The GW Nursing Office of Research sat down with Michelle Odlum, Ed.D, M.P.H., an Assistant Professor at the GW School of Nursing, to learn more about her and her work at GW.
Hometown
Queens, New York
Educational Background
I hold a bachelor's degree in nursing from Syracuse University and graduate degrees in public health and education from Columbia University.
How I Got Interested In Research
During my predoctoral work, I was introduced to Biomedical Informatics, where I discovered the potential of technology to address the interaction between society and health, helping to reduce health disparities in populations living with HIV. My postdoctoral fellowship in Nursing Informatics laid the foundation for my current research.
Current Work
My research focuses on eliminating health disparities through informatics-based approaches. I use Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Big Data analytics to analyze social network data for the prevention, containment, and control of infectious diseases (e.g., Ebola, MRSA, HIV/AIDS, COVID-19) in high-risk populations. Additionally, I examine electronic health records and national datasets (e.g., NSHAP, BRFSS) to better understand the challenges of aging with HIV, focusing on clinical and non-clinical factors contributing to chronic diseases and identifying key factors affecting health-related quality of life and resource utilization.
Fun Facts
Beginning at age 3, I participated in Carnival celebrations on the island of Antigua, West Indies, donning elaborate costumes with massive feathered headpieces, glitter, and all!