Member Insight: Smriti Maskey

Introduction 

Hello! I am Smriti Maskey, a PhD candidate in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at the University of Louisville, and a member of the SER Mentoring Committee.  

What sparked your decision to become an epidemiologist? 

I grew up in Nepal, where my father worked for the Department of Health Sciences, so conversations about disease prevention and health programs were a regular part of life at home. Still, I never seriously considered public health as a career path. That changed during my undergraduate studies, when I began taking public health courses. For the first time, the concepts gave structure and language to things I had witnessed growing up but didn’t know how to articulate. I also became involved in qualitative research, gathering stories and insights directly from communities. While those narratives were powerful, I often felt something was missing. I wanted to go further—to understand patterns, evaluate interventions, and design studies that could turn lived experiences into evidence-based solutions. That pursuit of analytical depth and impact is what led me to epidemiology. For me, it’s the perfect blend of numbers and narratives, precision and people.  

What do you see as the biggest obstacle facing epidemiologists in the next five years? 

One of the biggest challenges I see for epidemiologists in the next five years is making sense of all the health data that’s out there—but scattered. We now have more data than ever, coming from hospitals, labs, wearable devices, and even mobile health apps. But the problem is that much of it is siloed—collected in different formats, stored in different systems, and often hard to access or combine. It’s like having puzzle pieces from five different puzzles and trying to make one picture. 

To really move the field forward, we need better ways to connect these systems—to make the data talk to each other in real time while still protecting people’s privacy. If we can do that, we’ll be able to monitor population health in real time, evaluate interventions more accurately, and transform data into actionable insights that enhance community well‑being. 

Do you have any pets? 

Not yet, but having a dog is definitely on my list- I’d love a furry friend to come home to.  

Why did you join SER? What keeps you coming back? 

I first heard about SER in my first semester of my PhD program when Dr. Richard Baumgartner, our department chair, encouraged us to join. I’ve been coming back every year because SER really feels like a community. One of the things I’ve appreciated most is the mentoring support, whether through formal programs or conversations with more experienced researchers who are genuinely happy to share advice. And honestly, the people in SER are just incredibly kind and down-to-earth. Everyone is approachable, and it’s easy to feel like you belong.  

What advice do you give students who want to become epidemiologists? 

For any student curious about a career in epidemiology, one of the most helpful things they can do is talk to someone already in the field. It doesn’t have to be formal—just a short, friendly conversation with an epidemiologist about what their work is really like. These informational interviews give students a chance to hear personal stories, learn what a typical day looks like, and get honest advice about the highs and challenges of the job. These chats often lead to practical insights you won’t find in a textbook. It’s also a great way for students to figure out which areas of epidemiology speak to them, whether that’s infectious disease, chronic illness, data analysis, or health policy. Sometimes, a single conversation can spark real clarity about the path ahead. 

Outside of epidemiology what do you enjoy doing? 

I enjoy simple things that help me slow down and relax- like going for long walks or getting creative in the kitchen- cooking or baking something new.  

What is something that not many people know about you? 

I have a habit of washing my hands twice—not out of anxiety, but because of an experience I had while visiting a small village in Nepal. I was there to teach basic hand hygiene, and during a demonstration, I noticed that the water would run brown for several washes. Locals would sometimes wash their hands five times before they looked clean. That moment stuck with me—not just the visual of it, but the realization of how much we take simple hygiene for granted. Ever since, my double handwash has become a quiet ritual.