Student Spotlight: Joanna Horvath

Joanna Horvath is a Master of Public Health graduate in Social and Behavioral Science. Her public health experience so far has centered around projects related to the prevention of opioid overdoses, cancer, and women and children’s health issues. 

Before coming to New York City to further her education, Joanna worked as a writer for various state public health campaigns. In addition to her MPH from NYU, she completed a Master’s Certificate in Conflict Transformation from St. Mary’s University and currently works as a Visitor Experience Seasonal Ambassador for The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

To learn more about Joanna, we spoke with the master’s student about conflict transformation, art therapy, her thesis presentation in Northern Ireland, and where her interest in public health began. Read our Q&A with Joanna below!

Interviewed by Selina Ma.

Q: What sparked your interest in public health? 

A: I’ve had many experiences which have led to my interest in public health! My interest in health was first sparked when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was in high school. Then during undergrad, I studied abroad in France and had a month-long spell with the flu. Visiting doctors and pharmacies there, I experienced first-hand what the healthcare system was like and how it differed from in the US. During spring break of my senior year, I traveled with a group of students from my school to a homeless hospitality center in Phoenix, AZ, where there were hundreds of people sleeping under one bridge who were diagnosed with tuberculosis. It was the first time I saw how interconnected health is to so many other problems. 

While I was never dead set on getting an MPH from an early age or have a plan to become an epidemiologist when I was younger, I have always followed my passions and interests. One of my biggest interests has always been people, how people act in groups and how that impacts us all, which is pretty much public health. All my choices have naturally gravitated towards health and thinking about how to make things safer, healthier, and better for everyone. 

Q: Was there any project or experience that shifted how you think about public health or helped you make the decision to pursue a master’s degree in this field?

A: I was working on a project on sexual violence prevention for the state of Texas. It was my first week on the job, and I was sitting in on focus groups where five different groups of people were questioned on some ads the state was going to put out geared towards young people on sexual violence and intervention. I saw what a huge and scary disconnect there was between people’s collective opinions and their individual values on who should be blamed in cases of sexual assault. 

I became increasingly enraged as the days grew on that the problem was so blatant, but the method of prevention was not on track to actually change anything. It was mainly about putting a band-aid over the issue. I thought the bar should be higher because people, young girls especially, deserve so much better. I saw how health problems can take their cues from social issues and every-day behaviors. That’s when I really started to think about public health through a social and behavioral lens.

Q: Why are you interested in emergency preparedness and response? 

A: Conflict is at the root of all disasters, and it’s also at the root of most public health issues. I think the idea of prevention is at the heart of emergency preparedness, the same way it is at the root of all conflicts. I like emergency preparedness and response because you can look at a disaster or a place going through a dire situation and see what can be done so that it doesn’t happen again, or most importantly, how fatalities can be prevented. Disasters are a time for action and a time for trial and error. It’s the foundation of public health because if we are not prepared for a worst-case scenario, society will spiral out of control as soon as something bad happens. 

Q: What is a current emergency or disaster you believe is critical to address?

A: I think mass shootings are top of the list for the most critical disasters to address in the US. They have become so normal we are all growing increasingly desensitized, which is disturbing. The US has more gun deaths than any other developed country, and it blows my mind that more people don’t treat this issue as a public health problem instead of a political one. Mass shootings are also a perfect example of multiple public health issues bleeding into one. There isn’t one solution that can solve it, it’s going to take effort from multiple angles. 

Q: Public health is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses so many diverse areas. Are there any interdisciplinary areas in public health that you’re passionate about or that you have learned from? 

A: Throughout my time in NYU’s MPH program, I have worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), which sparked an interest in art therapy. Art can be a way to heal and prevent certain health conditions, as well as build resilience and help people move on from disasters. So much art throughout history has been created by people trying to cope with something, so I think there is a lot of inspiration there for me as I like the idea of public health being something creative too. 

There is also lot of new research being done on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how to learn resilience strategies early on. I ended up doing my thesis on ACEs and mental health in adulthood, so I think entities like the MET could have a huge role to play in prevention. Prevention is creative and problem solving can be creative too. 

Q: I know that you have a Master’s Certificate in Conflict Transformation. Could you tell us a little bit more about your degree, and your interest in the connection between conflict and public health? 

A: Learning from past conflicts and mistakes is critical to public health. My program was focused on “transformation” as opposed to resolution because the reality is there will always be conflict. Rather than wiping our hands and saying, “problem solved,” we are constantly learning and growing from conflict. It is in a sense focusing on prevention in the same way that public health does. 

I made the connection before completing the program that it is a positive and future-oriented way of thinking that could be applied not just to international conflicts, but to things like women’s health in the US, mass shootings, environmental health, mental health – you name it. There is so much conflict in public health and so many conflicts are made worse because people are unable to work together. 

Q: Tell us more about your thesis presentation on the Syrian conflict’s impact on health in Northern Ireland! How was the experience?

A: My experience in Northern Ireland was amazing! I’ve never been to any place with such a long-standing conflict before. The fighting there had been going on for hundreds of years when you get down to it, which is so long that it’s literally built into the infrastructure of the cities and the way people engage daily. 

It was interesting to compare the conflict in Northern Ireland to the conflict in the North-eastern region of Syria and how resilient the people there have been by creating and maintaining a haven during civil war. I think the world would be a better place if leaders looked to places and people who have shown huge resilience in the face of the worst atrocities and conflicts. It’s also another reason I love public health because it’s like a time machine that allows you to look at the past, present, and future before making a decision.  

Q: What is next for you after you complete your MPH degree?

A: I’m excited to take the quantitative skills I’ve learned and apply them to real life health issues. I would like to be a social and behavioral epidemiologist because I think it is an expanding form of epidemiology. Social epidemiology is essential and should be applied to everything from disaster preparedness to mental health to women’s health. I want to help improve healthcare for everyone, particularly for women. Women’s health is so under-researched and under-funded. There are so many parts of our healthcare that are downright archaic, so I think that’s a good place to start.