Rachel Jones graduated recently from Stony Brook University with a bachelor’s degree in biology, alongside a minor in international and South Asian studies. For the past three years, due to her interest in clinical research, she has been working in an orthopedics lab as a research assistant. Four of Rachel’s works have been published in indexed journals. She also received the URECA (Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities) Summer Fellowship in 2022 which enabled her to carry out full-time faculty-mentored research for 10 weeks. Besides, she has served as a research mentor to underclassmen pursuing guided research of their own. Rachel has also presented her findings twice at the annual spring symposium of Stony Brook University. Her interest in South Asian studies led her to establish her presence in the Mattoo Center for India Studies at Stony Brook. In addition to volunteering at the center and helping with hosting events, she served as a teaching assistant for Indian civilization and linguistic classes. She also received the Vineeth Johnsingh Memorial Scholarship in 2022 for demonstrating outstanding academic potential and promise to foster a better understanding of the Indian civilization.
Rachel’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is studying the socioeconomic impact of parental cancer on resilience in Indian children. While the socioeconomic impact of cancer diagnosis on an adult is well documented, there is little literature on the effect of parental cancer on a child’s development. With India’s rise in cancer burden and rapid increase in population, Rachel is conducting her project in the state of Kerala under the guidance of oncologist, Dr. Aju Mathew. The goal of the project is to extend the findings of this unique study and formulate social interventions to alleviate the effects of parental cancer on children.