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Meet Subject Expert Rita and learn all about her chosen topic of the links between place and health.
Your address might say more about your health than your DNA - our streets, schools, parks, and air can affect our wellbeing long before we notice it. Discover how the places we live can powerfully shape our health—and how real evidence can be used to uncover hidden patterns, tackle health inequalities, and design bold solutions that make communities fairer and healthier. Explore the importance of effective science communication to help close the health-literacy gap and spark meaningful change.
Meet your Subject Expert: Rita!
Where did you do your undergraduate degree? What did you study?
I completed my undergraduate degree at King’s College London, where I studied Biomedical Sciences (with a specialisation in Neuropharmacology).
What are your favourite things about being a university student?
I love being able to explore ideas across disciplines and meet people from loads of different backgrounds. Because of my experience of university I have been able to meet people from all over the world and create amazing friendships, whether it be in my course through collaborative projects or through many different socieities and events.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in South London, where I attended local schools and youth centres that really shaped my interest in education, community work, and widening access to opportunities.
What are you currently studying and what is your specific area of research?
I am currently studying part-time for a Master’s degree in Global Healthcare Management at UCL. My interests sit in the middle of health inequalities, population health data and public policy, especially how place and social environments influence health outcomes.
Do you know what you want to do when you finish your degree?
I’m interested in working in health policy, research, or consulting, with a focus on tackling health and education inequalities and improving access to opportunities for underrepresented communities.
What are you most excited about for UCL Expand?
I’m most excited about working with students to show them how relevant science and data are to everyday life, and helping them see university and STEM pathways as something genuinely accessible to them.
Tell us a random fact about you.
Earlier this year I became a qualified TEFL teacher and taught English abroad in Vietnam for 4 months, and I had the best time travelling by motorbike everyday to school.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
The ability to speak any language around the world.
What's your favourite meal?
Anything involving either sushi or shawarma, especially if it’s homemade or inspired by Portuguese or Italian food.
Supplementary Resource List
Below you can find resources that will give you an introduction to 'From Postcode to Prescription'. These resources are optional and for you to browse at your leisure.
- What makes us healthy? Social determinants of health - video
A YouTube video which explores the Social Determinants of Health - what it is, how it impacts health and a useful framework to understand it.
- Crash course Public Health - video
An accessible YouTube video which explores what public health is, and how it is connected to research and policies.
- From built environment to health inequalities - journal article
This is an academically challenging journal article exploring the links between urban areas and health inequalities.
- Bridging the gap: practical action on health inequalities - podcast
A podcast exploring the issue of worsening health inequalities across the UK and the urgent action required to address them.
