Megan Zhou

Trumbull, Connecticut

Cornell University

msz33@cornell.edu

 

What do you plan to do in the future, career-wise?

 

I am interested in both chronic disease (from a nutrition standpoint) and infectious disease; I am planning on going into public/global health.

 

What projects did you work on this summer?

 

• I drafted a paper on motivating sedentary people to exercise. This involved compiling general behavioral event models, ladders, and inside source interviews in order to describe certain types of health behaviors. This allowed for more tailored solutions to specific types of behaviors that presented barriers to instituting and maintaining a regular exercise regime.

• I ran a pilot study that investigated how the perception of someone’s BMI through his or her voice might affect the likelihood that the person will be hired for a job. In later stages, this study has the potential for broader implications in weight bias and workplace discrimination, where phone interviews may determine the status of job candidates.

• I have a background in graphic design, so I helped to create the signage that promoted healthy choices at mobile food pantries. This was part of a study that explored what effects environmental changes in mobile food pantries might have on consumer choice.

• As the token Cornell student in the intern group, I served as a liaison for the other interns. This meant planning group outings, acclimating the other interns to campus/Ithaca, and carrying out miscellaneous organizational duties that Dr. Wansink or Dr. Aner Tal needed help with.