Erica Walker
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Brown University
Providence, RI USA
“When you can be as outrageous as possible, you can be as creative as possible. And when you can be as creative as possible, you can do anything.”
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By Roadtrip NationErica Walker
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I grew up poor with little opportunity, which gave me the freeing mindset that everything is a bonus.
I started my career as an artist, working as a furniture maker and a book binder.
While working in my small basement studio, a very noisy family moved in above me—it caused me a huge amount of stress, so I started doing research and collecting data to get them evicted.
Through that process of collecting data, I started learning more about other environmental stressors that people endure, which sparked my interest in public health.
I decided to pivot into public health—I went back to school for my master’s degree in environmental economics and urban planning, followed by a doctorate in environmental health.
I now work as an assistant professor of epidemiology at Brown University.
I also founded Community Noise Lab, a research lab that explores the relationship between community noise and health.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Graduate
Environmental Economics & Urban Planning
Tufts University
Environmental Economics & Urban Planning
Tufts University
Doctorate
Environmental Health
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Environmental Health
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Career
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
I do research and teach others about public health issues.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Science
Medicine
Learning / Being Challenged
Day to Day
I run a lab called Community Noise Lab, where I work with individuals on their unique identified noise issues. We support them with real-time monitoring, community serving, and laboratory experiments. On a day-to-day basis, I'm open to support anyone in the community who reaches out to me through phone or email.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You have to know what you want to do and go straight into college."
Challenges I Overcame
Socioeconomic Origin
Interviewed By
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