Ananya Rajasekar, a native of Hollister, California, is an undergraduate student at University of California, Merced pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Public Health and is expected to graduate in Spring 2028. Her interests include maternal and child health, community health, and understanding how social and environmental factors influence health outcomes.

 

As a student researcher working with Dr. Irene Yen’s Housing, Opportunity, and Place (HOPe) Lab, Ananya supports community engagement efforts in Hollister by facilitating conversations with neighborhood community members about local health concerns, including food access, housing, and overall well-being. In the future, Ananya hopes to attend medical school and continue working toward improving health outcomes in underserved communities.