Pahriya is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Earlier this year, she was featured in her school’s website in an article titled “Silk Road Native’s Dream Repeats with Every Intervention”. Congrats! You can read it here: https://sph.umich.edu/stories/2019posts/pahriya-ashrap.html
In the article, she discusses her Uyghur heritage and her interest in public health. She speaks of her journey from completing her undergraduate degree at Peking University to receiving her master’s degree at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and ending up at the University of Michigan for her doctoral training.
Her interest in environmental health was sparked after seeing the negative impacts of poverty, pollution, industrial development, and lack of quality of healthcare services when she was younger. This led her to the path of studying environmental and public health. Her research now focuses on understanding the impact that environmental chemicals have on maternal and child health.
Pahriya places importance on mentoring students and giving the support and knowledge that others have given her. She currently mentors undergraduate and master’s students at Michigan Public Health, and also connects to Uyghur youth online who might need help with their studies!
She ends with this: “When I see people in need, I know it’s an opportunity to help. I always want helping people to be at the center of my life. The Uyghurs, especially women, have overcome tremendous adversity. Whenever I can give back to this community and to any group of people in need – through reproductive health interventions or through online math help – then I know my dream is coming true.”
We hope to see you pursuing your education and career to the fullest! May all your dreams come true!