John Bowser

Hometown: Van Dyne, WI

 

Areas of Interest within Population Health: Physical Activity and Fitness; Health Promotion; Health Behaviors; Socio-Ecological Model; Adolescent Health; School-Based Health Promotion Efforts

 

Brief Interest Statement: Prior to beginning work on my PhD at UW-Madison, I received a Master's degree from UW-Stevens Point in Health Promotion and Community Resources. Professionally, I worked in the Dean Health Plan Quality Improvement Unit writing health promotion materials for Dean members. Additionally, I conducted personal health assessments as part of Dean/St. Mary's Health Works. Following that, and before enrolling in the PhD program, I was a Research Specialist with the UW Population Health Institute.

 

What experiences in your life led you to study population/public health? I've always been interested in physical activity and exercise. What led it to being a career choice was through enrolling at UW-Stevens Point for my Master's degree and my work there both in the University setting but also at the local YMCA. Following that, with my jobs in Madison at Dean and UW, I was able to do more in depth research and develop an interest that was substantial enough to make a career move.

 

Why did you choose UW-Madison for your degree? The comprehensive nature of the program, I felt, would allow me to approach my research interests from a variety of angles.

 

What do you hope/plan to do with your degree? With my degree, I am hoping to be able to continue my work in the Population Health Sciences field in a capacity that will allow me to lead studies and focus on those areas that I am most passionate about. I would like to focus my career, through research and applied work, on those health topics and health behaviors that I have a personal interest in and knowledge of and use it to improve the health of the community and the overall population.