Advancing Community Health Through Research

With a foundation in Philosophy and Psychology from New York University, Yachun Wen brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to her work as a PhD student in the Prevention Science program. Originally from Beijing, China, she serves as a research assistant with the Senator Walter Rand Institute (WRI), contributing to projects analyzing survey data from Camden, New Jersey, and beyond. Her research focuses on understanding environmental factors and behavioral outcomes through the lens of social determinants of health. Learn more about her journey and the impactful work she’s undertaking.

Finding Purpose Through Academic Exploration

Before college, I spent much of my childhood and teenage years studying mathematics in and outside school. But I also did twenty hours of dance or sport practice every week, and then spent the little time left with arts and many, many books. I tried many things and considered many totally different paths, and at some point, I didn’t think a 4-year college was right for me since it sounded cooler to become a dropout from a famous art school. But when I was in 10th Grade I went to a summer school program—hard to believe that my first time to the United States was not even for becoming a cool college dropout but college courses in Philosophy. I went basically because I couldn’t resist the strike of the feeling from ruining plans, tearing down old self-perceptions and rebuilding my sense of worth piece by piece.

When I was sure about going to the United States, I chose NYU for college because it offered me a place in their Florence center, a place that I hadn’t thought of visiting. Living in an old (and allegedly haunted) villa, I was absorbed in drama and architecture. I completed a double major back at NYC afterwards. When I was deeply into ontology and applied to PhD programs with a writing sample on a debated thought experiment, I was warmly accepted into the Prevention Science program which emphasizes applied research. My journey is hardly a well-planned one; yet, to follow through it requires me to learn and experience more—which is not a bad thing at all. Although my short-term goals had changed, the fundamental skillsets could always transfer, and each new branch along my journey almost added a new layer to the way I think about myself and the world. (Luckily, I have always had people who supported and believed in me…!)

Rutgers-Camden does more community-based research, and has a deeper commitment to the development of underserved local communities shared across all the researchers it has attracted.
Yachun Wen

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Aligning My Passion with Prevention Science

Falling under the Prevention Science scope, research I have done included secondary analyses on impacts of local policy on health measures, emergency medical services use and housing, relationships between political support and maternal and newborn health, within-school student academic progress, and more. I am working with the Senator Walter Rand Institute (WRI) for a funded project designed to use individual-level Medicaid data to study the immediate impacts of expanded benefits for autistic children, and using data shared by LEAP University Charter School. I also have joined projects that analyze survey data collected around Camden, in New Jersey or nationwide to study environmental factors and behavioral outcomes from a social-determinants-of-health lens. In the future, I might want to study more sophisticated approaches such as those incorporating machine learning classification into quantitative and qualitative analysis, and branch out from quasi-experimental research to designing survey data collection or conducting randomized controlled trials.

Using Data to Address Autism Benefits, Housing, and Health Outcomes

Falling under the Prevention Science scope, research I have done included secondary analyses on impacts of local policy on health measures, emergency medical services use and housing, relationships between political support and maternal and newborn health, within-school student academic progress, and more. I am working with the Senator Walter Rand Institute (WRI) for a funded project designed to use individual-level Medicaid data to study the immediate impacts of expanded benefits for autistic children, and using data shared by LEAP University Charter School. I also have joined projects that analyze survey data collected around Camden, in New Jersey or nationwide to study environmental factors and behavioral outcomes from a social-determinants-of-health lens. In the future, I might want to study more sophisticated approaches such as those incorporating machine learning classification into quantitative and qualitative analysis, and branch out from quasi-experimental research to designing survey data collection or conducting randomized controlled trials.

How Rutgers-Camden Equips Students for Careers in Applied Research

Compared to places where I previously stayed, Rutgers-Camden does more community-based research, and has a deeper commitment to the development of underserved local communities shared across all the researchers it has attracted. My most memorable experiences are hearing about the faculty and numerous guest speakers bring in a variety of expertise to express genuine care for the welfare of people.

The curriculum offered by my graduate program is on very high standards, allowing me to familiarize with current topics in the field and quickly pick up critical analytic and statistical programming skills. The idea of putting theories into action and leveraging collaborations has bene hammered into the coursework, and weekly seminars that invite external lecturers over kept our horizons broad. The faculty has been extremely supportive to students working in their own areas of interest. I think this graduate program provides me with the needed knowledge and vision for a successful future career at all angles.