Student Spotlight: Dewi, UCL Institute of Health Informatics PhD

What attracted you to study your PhD at UCL?

UCL is renowned as one of top universities in the world, with high quality teaching and student support, as well as carrying out cutting-edge empirical research. I was awarded the Indonesia Presidential Scholarship and I’m very proud to be part of the UCL family. I hope the knowledge and experience I gain from UCL will enhance my skills in utilising the science in Indonesia.

What are your future goals post-graduation?

I plan to become a lecturer at the University of Indonesia as well as an international researcher, building collaborative research between countries leading to population health improvement. During my study at UCL, I have been appointed as the liaison for bridging potential collaborative research between INDOHUN (Indonesia One Health University Network) and the UCL Institute of Health Informatics. I hope we can explore UK-Indonesian opportunities for health research collaboration in the future.

What do you like about your programme and why?

I’m really interested on how using information technologies can improve health. Technology of whole genome sequencing is really appealing to me, and I can learn more about that during my PhD at UCL.  Now I feel confident enough to become a competent international researcher and become one of Indonesian experts on infectious disease epidemiology and informatics.

What can a student expect to learn on this course?

You can learn a lot about how information technologies help to solve problems among patients and populations. You will also gain skills in big data analysis, designing software used by clinicians or apps used by patients. The UCL Institute of Health Informatics offers high quality research that leverages health informatics approaches at local, national and international levels.

What were you doing before you became a student at UCL?

I was a Programme Development Manager at INDOHUN (Indonesia One Health University Network) and a Research Associate at Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Disease – Health Policy Research Group, University of Indonesia.
 

What piece of advice would you give to new students? 

Enjoy your time during your study and use your time to learn from the best.  Develop your skills and work with people from other countries, learn how from a rich variety of perspectives and experiences. Appreciate different cultures and realise how precious the memories are you will create at UCL.

Where do you identify as home?

My main home is Indonesia, where I would like to spread the knowledge I got from UCL to help to solve health problems. I really feel UCL as my second home, the place where I started to fulfill my hopes and dreams.