MPH Alumni Zoë Dugdale: Where Is She Now?

The Master of Public Health program’s series titled “Where Are They Now?” dives into each individual’s time as a student and how those experiences shaped their current professions. If you are interested in taking part in the series, please contact mph@ewu.edu. Catch up with Zoë Dugdale here!

Name: Zoë Dugdale

Graduation Year: May 2018

Job Title: Occupational Epidemiologist/Health Scientist

Organization: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Describe your career path. Why public health?

My academic career, thus far, has focused primarily on sociological and epidemiological research, which has translated nicely into a professional career in the field of occupational safety and health research. I earned my BA in Sociology with an informal emphasis in social science research from Gonzaga University in 2016. During my time there, I had the opportunity to join a small research group led by extraordinary faculty; as a member of that group, I conducted my own original research and presented it at both local and national conferences. I also worked as a faculty research assistant during my time there. One of my favorite faculty members at GU was an environmental / health sociologist. She encouraged me to look into pursuing a public health master’s degree. Not ready to leave Spokane, I chose to apply to EWU’s MPH program. I was awarded a Graduate Service Appointment for both years and worked closely with Krista Loney, director of the Area Health Education Center (AHEC), on meaningful projects related to youth Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and pipeline programs, rural healthcare access, primary care shortages, and so much more. Loney’s guidance and mentorship was invaluable. In addition to my work for the AHEC, I secured a paid internship at the local branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within its National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In June 2018, after graduating with my MPH and having worked for one year as an intern, I accepted a full-time position as an Occupational Epidemiologist / Health Scientist at CDC/NIOSH.

What are you responsible for in your current position?

Research, research, and more research! In addition, lots of brainstorming and collaboration! I work on an interdisciplinary team of epidemiologists, industrial/organizational psychologists, medical doctors, industrial hygienists, and engineering technicians. Our team is more health-related than the other teams in the building, which primarily focus on safety. Concisely, our branch here in Spokane focuses on improving the health and safety of mineworkers. Other campuses around the United States focus on other populations, but our research has everything to do with preventing accidents and injuries and mitigating other negative health-related issues within the mining population. We conduct applied research, meaning that the interventions we produce have to be realistic, population-appropriate, and ultimately, capable of being put into practice at actual mine sites.

What is your favorite part about your job?

I really enjoy working with my team. I have an excellent supervisor and a conscientious and engaged team leader. They support my professional interests and I am encouraged to explore opportunities for continued growth.

How did the MPH program prepare you for your current position?

Exposure to so many different facets of public health within the MPH program helped me find the niches within the discipline that I enjoy most. Through my coursework, I quickly learned that I wanted to work in community health, whether that be in research, advocacy, or philanthropy. The breadth of courses within the program gave me perspective and a point of view – both of which I need to do my job well.

What was most memorable to you about your experiences in the MPH program?

Working for the AHEC was one of the most valuable and memorable experiences I had in the MPH program. I had the chance to work on some really important and rewarding projects that reflected so many of the different aspects of public health – I feel so grateful for those experiences.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering pursuing an MPH?

I would say…be ready and willing to tackle new topics and subject matter – don’t just opt to study something you already know, at least not early on in your degree program. Dare to study something different, something outside your comfort zone or realm of initial understanding. During my time in the MPH program, I tried to pick issues and subjects for class projects and papers that I knew very little about. I explored so many different bodies of research during my time in the MPH program; I also studied so many different population and stakeholder groups. All of that exploration and investigation broadened my worldview and helped me learn a little more about myself, and about where I want to go in my career as a public health professional.