The close of summer also marks the end of GFRP’s third year of the Fellowship for Exploring Research in Nutrition (FERN), a 9-week research internship for undergraduate students interested in food policy research. Over the course of the summer, the fellows built foundational research skills, attended professional development workshops, participated in GFRP team activities, assisted on ongoing research projects, and learned about current topics and methods in nutrition policy research. They also collaborated on a project to research and create a fact sheet on policies and programs for minimally processed foods. The whole team thanks Amienata, Juan, and Ridha for their work and contributions this summer and wishes them all the best this school year and in their future endeavors!
Read more about the 2024 FERN fellows and their summer experiences below:
Amienata Fatajo
Rising senior at the UNC-Chapel Hill
Major: Political science and medical anthropology with a certificate in health communications and marketing.
Summer research project: I worked with Dr. Marissa Hall this summer, assisting her with tasks related to her research on front-of-package warning labels on products such as tobacco and alcohol and examining their impacts on health behavior. Additionally, I contributed to the development of policy fact sheets for alcohol- and diet-related diseases in North Carolina. I also collaborated with Aline D’Angelo Campos on manuscript editing, as well as conducting a preliminary literature review on the impact of people’s perceptions of organic food and its importance in their diet.
Most interesting discovery this summer: Learning about different pathways in public health.
Favorite FERN workshops: I found the resume and networking workshop to be insightful, as it provided guidance on how to update a resume to be competitive for various opportunities. The positionality workshop was also enlightening, as it discussed socioeconomic status and other factors in relation to research.
Coming up next: My plans after school are to take a summer off to travel, pursue graduate studies in public health, and explore fellowship opportunities in public health and international development. My future research interests include how our environment influences broader health outcomes.
Random fact: I studied abroad this past semester in London with Honors Carolina in the Honors Global program.
Juan Gomez
Rising senior at North Carolina State University
Major: Nutrition science
Summer research project: This summer, I worked with Dr. Shu Wen Ng and a team of researchers in South Africa to identify and categorize research methods and tools used to study higher education institutional policies on food procurement, sponsorships by the food and beverage industry, and student food provision. We compiled this information into a comprehensive spreadsheet and an associated summary document. Additionally, I collaborated with Gabriela Vatavuk-Serrati on a project to determine ultra-processed food intake in correlation with school meal participation through literature searches and data analysis using Stata software.
Most interesting discovery this summer: The most exciting thing I learned during my time with the GFRP is that there are numerous factors influencing the nutritional status of individuals or populations, but there are also countless efforts being made by remarkable individuals striving to transform dietary habits and promote equal opportunities for everyone to achieve good health.
Favorite FERN workshops: My favorite FERN workshop was the PhD in Nutrition panel. As a student majoring in nutrition, I found it incredibly insightful to hear about the panelists’ experiences and academic journeys that brought them to where they are today. I was greatly inspired to pursue a PhD in the future and contribute to advancing the field that I love with my own ideas and discoveries.
Coming up next: I plan on continuing my education in a graduate school program that will prepare me to become a registered dietitian in the near future!
Random fact: I have been a huge fan of Spider-Man since I was kid. To this day, that fascination has not slowed down, and I now have an abundance of different Spider-Man collectibles, decorations, clothes, etc. I strive to be someone who can make a difference in the lives of people I interact with in the same way he does!
Ridha Masagazi
Rising senior at the UNC-Chapel Hill
Major: Nutrition science with a minor in chemistry.
Summer research project: I worked with Dr. Lindsey Smith Taillie and my graduate mentor, Carlos Roberto Soto Diaz, and examined how acculturation influences the consumption of ultra-processed foods among Hispanic people in the U.S. I did an extensive literature review and organized the results sections.
Most interesting discovery this summer: I was surprised about the different pathways a lot of the faculty and graduate students took to get where they are at. Coming into this internship, I had no plans for post-grad. However, hearing all the different paths helped me create one for myself.
Favorite FERN workshops: I liked the STATA and Qualtrics workshops because they enabled me to enhance my data analysis skills. I also liked the resume and networking workshops because I learned a lot of tips and etiquette for writing emails, presentations, and professional conversations which helped me form and establish strong connections at GFRP. Furthermore, Dr. [Deborah] Stroman’s sessions were very insightful in terms of how many structural factors influence health in the U.S.
Coming up next: I plan to obtain my MPH in Epidemiology right after I graduate, and I’d like to work with programs that tackle maternal and child health issues.
Random fact: I have lived in five countries!
Students interested in summer 2025 fellowships should check the FERN information page for application information in late 2024.
Portraits by Jon Gardiner