Senior interdisciplinary health services major Bryan Bassig of Allentown, Pa., came to SJU looking for a well-rounded curriculum. What he found was just that, and a unique opportunity to work with the Philadelphia Department of Health. As part of the summer scholars program at SJU, Bassig worked with Antonio Cardoso, assistant professor of health services, on a project with the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office (AACO) to use GIS mapping to spatially analyze the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS cases in the city of Philadelphia. Then in the fall of 2007, Bassig initiated an independent epidemiological study with the AACO, which assessed predictors of mortality from AIDS in the city over the last five years.
"My experiences in the classroom increased my interest in epidemiology, but my internships have cemented this interest and led me to pursue graduate studies in the field," said Bassig, who will attend Yale University in the fall to study cancer epidemiology. "I plan on continuing research in this field as my career either at an academic institution or a federal agency such as the National Institutes of Health."