The Health TechQuity Lab (HTQL) at Purdue University takes immense pride in celebrating the accomplishments of its recent graduate, Tiwaladeoluwa Adekunle. She has made significant strides in academia and research during her time at HTQL, leaving a lasting impact on the lab and the field of health technology. Let’s examine her academic achievements, team contributions, personal insights, and future plans.

Academic Accomplishments:

A distinguished array of accomplishments marks Tiwaladeoluwa Adekunle’s academic journey at HTQL:

She attained the Ross Research Fellowship, a testament to her academic excellence. Tiwaladeoluwa  was a co-recipient with Dr. Marifran Mattson; they secured a grant from the Waterhouse Family Institute for their project, “Communication Influences on Black Women’s Pregnancy Risk Perceptions and Related Behavioral Responses.” Tiwaladeoluwa Adekunle’s recognition for her project, ‘”Shea Moisture is Cancelled”: Racialized Identification in the 2017 Shea Moisture Crisis,’ focusing on Black women’s identification with a natural hair brand, honored her with the Berenice A. Carroll Feminism, Peace, and Social Justice Award. Her creative talents received recognition with the Purdue Federal Credit Union literary award given to her for a captivating short story.

In addition to her research understanding, she made meaningful contributions to the academic community by teaching undergraduate courses in intercultural communication and presentational speaking. Tiwaladeoluwa further honed her skills through internships at esteemed institutions such as the RAND Corporation and Twitter Inc. These outstanding accomplishments underscore her diverse talents and unwavering commitment to academia and societal impact.

Team Contributions and Milestones:

Tiwaladeoluwa’s contributions to HTQL extended beyond individual achievements. She played a pivotal role in several team efforts and milestones, including:

• CHW Paper: She led data analysis and manuscript writing for the groundbreaking paper on the Feasibility and anticipated acceptability of community health worker-facilitated HPV self-sampling for cervical cancer screening around Lake County, Indiana, published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science. This research has the potential to improve healthcare access for underserved communities.

• Translational Science Conference: She represented HTQL at a poster session featuring the CHW paper, highlighting the lab’s commitment to translating research findings into real-world solutions and promoting knowledge dissemination

• Ongoing Collaboration: Tiwaladeoluwa’s collaboration with Luke on a manuscript in progress concerning provider willingness to adopt self-sampling and self-testing demonstrates her enduring commitment to advancing the field of health technology.

A Personal Comment:

Reflecting on her time at HTQL, Tiwaladeoluwa shares some valuable advice for the team and fellow students:

“Working in the lab really enriched my time in graduate school. I benefited a lot from the dynamic, multi-disciplinary and supportive environment and learned a lot from other members of the team. I encourage other students to make the most of the diverse research opportunities available, be creative and intentional about bridging disciplines, and collaborate with people with diverse skills. Every experience will make you a better researcher.”

Future Plans and Ambitions:

Tiwaladeoluwa has recently embarked on a postdoctoral fellowship in Integrated Health Services and Outcomes Research at Northwestern University. She aims to deepen and refine her research program in this new chapter. Her overarching goal is to continue engaging in equity-driven, community-based research projects to improve health outcomes for underserved populations. Her commitment to making a difference in healthcare remains unwavering as she embraces this new phase of her academic journey.

Tiwaladeoluwa Adekunle’s journey from a recent graduate at HTQL to a promising researcher at Northwestern University exemplifies the spirit of dedication, innovation, and collaboration that defines the lab. Her accomplishments inspire current and future members of the HTQL community, reinforcing the lab’s commitment to advancing health technology with a focus on equity and inclusivity. We wish Tiwaladeoluwa the very best in her future endeavors and look forward to witnessing the impact she continues to make in the world of health research.