Student Spotlight

After military service and career shifts, UTMB alumnus Christopher Kurinec (’25 MS Biostatistics) discovered his passion for data. Now a Research Scientist at CU Anschutz, he shows how persistence and diverse experiences can shape a career in biostatistics.

Emily Edgar and Izabella Galindo are leading the SPPH Student Association with plans for monthly events, stronger community ties, and lasting programs that connect students with faculty networks and local partners.

Tibor Kisel, MPH ’23, went from teaching fifth graders during the COVID-19 pandemic to guiding researchers through grant strategy. Her path to public health was shaped by lived experience, a math background, and a drive to help communities access resources.

From pre-med student to Senior Health Planner, Igor Vouffo’s path blends persistence, global experience, and policy focus. Learn how UTMB SPPH shaped his journey and how he’s shaping public health across borders and systems.

Dr. Craig Kutz, a UTMB MPH graduate and flight surgeon at NASA, co-authored new research on ketamine’s potential use in psychiatric emergencies during long-duration space missions.

After caring for patients during Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19, Dr. Khamron Micheals now builds AI tools to predict asthma risk before hospitalization. His path from ICU nights to population-level research reflects a bold vision for smarter, more equitable respiratory care

From collecting bugs to coordinating clinical research, Betty Hernandez, MPH '25, has carved a path from entomology to health policy advocacy—shaped by pandemic response, fieldwork in El Salvador, and a deep commitment to health literacy and equity.

MPH student Allie Murphy reflects on her summer in Cambodia, where she helped evaluate a school-based health curriculum and visited three partner schools through her Global Health Practicum.

Dr. Yejin Kang, PhD ’25, MPH, is launching her career as a health services researcher focused on healthcare disparities. Her dissertation challenged diabetes stereotypes among Asian Americans, using data to drive more inclusive public health strategies.

Sandra Kum, MPH ’22, bridges data and advocacy in maternal health, public service, and mental health equity. Her work spans the CDC to startups—and now back to UTMB as a Delta Omega alumni inductee—with sights set on public health change in Cameroon.

After learning she was born at UTMB, Niki Razavi, MPH '25, found new purpose in public health. Now bound for law school, she reflects on how SPPH shaped her advocacy, research, and career goals.

After starting out as a pharmacy technician, Ebube Nwabuko, MPH, found her niche in pharmacoepidemiology. From navigating drug shortages to exploring prescription trends, she’s now using public health research to reimagine pharmaceutical systems—and shape a more just future.