London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Educational/professional background

For the last ten years, I worked in digital health and impact evaluation focusing on maternal health and sexual and reproductive health and rights, primarily in my home country, Timor-Leste. The past year prior to starting my MSc Public Health for Development, I worked in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

My first master is in Public Administration from Cornell University, US.

Research interests or career goals

Climate change and maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health.

I would like to learn and contribute to research and policies around climate change and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in small island countries.

Why I chose LSHTM/my programme

I chose to pursue another master, this time MSc Public Health for Development to make the linkage between my professional experience and the foundation and theories of public health. I wanted to acquire solid practical skills to be able to conduct and critically analyze research papers in the public health area. My colleagues from the MSc Public Health for Development programme all come from very diverse backgrounds: clinicians, researchers and public health professionals. I have been learning so much from listening and talking with them since starting my MSc here.

Being at LSHTM has also allowed me to reflect on my position (a woman of color, from a small island country) and what I can do to ensure that my work is always centered on equity and addressing injustice.