Naomi Maldonado-Rodriguez

Being a Public Scholar is an ethical commitment to conducting research in a way that is accessible and engaging to the public. Being a Public Scholar also means working with and alongside communities to examine challenges that have real-world implications and meaning.

Public Scholars Initiative
Faculty
Faculty of Education
Program
Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD)
Research supervisor(s)
Eli Puterman
Country
Canada
Selected Award(s)
UBC Public Scholars Award
Killam Doctoral Scholarships

Research description

The Canadian government has designated both women and migrants from HIV endemic countries as priority groups, with the acknowledgment that migrant women experience intersecting oppressions that increase their vulnerability to HIV and impact their access to and engagement with HIV care. Research has shown that both migrant women and women living with HIV (WLWH) report several unmet health needs and significant barriers to accessing and engaging healthcare, but little research has attended to the intersecting health needs of migrant WLWH. Accordingly, my PhD research seeks to understand migrant WLWH’s healthcare experiences and the structural and institutional factors shaping their experiences. My project is a qualitative study guided by the principles of Participatory Action Research. Working alongside the Afro-Canadian Positive Network of BC and Ribbon Community, I am conducting interviews with migrant WLWH and care providers to identify and examine the underlying factors impacting the experiences of migrant WLWH.

What does being a Public Scholar mean?

Being a Public Scholar is an ethical commitment to conducting research in a way that is accessible and engaging to the public. Being a Public Scholar also means working with and alongside communities to examine challenges that have real-world implications and meaning.

In what ways do you think the PhD experience can be re-imagined with this Initiative?

The idea of public scholarship asks that we actively think about the application of our research and, by extension, to consider how we believe change happens. The Public Scholars Initiative is an opportunity to do just that and start setting the groundwork for a career that is oriented towards action and the public good. Of course, one research project (such as my dissertation) will not change everything. But when change is the starting point and long-term vision, I think that shifts how we approach our research.

How do you envision connecting your PhD work with broader career possibilities?

I aspire to a career as a critical health researcher where the research I engage with attends to the gendered, raced and classed experiences of newcomer and racialized women, shedding light on the lived experience of chronic illness, including HIV. First and foremost, I envision to be a health researcher that is deeply embedded within ongoing community efforts and healthcare system.

How does your research engage with the larger community and social partners?

My PhD research is being conducted in collaboration with two HIV-serving organizations, the Afro-Canadian Positive Network of BC and Ribbon Community. I am currently working with members of these organizations to plan community engagement events which will focus on knowledge sharing and co-creating calls to action and recommendations. We are hopeful that these events will engage the larger community and support new or existing community-led advocacy.

Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?

Broadly, it is my desire to examine, challenge and reimagine complex health and social issues that has driven me to pursue graduate school. I love that research is oriented towards change in some way, shape or form.

Why did you choose to come to British Columbia and study at UBC?

I chose UBC because I wanted to be at a large research institution where I would have access to resources, training, and support that allowed me to pursue my interdisciplinary research interests. For instance, during my time at UBC, I have been able to engage with various institutes such as the Center for Migration Studies and the Women’s Health Research Institutes, which have been formative in my development as a scholar. I also love rock climbing, so being close to sḵwxwú7mesh is a dream.