Nikita Viswasam is a PhD student in the Sociology Department focusing on social inequalities, with research interests in immigration, social determinants of health in the U.S., urban sociology, qualitative methodologies, mixed methods, and community-engaged/participatory research.  Prior to UMD, Nikita worked as research staff at the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins School of of Public Health, working on data capacity-building, implementation science and research studies with governmental, NGO and community stakeholders on HIV health outcomes and determinants at the individual, community, and policy-level among marginalized populations globally, with a population focus on sex workers and regional focus in Southern Africa.

Nikita got her Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience and Global Health at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, and her Masters of Science in Public Health in International Health at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Passionate about making research and data accessible to all, she has also worked as a public health information designer translating data and technical policy information to visual graphics, and as a printmaking artist. Nikita grew up mostly in Houston, TX but has spent the last six years living in Baltimore, MD.