Health Science Major Gaining Research Experience

Maha Mohamed, Health Science major, will be participating in an REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) through Western Washington University.  She will spend part of her time in Bellingham, Washington, and the remainder in Kigali, Rwanda. Maha and her cohort will be working with the Primary Investigators, Rwandan colleagues, and the National Institute of Statistics Rwanda (NISR) to create and administer research and intervention programs responsible for reproductive and sexual health. The research question which will be examined is whether there is variation in identified needs. The student researchers will be using existing quantitative data collected by the NISR staff in Kigali and learn how to document data in compliance with international standards. The research will contribute to the literature on the differences in change in reproductive health indicators by region, urban/rural residence, education, and wealth. The REU will also explore a number of additional questions using NISR data, with a particular focus on child health and nutrition. Maha is excited to see and explore new places while conducting research; she has never been to either Washington or Rwanda.