Provost Diversity Fellow: Betselot Wondimu

Portrait of Betselot Wondimu, a young male with short hair, a short goatee beard and mustache, wearing a white and blue pleated shirt against a green outdoor faded background

Betselot Wondimu, PhD candidate

Department and School
Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health

Bio
Betselot Wondimu is interested in examining sociocultural constructions of mental health in the African-diaspora, with a particular interest in how identity formation is shaped by disciplinary power. Wondimu hopes to explore conceptions of embodiment, resilience, and enculturation which are interrelated with racism and acculturative stress. Through mixed methods research, Wondimu aims to improve communication around mental health and coping strategies in cross-cultural contexts; inform the decisions of policymakers and institutional stakeholders; and redistribute educational and clinical resources to populations that have been historically excluded from access. Wondimu is currently a fellow in the NIMH Predoctoral Training Program in Social Determinants of HIV. Prior to his doctoral studies, Wondimu earned a B.S. in Anthropology and B.S. in Public Health Science from the University of Maryland, College Park. Wondimu went on to serve as a Public Health Analyst at RTI International's Center for Behavioral Health Epidemiology, Implementation, and Evaluation.

Advisor
Jennifer Hirsch, Professor, Sociomedical Sciences, Director, Doctoral Program

Favorite hangout on or off campus
Riverbank State Park

Favorite self-care ritual
Stand up comedy

Recommended book
Native Son by Richard Wright

To learn more about Betselot Wondimu, please follow him on Twitter or email him directly.

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Provost Diversity Fellows Profiles is a project of the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement.