Zoe Walts is a 2024 WISCIENCE STEM Public Service Fellow and a PhD student in epidemiology. Their undergraduate training took place at Lake Forest College, where they completed a neuroscience major and French language minor. She made a switch to field epidemiology in 2021, joining the PhD program in the School of Medicine and Public Health. Outside of school, Zoe like to play the guitar, bass, and cello, and they’re always in the middle of at least 2 books.
What has been your favorite part of the STEM Public Service program so far?
My favorite part of the program, as we prepare for the practicum portion, has been the connections and relationships I have had the opportunity to make with other like-minded STEM graduate students and postdocs from many corners of campus I don’t usually cross paths with.
What are some of your career goals and how do you think this program will help you achieve them?
I hope to work for a government institution so that I can be at the intersection of research, policy, and action. The governance and policy pathway of the PSF program will help me to understand the different roles epidemiologists might take in this process.
What excites you about community engagement?
The thing that excites me most about community engagement is the ability to contribute to bringing research from academic journals into the community to work towards defined goals and positive change. The translation from research to action is difficult and I would love to use my skills as a STEM graduate student to support my fellow Wisconsinites in that process.
Learn more about STEM Public Service Fellows.