DUBAI, April 19, 2017 – Student Jessica D’Silva has been accepted into the Masters in Public Health program at Brown University in the United States of America, making her one of the first students to be accepted into an Ivy League program after completing her Bachelor’s Degree at the Canadian University Dubai. D’Silva, who will be graduating with a BSc. In Health Organization Management on April 26, 2017 applied to the prestigious program in February after being attracted to its reputation as a leader in health research and its renowned public health research centers and facilities.
“I’m really excited to have this opportunity,” said D’Silva. “During my time at the Canadian University Dubai I was able to work on some research into the levels of awareness of testicular cancer in the UAE, and this really inspired me to pursue a career in raising awareness of disease and health issues. Helping to write the paper was an eye opening experience that’s prepared me to tackle the kinds of research I will be doing at Brown.”
Jessica’s paper, which was done with Elizabeth Topolskay, Iqra Ghani, Abdulrahman Mohamed and Sarraj Nabeel Salih, with Dr. Rami El Khatib, , Associate Professor for the Faculty of Public Health and Health Sciences at Canadian University Dubai as mentor and under the coordination of charity Friends of Cancer Patients, was a quantitative study conducted in the UAE based on the responses of 529 residents on their general knowledge of testicular cancer and its symptoms and effect. The outcome of the paper revealed that the public is generally unfamiliar with testicular cancer and its symptoms and the importance of self-examination practices, revealing the necessity of educational campaigns targeted at improving awareness.
“Jessica has always been a dedicated and ambitious student, so I’m not surprised that she’s been accepted to Brown,” said Dr. Rami. “I’ve worked closely with her during her four years with us and I know that she will continue to excel during her Masters and beyond. I’m glad I had the chance to teach her and look forward to hearing about her success in the future.”
Another of Jessica’s instructors, visiting Assistant Professor Dr. Vanessa Lobo, said: “Jessica has been a pleasure to teach. Her academic skills, work ethic and personal sincerity are a testament to her character and ability which I am certain will be her continued ticket to success. I am so delighted to see her efforts recognized by an educational institution of such caliber, and know that she will impress them even more in person than she did on paper. I wish her all the very best and can't wait to hear stories of how she changes the world.”
Jessica will leave for Brown University in August for the beginning of the two year program. She hopes to eventually complete a PhD in Public Health and the Health Sciences.
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