Katarina Cook

Alma Mater: UC Berkeley, B.A. in Molecular Biology; Harvard University, M.S. in Media, Medicine and Health

Matriculation Year: 2024

Current Stage: MS1

Graduate Group: n/a

Ph.D. Mentor: n/a

About Katarina: Growing up in the North Bay Area, I have been deeply influenced by my relatives with backgrounds ranging from ecological research and automotive engineering to community organization. Additional family members' experiences with complex medical conditions further deepened my curiosity in the intricate ways technology and human health intersect, laying the groundwork for my academic journey. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies, I gravitated towards mixed-methods research, developing a particular fascination with the profound role automobiles play in our lives. I became increasingly intrigued by the complex duality of transportation—exploring how cars simultaneously offer tremendous benefits and present significant challenges to our society, environment, and biosocial well-being. I was driven to join UC Davis for the start of my career as a physician-scientist due to our university’s focus on sustainable and safe transportation, wide geographic trauma encatchment area, emphasis on understanding social determinants of health, and highly supportive, diverse community.

Research Interests: Injury Research and Prevention, Social Epidemiology, Automative Medicine, Blunt Force Trauma, Emergency Medical Services

Publications: