Intern Spotlight: Noah Jenkins and Simrun Rao

I have been interested in questions related to health, particularly after completing my first independent project looking at the impact of the ACA Medicaid expansion on crime. In this project, we observed a decline in various forms of violent and property crime when states chose to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. One of the mechanisms through which we observed this decline in crime was through increased access to treatment for substance use disorders. This previous experience, coupled with my interest in equity and background in political science, made me a good fit for CHERISH’s project looking at how substance use disorder research can best be disseminated to policy makers.

I’m planning to pursue pre-doctoral opportunities after I graduate in May. As I mentioned earlier, my overarching goal is to earn a PhD in economics and become an academic researcher. So, I’m glad that this opportunity has prepared me to continue conducting research. Research can seem like an intimidating process, but my experiences at the University of Pennsylvania and in Buffalo have prepared me well for my future endeavors through field leading research and quantitative coursework. In addition to the acquisition of new research skills, this experience has exposed me to a vast array of new research that will influence my future work.

I’m working on two different projects with Dr. Zachary Meisel, the first of which is on how substance use disorder research and evidence gets to policy makers. This project uses a latent-class analysis to identify discrete groups of policy makers by their attitudes towards individuals with substance use disorder and adjacent policies. The other project utilizes micro-costing to evaluate the impact of the AR2 response unit introduced in 2018 as part of the Philadelphia Resilience Project.

A mentor at school recommended the NIDA internship, and I was drawn to the opportunity to engage in influential public health research while exploring a new city. Knowing that NIDA has a strong emphasis on substance use research and collaboration, I also anticipated creating valuable connections with leading experts in the field. I chose to work with Dr. Benjamin Linas because his project in health economics was particularly intriguing and aligned with my interests. This experience, thus far, has offered me a unique chance to contribute to impactful research and expand my professional network in a meaningful way.

My academic interests are fueled by a deep passion for understanding health disparities and developing innovative solutions to improve community well-being. Post-graduation, I envision working in a research lab and contributing to impactful studies in substance use, digital health, community health, or women’s health. This experience will not only deepen my expertise but also enhance my ability to address pressing public health challenges. Personally, it will fulfill my commitment to making a difference, while professionally, it will open doors to advanced research opportunities and collaborations in my areas of interest.

I have been supporting research activities at CHERISH, which develops and disseminates health economic research to inform substance use disorder treatment policy and HCV and HIV care of people who use drugs. I conduct literature reviews of sources that assist with determining the social determinants of health relating to substance use disorder.

I am spending the rest of my summer hanging out with my grandparents, who are visiting from India, and preparing for the GRE exam. I also have a few concerts lined up to look forward to.