meaningful impact.” 

Niloofar Kalantari

Second year as a postdoctoral researcher in the interprofessional Injury Analytics Lab

Faculty Mentors: Katherine Scafide, Janusz Wojtusiak, and David Lattanzi

Research Focus: human-centered computing, health informatics, and the design and evaluation of technology for clinical and healthcare settings

Research Insight: "One of the most exciting parts of my current research has been seeing how technologies developed through our research can be evaluated in real clinical and field settings. Our work has also helped identify important opportunities and challenges for integrating artificial intelligence, mobile technologies, and medical imaging into injury documentation while keeping usability, transparency, and the needs of healthcare professionals at the center of the process."

What's it like to work as a College of Public Health postdoc?

"One of the most valuable parts of my postdoctoral experience has been the opportunity to work in a highly interdisciplinary environment. I have been able to collaborate with researchers and professionals across computing, public health, nursing, engineering, and clinical practice. This experience has helped me better understand how research can move from an idea into a technology that can be evaluated and used in real world settings.

I would describe the environment as collaborative, supportive, and interdisciplinary. I have had the opportunity to work closely with researchers from different backgrounds, contribute to multiple projects, and take on responsibilities that have helped me grow both as an independent researcher and as a member of a larger research team."

Learn more about the Injury Analytics Lab.

Lyric Russo 

Second-year Enochs Endowed Postdoctoral Researcher for the Department of Social Work 

Faculty Mentor: Denise Hines  

Research Focus: Interpersonal violence, examining how factors such as childhood trauma, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and intergenerational influences shape resilience, risk, and revictimization throughout one’s lifespan.  

During her time as a postdoctoral fellow, Russo furthered her research into a more specific subcategory. “I’ve had the opportunity to expand my research to focus more directly on male victims of intimate partner violence,” said Russo. “Ultimately, this work has strengthened my broader research on gender and victimization and helped build a more nuanced understanding of how IPV is experienced by different survivors.” 

What’s great about being a postdoc in the College of Public Health?  

“The workplace and research environment have been incredibly welcoming and collaborative,” said Russo. “What has stood out most to me is how genuinely passionate people are about their work and how willing they are to share ideas, offer support, and find opportunities to work together.” 

The college has additional postdocs not featured in this article. 

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