Brooke Lee

About Brooke Lee

I am a Behavioral Neuroscience major with a minor in Maternal and Child Health at Lehigh University, driven by a passion for addressing health disparities and promoting global well-being. My academic and professional journey has shaped me into a compassionate, systems-level thinker, particularly in the fields of maternal health and global health education. I have gained hands-on experience through projects that tackle critical health issues, such as cervical cancer in Sierra Leone, where I contributed to fieldwork and qualitative research that sought to better understand and address cultural barriers to healthcare. I am also deeply engaged in mentoring and collaborating with peers on research that explores how artificial intelligence can support healthcare workers in resource-limited settings. Beyond my research, I have cultivated a strong foundation in empathy and patient-centered care through my role as a Special Education Paraprofessional, where I supported students with diverse needs. This experience reinforced my belief in the power of individualized care and has inspired me to approach challenges with patience and understanding. Each of these experiences have deepened my interest in pursuing a medical career, where I aim to continue learning, building my clinical and research skills, and contributing to positive change in healthcare, especially for underserved communities.

Experience

1. Global Social Impact Fellowship

   Creative Inquiry Lehigh University

   Jan 2023 — Present · Sierra Leone; Bethlehem, PA, US

   As a Global Social Impact Fellow, I am engaged in a project that tackles the urgent maternal health and cervical cancer crisis in Sierra Leone, where cultural and healthcare barriers exacerbate the high prevalence of cervical cancer. I was a virtual Associate in Lehigh University\'s Mountaintop Summer Experience, where I created an extensive database of health-related questions and answers to be programmed into Alexa-enabled devices, which were then distributed to various hospitals in the Makeni region. These devices are now utilized by healthcare workers as educational tools, enhancing access to vital information in real-time and supporting better healthcare delivery.In the summer of 2023, I participated in extensive in-country fieldwork, conducting qualitative behavioral interviews with over 200 women in and around Makeni, Sierra Leone. Our interviews focused on their perceptions and understanding of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, with the aim of gaining insights into cultural factors that may influence women\'s health-seeking behaviors. Currently, I am collaborating with a few team members to write a paper that combines both qualitative and quantitative findings. Additionally, my research on utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an educational tool for healthcare workers in low- and middle-income countries was published through Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and presented at the Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC). This project showcased AI\'s potential to improve healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings. Lastly, I continue to collaborate with Lehigh University\'s Creative Inquiry department, where I mentor new teams and work on co-authoring papers focusing on global health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. These experiences have built my understanding of systems-level thinking and problem-solving, particularly when addressing significant global issues like maternal health.