Public health students present research at national APHA Conference 

The Department of Public Health within Liberty University’s School of Health Sciences was well represented at this year’s annual American Public Health Association conference in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 2-5. This year marked a departmental milestone, with a record 18 presentations by master’s and doctoral students, including oral sessions and poster presentations, alongside multiple faculty research contributions.

As the oldest and largest professional public health organization in the world, the American Public Health Association provides a premier national stage for disseminating cutting‑edge research and advancing evidence-based solutions to today’s most pressing health challenges.

“Our department was truly well represented,” said Dr. Linnaya Graf, interim chair of the Department of Public Health. “The caliber of student research and their professional presentations are a testament to the dedication of our professors, who serve as committed research mentors. Most importantly, it showcases our students’ own dedication to developing as public health professionals and their deep passion for improving population health. Together, this collective investment produces the caliber of scholarship we are proud to share on a national stage.”

The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research played a pivotal role in this year’s success by funding the trip to one of the most respected public health conferences worldwide.

“The record number of student presentations at APHA reflects the extraordinary commitment of our faculty and students to advancing public health scholarship,” said Dr. Heidi DiFrancesca, dean of the School of Health Sciences. “Our students are not only engaging in rigorous research but also contributing to national conversations that shape the future of public health. Their work demonstrates Liberty University’s dedication to preparing leaders who will impact population health locally and globally.”

The conference was especially meaningful for the students as they had the chance to engage with national and international public health experts, policymakers, and practitioners who are shaping the future of population health.

“Having the opportunity to present three research posters at APHA was a profoundly formative milestone,” said MPH-Epidemiology student Bright Agbotui, whose work focused on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), gaps in healthcare data in African countries, and the link between e-cigarette use and depression among young adults in Virginia. “Engaging with national scholars and practitioners allowed me to situate my work within broader public health conversations and to refine the methodological and translational dimensions of each project. The national recognition of my research affirmed its relevance and strengthened my commitment to advancing evidence-informed solutions. I am deeply grateful for Liberty’s strong research culture and for OSPR’s support, which made it possible to contribute meaningfully to a national scholarly dialogue.”

Miebaka Roberts, a recent graduate of the Master of Public Health in Global Health program, presented research on natural and synthetic food dyes he conducted as part of the Johns Hopkins Fellowship, a partnership between the School of Health Sciences and Johns Hopkins University in which he spent a year conducting research on healthcare policy under the supervision of Dr. Marty Makary, a renowned surgeon and Johns Hopkins professor before he was sworn in as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this spring. The fellowship is now under Dr. Caitlin Hicks, associate professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and vice chair of research at The Johns Hopkins Hospital

“Presenting my Johns Hopkins Fellowship research at APHA was an exceptional privilege. The experience elevated my professional trajectory by facilitating substantive dialogue with researchers whose work shapes contemporary public health science. Having my work recognized on a national platform reaffirmed the value of rigorous, inquiry-driven scholarship. I am profoundly grateful to Liberty University for cultivating an environment of academic excellence that positioned me to be selected for the Johns Hopkins research fellowship.”

While she did not present, master’s student Ellie Arthurs said attending the conference was deeply beneficial as a student in Liberty’s 4+1 B.S./MPH program.

“The conference deepened my understanding of public health, gave me the opportunity to engage with experienced professionals, and pushed me to grow beyond the classroom setting,” she said. “Attending sessions, hearing new research, and talking with presenters gave me a clearer picture of the challenges and innovations shaping the field today. I left feeling encouraged, inspired, and grateful to have represented Liberty while learning from so many passionate people in public health.”