Student Spotlight: Epidemiology PhD Student Denzel Edwards
ALBANY, N. Y. (Feb. 5, 2026) — Born in Oklahoma to a Jamaican father and Mauritian mother, Denzel Edwards spent much of his early childhood in Mauritius, navigating challenges shaped by racial bias and economic inequality.
“Amidst these struggles, my parents’ unwavering belief in the power of education became my guiding light,” he recalls.
This foundation inspired a deep passion for learning and ultimately led him to pursue a PhD in Epidemiology at UAlbany, where he focuses on understanding health disparities and advancing equity-driven public health research. Currently, he is studying the immigrant childhood experience under Thomas O’Grady. Edwards is also a recipient of the prestigious Carson Carr Graduate Scholarship, a competitive, merit-based program for full-time graduate students who have demonstrated academic achievement and overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education.
We sat down with Edwards to learn more about his interest in epidemiology.
What drew you to UAlbany for epidemiology?
I was drawn to UAlbany for its interdisciplinary and inclusive approach to public health education. The diversity of the student body and faculty, flexibility in the curriculum, and opportunities for applied projects, study abroad, and cross-department collaboration made it the ideal place for me. UAlbany’s close connection with the New York State Department of Health allows students to learn directly from state health officials while engaging in policy-relevant research — exactly the kind of applied rigor I was seeking.
What does earning a PhD in Epidemiology mean to you?
To me, it represents far more than an academic milestone. It is a commitment to seeing people beyond the numbers. Public health often reduces lived experiences to data points, but my doctoral training equips me to ask deeper, more nuanced questions that honor science, context, history, and the lived experiences of communities.
What does receiving the Carson Carr award mean to you?
It is a tremendous honor. The Carson Carr Graduate Scholarship supports my mission to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. With this award, I can continue championing initiatives that dismantle structural inequities and empower underrepresented voices — a lifelong purpose rooted in my identity and experiences.
What are your research interests?
My research focuses on investigating whether immigrant children (first- and second-generation) have different odds of developing neurobehavioral conditions (mental, emotional, developmental, and behavioral problems) compared to U.S. natives (children of families that have been established in the U.S. for generations). This study also investigates whether exposure to medical, social, and relational health risks changes the effects of the association between generation status and neurobehavioral conditions. An example would be examining whether immigrant children have higher odds of neurobehavioral conditions, such as depression or autism, when compared to U.S. native children. This addresses the immigrant paradox and explores whether exposure to events such as chronic health difficulties, living in unsafe neighborhoods, or having caregivers with poor mental health alters this association.
What drew you to study health disparities?
This focus comes directly from my lived experience. Growing up as a U.S. citizen while spending much of my life abroad gave me a perspective on how inequality operates across borders and systems. It made it impossible for me to view health disparities as abstract or accidental, driving my commitment to revealing the full realities behind population-level data.
What do you hope to accomplish during your PhD?
I want to build a deep understanding of epidemiology and global health research methods, master innovative methodologies, and learn how to communicate findings to a wide variety of audiences. Above all, I aim to apply research in ways that improve health outcomes in Albany and beyond.
How do equity and social justice influence your work?
They are my main motivation. Witnessing racially motivated violence and systemic failures has shaped my understanding of injustice as a public health issue. This perspective guides how I ask research questions, interpret data, and define impact. My work seeks not only to document inequities but to challenge the systems that allow them to persist.
What excites you most about studying epidemiology?
Epidemiology is endlessly compelling because of its interdisciplinary nature. In a single study, qualitative methods like photovoice can coexist with advanced techniques such as machine learning. The field moves beyond individual patients to examine populations, uncovering how social, biological, and structural factors intersect to shape health outcomes.
What are your long-term career goals?
I hope to be a global public health leader, providing actionable interventions and policy changes to improve health among underserved and underrepresented populations.