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Profiles in Public Health
From Uganda to the University of Georgia
 

Editor's note: The following interview was originally published by Words that Count and has been lightly edited for length. We look forward to presenting additional interviews that profile unique individuals in epidemiology, biostatistics and public health.  To submit an article for consideration please send it to: info@epimonitor.net  The original version of this interview can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/942h4emt

To kick us off, please give a brief introduction about yourself
My full name is Doreen Kibuule Kalemba, a Ugandan, based in the US. Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Georgia (UGA). I was born and raised in Jinja [Uganda], so that makes me a Musoga by tribe. I see myself as a career person, someone who enjoys learning about diseases. Lastly, I am a mother.

How did you join the world of Biostatistics and epidemiology?
Growing up, I was not a fan of Mathematics. I felt like it was either not fun or there was something wrong with the way it was taught. But then, my uncle constantly encouraged me to enjoy it. He always talked about how Mathematics should be done in school, and even took time off to teach me. It was not long before I realised that I would be finding Mathematics in everything else I enjoyed. At the age of 10, my love for the subject grew even more, and I started teaching the younger kids in our neighbourhood. It might have been a trauma response to the fact that I did not know a lot of Mathematics myself, or I just enjoyed teaching.

When I entered secondary school, I had a moment that significantly shaped my academic path. A classmate casually remarked that girls were not suited for mathematics, implying it was a subject meant for boys. Coming from primary school, where I had excelled in science and earned a distinction, this comment struck me deeply. It did not make sense. Why would someone’s gender determine their ability in a subject like mathematics? That moment stayed with me, not as a discouragement, but as a challenge. It planted a question in my mind: What happens when you go against expectations? Initially, my interest in mathematics was not about ambition. It was simply a decision to take a different path and test the boundaries of what others assumed I could not do. And that decision marked the beginning of my journey into STEM.

By the time I reached Senior Four, the narrative around science subjects had become even more discouraging. Subjects like mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology were labeled as difficult and were reserved only for the exceptionally gifted, usually boys. But having already chosen to challenge such assumptions, I was determined to excel in those very subjects. I focused on achieving strong grades, especially in chemistry, which I saw as deeply mathematical. The turning point came when I overheard students praising a girl for taking the PCB/Math combination, saying only brilliant students could manage it. That moment fueled my resolve to be counted among them. I wanted to prove to myself and others that academic ability was not incompatible with being a girl, or with being considered beautiful. If anything, I aimed to redefine what it meant to be both smart and seen.

After A’Level, my career options seemed limited to the familiar science-track expectations: become a doctor, or perhaps an engineer. But as I faced the reality of choosing a path, I discovered something important about myself. I was not comfortable with blood! Despite my interest in the medical field, I struggled during biology practicals. I came to terms with the fact that surgery or direct clinical work was not for me. Still, I did not want to give up on contributing to the health sector in some way.

Financial constraints further complicated my plans. Even with strong grades, my family could not afford medical school tuition, and I was not awarded a government scholarship for medicine. However, I did qualify for a government scholarship to study Education at Makerere University, specializing in Physics and Mathematics.

At first, it felt like a detour, but then it started to feel like a calling. Teaching had always been a part of me, even from childhood. I embraced the opportunity not just as a compromise, but as a platform.

During my undergraduate studies, I studied a course called Biomathematics in my second year. It was offered under the Mathematics Department, but to me, it felt like a new doorway into public health. It combined mathematical reasoning with medical relevance, and that intersection immediately resonated with me. As I progressed through the course, it felt like I had finally found my place. Biomathematics gave me the sense that I could still contribute to the medical field. From that point on, I knew this was the direction I wanted my career to take.

After completing my undergraduate degree, I applied for a scholarship at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS). This decision transformed my perspective in ways I had not anticipated. AIMS is often jokingly referred to as the African Institute for Missing Sleep because of the program’s intensity, but it truly lived up to its reputation as a place that stretches the limits of what you think is possible. Before AIMS, I saw mathematics and science as fields with clear boundaries, often tied to academic or technical work, mostly within computers or classrooms. But AIMS expanded that understanding. It introduced me to a world where math intersects with everything, from health and environment to technology and economics. Suddenly, the tools I had been learning could solve real-world problems in ways I had not imagined.

My interests widened rapidly. Beyond medicine, I became drawn to data science, artificial intelligence, and the many ways these tools could be applied in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education, and beyond. My thesis focused on infectious diseases, specifically a simulation of an SVEITR model for measles transmission in Uganda. That project deepened my understanding of disease dynamics, exposed me to public health modeling, and taught me how to interpret metrics like odds ratios and risk factors in real contexts. I continued learning more after AIMS, particularly in epidemiology and biostatistics. This sparked a clear sense of direction. I realized that public health was not just a fallback; it was a powerful, data-driven field where I could make a meaningful impact.