An NDSU doctoral student is among 40 graduate students from across the country selected to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s new Health Policy Research Scholars program. Bukola Bakare, a doctoral student in the interdisciplinary transportation and logistics program at NDSU, will research the intersection of population health and transportation and logistics issues at the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute. Her goal is to explore ways to make health care better and more equitable.
“I am a proud NDSU student and honored to be one of 40 doctoral scholars selected,” said Bakare, who is from Sugar Hill, Georgia. “I’m ready to work collaboratively, across sectors and disciplines, and embrace a more integrated, comprehensive approach to health that includes health care and the many other critical factors that impact a person’s health. I’m so very excited to embark on this work and share the journey with this community.”
Claudia Tomany, dean of the College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies, said, “NDSU is a great fit for Bukola because we have faculty who are national leaders in a broad range of disciplines and who work together to find interdisciplinary solutions for real world problems. This model allows for innovative and creative doctoral projects. We are excited that Bukola has chosen NDSU for her doctoral education.”
Participating scholars are students who – because of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status and other factors—are traditionally underrepresented in doctoral programs and policy development. The program’s goal is to diversify the next generation of leaders to ensure equity in policies.
Bakare will examine how innovative technologies in transportation and logistics can be incorporated to create healthier communities. In addition, she’ll develop high-level leadership skills through professional coaching, mentoring, networking and an advanced health policy curriculum.
“Scholars like herself bring great credit to our program and the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute,” said Denver Tolliver, institute director. “We are confident Ms. Bakare will be successful and excel in her studies here at NDSU.”
Her faculty advisor is William Nganje, chair and professor of agribusiness and applied economics.
The Health Policy Research Scholars is a new program led by Johns Hopkins University with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Institution partners that will provide training and coaching to scholars include AcademyHealth, George Washington University, Mayo Clinic, UCLA and the University of Michigan.
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