People

Postdoctoral Scholar

Lauren Broyles (lmt56@psu.edu)

Lauren Broyles is a postdoctoral scholar with the Population Research Institute (PRI) funded by a T-32 training grant with NICHD on Social Environments and Population Health, working primarily with Dr. Rosinger and the Water, Health, and Nutrition Lab. In her role with PRI, Lauren investigates the effects of climate variables on household water resources and associated social and health outcomes. Lauren graduated in August 2023 from Penn State with a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering and a focus on water resources. During her time as a doctoral student, Lauren studied the effects of environmental seasonality and extreme weather events on household water insecurity, with a particular focus on monsoon seasonality in Bangladesh. Lauren also studied at Purdue University, where she earned her M.S. in Civil Engineering in 2015 and B.S. in Agriculture Engineering in 2013. In addition to academic pursuits, Lauren has worked with various Kenyan NGOs to help develop clean drinking water initiatives among rural pastoralist communities in Western Kenya.

Kedir Teji Roba (kxr5611@psu.edu)

Kedir Teji Roba is a postdoctoral scholar at the Water, Health, and Nutrition Laboratory, funded by Penn State University. He works primarily under the guidance of Dr. Asher Rosinger. In his role, Kedir manages a large database for the longitudinal study on the Daasanach community in Kenya, where he investigates the effects of climate variables, food insecurity, and water insecurity on health outcomes. In addition to data management, he is also involved in fieldwork data collection and supervision. Furthermore, he supports undergraduate students working with the dataset.

Kedir earned his Ph.D. in Public Health Nutrition, focusing on maternal and child health and nutrition, from University College Cork (UCC). During his doctoral studies, he examined the

impacts of household food insecurity and maternal nutrition on child health, with particular attention to seasonal variation and agroecological zones in the eastern and northern parts of Ethiopia.

He also holds an MPH in Epidemiology, a BSc in Nursing, and a Diploma in Public Health Nursing from Haramaya University. Additionally, Kedir earned a diploma in Management from Alpha University.

Beyond his academic work, Kedir has held various government positions, including serving as an advisor for food and nutrition systems to the Oromia Regional President, and as a member of the National Food and Nutrition Research Monitoring and Steering Committee at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI). He has also worked with and advised international NGOs. Furthermore, Kedir has been awarded multiple grants as both Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI for research related to food, nutrition, health, and air pollution, from organizations such as European Horizon, Wellcome Trust, WFP, USAID, Nutrition International, and the Gates Foundation.

Graduate Students

Leslie Ford (lbf5170@psu.edu)

Leslie Ford joins the Water, Health, and Nutrition Lab as a PhD student in the department of Biobehavioral Health. Leslie has a background in public health and water management with an MPH in Environmental Health from Western Kentucky University and an MSc in Water Management from UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in Delft the Netherlands. Leslie’s research interests focus on the relationship between water and health looking primarily at how environmental and social factors influence water distributions and water procuring behaviors in marginalized and underrepresented communities.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Gabbie Berger (gmb5792@psu.edu)

Gabbie is a senior majoring in Biobehavioral Health. In the lab, she is focused on how ambient heat stress and thermal stress affect hydration status, kidney function, and blood pressure. Outside the lab, she is involved with Kappa Delta sorority, the Pre-Physician Assistant Club, is an LA for Anatomy & Physiology, and volunteers at the local animal shelter. After graduation, she plans to attend PA school.

Nicole Bobbie (nlb5436@psu.edu)

Nicole is a senior majoring in Biology with a minor in Bioethics and Medical Humanities. Her research focuses on fingernail cortisol concentrations and their relationship to perceived stress factors. Outside the lab, Nicole serves as a Teaching Assistant for BIOL 162 and BIOL 473 and is actively involved in several organizations, including Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), the Tri-Alpha Honor Society, the Sports Medicine Club, and THON. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school to specialize in pediatric oncology, driven by her passion for supporting children and families navigating critical health challenges.

Natalie Kitts (nck5152@psu.edu)

Natalie is a junior majoring in Community, Environment, & Development with a minor in Sustainability Leadership and a certificate in International Studies. Her interests in the lab include the intersection of drinking water quality and human health outcomes. Outside of the lab, she is involved in EcoReps, CED club, Gamma Sigma Sigma, and Book Club. For future plans, she hopes to pursue an MPH in Environmental Health and a master's in Environmental Science.

Natalie Meriwether (ncm5274@psu.edu)

Nat is a fourth-year Biobehavioral Health major with minors in Global Health, Biology, and Diversity and Inclusion in Health and Human Development. She is interested in the connection between severe climatic events, food insecurity, and malnutrition. After completing her honors thesis, she hopes to earn a PhD in Medical Anthropology and an MPH in Epidemiology to conduct global health research. Outside of the lab, she is involved in Phi Sigma Pi, the United Nations Association, and is an undergraduate teaching intern.

Kiera Papa (kap6347@psu.edu) 

Kiera is a junior studying Biobehavioral Health with minors in Human Development and Family Studies and Biology. In the lab, she is interested in how climatic events like drought affect child health. Outside of the lab, she is involved in Camp Kesem, HHD Ambassadors, Schreyer Medical Team, and THON. She also works as a medical assistant at Patient First Urgent Care in Baltimore, MD. After Penn State, she hopes to attend medical school with plans on becoming a pediatrician.

Kyla Spence (kqs6268@psu.edu)

Kyla is a first-year Biobehavioral Health major with a keen interest in the connections between waterborne diseases and the impacts of malnutrition. Outside the lab, she is actively involved in Project PAWS and enjoys taking part in campus events. In her free time, she loves snowboarding and studying with friends. Kyla aspires to join Penn State’s integrated undergraduate/graduate program and earn her master’s degree in public health.

Lab Alums

• Dr. Hilary Bethancourt

• Kaitlyn Barnhart

• Sara Caldana

• Siddhi Deshpande

• Zoe Farrar

• Tate Hamilton

• Jason John

• Alysha Kelyman

• Robert Kerner

• Celine Latona

• Erica Morse

• Carey Musumeci

• Zee Nguyen

• Alexandra Tingley

• Maddie Todd