About Exploring Health

Produced and hosted by students at Emory University’s Center for the Study of Human Health, HealthierU is a podcast that aims to make sense of the science behind human health. This season, we’re diving into our generation’s burning health questions. Questions like: Is it bad to use the internet to diagnose yourself? Why do so many athletes get eating disorders, and why are they so hard to spot? Is sugar really so dangerous? To find the answers, we’re talking to scientists, nutritionists, counselors, medical professionals and regular folks, every week on HealthierU.

The COVID Chronicles covers a variety of public health topics intertwined with the pandemic, as reported by the students in the HLTH 385: Health & Science Podcasting class during the Fall 2020 and Fall 2021 semesters. The series includes interviews with experts in epidemiology, mental health, maternal health, and more.

Haley Cionfolo is the assistant editor of Exploring Health and serves as TA for HLTH 381W, Health Writing and Narratives.  She is a second-year student at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, earning her master’s in Global Epidemiology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology (MPH’25). Before Emory, she studied biology and global health at Duke University (B.S., B.A.’23). Outside of class, Haley works as a research assistant in the Bacterial Special Pathogen Branch at the CDC and serves in the Student Volunteer Service Program for the Office of New Drugs at the FDA. Haley has experience across public health, having also worked with organizations such as the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy, UNICEF, and Eli Lilly and Company.

Caroline Hansen is a senior at Emory University studying Human Health and Economics with a minor in ethics. Her interest is in bioethics, healthcare administration, and health policy. Outside of class, Caroline is a hurdler and jumper on the Emory Track and Field team and a writer on the Emory Spoke. For fun, Caroline likes to read, drink a lot of coffee, and discover new music.

 Aanya Ravichander is an undergraduate at Emory University (24Ox 26C) majoring in Human Health with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is interested in pursuing a career in medicine with a focus on pediatric neurological conditions, adolescent medicine, and women’s health. She is passionate about advocacy for survivors of sexual violence and unearthing areas of research in the intersections of clinical medicine and humanities. In her free time Aanya enjoys going on hikes, hanging out with her friends, and playing the drums.  

Alexa Morales is an undergraduate student (26C) majoring in Human Health with a minor in Nutrition Science. She is interested in pursuing a masters in public health in epidemiology after she graduates. Her academic interests include health disparities, nutritional epidemiology, as well as nutrition for chronic diseases. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, and traveling to new places. 

Lauryn Palacio is a senior at Emory University, currently pursuing a Bachelors in Human Health with hopes to pursue a PhD in sociocultural anthropology post graduation. Her research interest encompasses the intersectionality of religion, health, and identity with a focus on harm reduction and reproductive care. Outside of the classroom, Lauryn is a dedicated wife and mother who enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and enjoying nature.  

Alya Khoury is currently pursuing a major in Anthropology and Human Biology and a minor in Film and Media Studies at Emory University. She is interested in learning more about the intersections of science and media to deliver digestible information to readers. Outside of class, Alya works in the Learning, Understanding, Memory, & Neurodevelopment (LUMeN) Lab where she investigates how emotion and memory affect brain development. In her free time, she enjoys taking pictures with old film cameras, writing for the school paper, and spending time outdoors in a hammock. 

Ananya Dash is an Immunology & Molecular Pathogenesis Ph.D. candidate at Emory University in Dr. LaRock’s lab, where she studies Streptococcus pyogenes. She wants to take science beyond the lab bench and strives to make it both accessible and tangible for the community. Through her writings, she wants to tell stories about microbes, infections, and vaccines. Outside of the lab, you will find her visiting a bookstore. 

Stephanie Oehler (she/her) is a senior at Emory University studying Human Health and Biology. She is interested in pursuing a career in medicine and public health. She hopes to work in both a primary care and public health setting to reduce the prevalence of preventable diseases at the individual and population levels. Outside of the classroom, Stephanie enjoys trying out new recipes, running, and painting microorganisms. 

Diyya Ganju is an undergraduate at Emory University (26C) majoring in Linguistics. She is planning on pursuing a career in medicine with a focus on labor and delivery or maternal-fetal medicine. She is passionate about equitable reproductive healthcare and improving birth outcomes. In her free time, Diyya enjoys spending time with friends, cooking, reading and going to the gym.

Rama Esrawee is an undergraduate student at Emory University, majoring in Human Health with a concentration in Health Innovation. Driven by a deep passion for healthcare equity, she is committed to addressing institutional disparities affecting marginalized communities. Aspiring to go into healthcare administration, she seeks to contribute to innovative solutions that promote equitable health outcomes for all. 

 Joy Lee is an undergraduate student at Emory University earning a bachelor’s degree in biology. She is interested in disparities in women’s reproductive healthcare, especially treatments concerning hormonal and endocrine disorders. She hopes to pursue medical school after her undergraduate studies. Outside of academics, she is passionate about music and food.  

Harika Adusumilli is an undergraduate student majoring in Human Health at Emory University. Her goal is to pursue medicine, with a specialty in psychiatry. Harika’s primary interest is advocacy of underrepresented and stigmatized mental health conditions. Aside from academics, Harika enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing the piano, and taking her dog on scenic walks.