Makala D. Carrington

How have you contributed to one of CDC’s priorities through your ASPPH/CDC Fellowship assignment? Explain what you have done that has “made a difference” at CDC and benefitted public health in the United States.

As a 2021 ASPPH/CDC Public Health Fellow at NCIPC, Makala provides evaluation and technical assistance support internally to other DVP social norms-related projects by presenting finalized data, formulating a 1-page document for data visualization, and co-authoring a manuscript of data findings. Her work will contribute to the research of national importance related to violence and social norms by conducting data analyses and coding research articles to highlight disproportionate populations and risk factors by the end of June 2022. She

• analyzes national datasets and interrater reliability in relation to social norms and violence behaviors
  particularly in relation to populations at disproportionate risk for violence
• furthers work on an environmental scan identifying and describing past social norms work in the Division of
  Violence Prevention.

How will your fellowship experience shape your career?

While meeting the goals of her project, Makala also builds competency and confidence in data visualization software and technical packages (R) to enhance her ability to conduct data analyses and creatively showcase research. As a result, she will receive training in all aspects of research to increase efficiency related to social norms and evidence-based methods surrounding violence by expanding Tableau, R, and research writing skills by the end of June 2022 to contribute to her future in public health as an officer in the Air Force, as well as continuing her education at the doctoral level. She

• learns and expands R programming language skills to improve data analysis processes
• obtains data visualization techniques via Tableau to present research at a team/branch meeting to
  promote public speaking and learned health message development and
• collaborates with mentors and team members to improve scholarly writing skills and lead/co-author
  abstracts and manuscripts for conferences and peer-reviewed publications.

Describe specifically some of the relationships/partnerships you have built through the fellowship and how those relationships have helped/will help you in your career.

Makala collaborates with the Research and Evaluation team members to further social norms work within the division by coding media articles while developing and leading a social norms media project in collaboration with mentors surrounding adverse childhood experiences related to violence. These relationships and partnerships are the sole foundation of the fellowship and provide Makala with hands-on experience, agency to lead within her field of interest, and intentional relationships for success and career development along the way. Makala’s mentor, Dr. Laura Kollar, has provided endless opportunities for Makala to succeed as well as develop relationships with external partners and agencies within her desired career field. Networking with these partners, internally and externally, has provided Makala with advanced training, job placement, and research development opportunities post-fellowship.