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For many graduate students, research can feel intimidating at first. But through mentorship, collaboration, and hands-on experiential learning, students in the WeEmbody (WE) Lab, established and directed by Alvin Tran Sc.D., MPH, associate professor and chair of the Department of Population Health and Leadership at the University of New Haven, are gaining opportunities to contribute meaningfully to public-health scholarship while developing as emerging researchers and professionals.

Fouzia Noor ‘26 MPH and Reyusha Chalise ‘26 MPH recently reached an important milestone with the publication of their mini-review article, Co-authored with Dr. Tran, who mentored the students throughout the research, screening, writing, and peer-review process, the paper critically examined the safety concerns and limited evidence surrounding diet and detox teas marketed for weight loss.

The publication highlighted both the students’ growing research skills and the mentorship-centered environment fostered within the WE Lab.

As part of my work in the WE Lab, I had the opportunity to attend and present research at the in Chicago, where I presented alongside fellow student researcher Reyusha Chalise ’26 MPH. The conference was a place where theory and practice actually met.

Attending the conference helped me better understand how researchers from different disciplines approach public-health challenges, particularly during a time when the future of research funding feels uncertain. One of the most impactful experiences was listening to discussions around weight-inclusive approaches to health and behavioral medicine.

Mentorship within the WE Lab also helped me feel more confident engaging in professional spaces as a student researcher. I am grateful to my mentor Dr. Alvin Tran for guiding and encouraging me to be a part of that space.

Presenting research and interacting with senior researchers helped me recognize the importance of communicating research clearly and confidently, even as a student still learning the field. The experience encouraged me to engage more actively in conversations surrounding health disparities, nutrition, and disordered-eating research.

In addition to presenting at SBM, I celebrated the publication of a paper in Frontiers in Nutrition of a paper I co-authored that examined the safety and effectiveness of diet and detox teas.

The review identified concerns surrounding undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients, stimulant use, and serious health risks associated with some products marketed as natural weight-loss remedies. The paper also highlighted the limited evidence supporting many of the claims made by detox-tea products.

Seeing the final article was a nice reminder that research takes time and involves multiple revisions, but it does not mean that you are failing. It just means you are learning and improving at your own pace.

The experience strengthened my confidence as an emerging public health researcher and reinforced my interest in nutrition, consumer safety, and health behavior research.

Attending the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 47th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions was my first time participating in a national conference of this scale. I attended to present research on spiritual and religious coping and disordered eating among sexual-minority men, while also engaging with researchers and professionals from across behavioral medicine and public health.

Sharing my own research and work experiences in those spaces made it feel less like presenting and more like being part of something bigger and meaningful.

Hearing from established researchers about challenges within academia and research funding helped normalize the feeling of uncertainty we can all feel, while reinforcing the importance of continuing to build strong research skills and professional resilience.

I also recognize how much the WeEmbody Lab has shaped my ability to step into spaces such as this with confidence, whether it is through how I talk about my work or how I engage with others.

A major milestone for me this year was serving as co-first author on a mini-review article published in Frontiers in Nutrition. This was my first publication, and the process was one of the most valuable learning experiences of my academic journey so far.

Working through the systematic review process introduced me to new approaches to evidence synthesis, scientific writing, and collaborative scholarship. I credit the mentorship of Dr. Alvin Tran and the supportive environment within the WE Lab for helping me navigate the challenges of the publication process.

This journey strengthened my research and writing skills, built my confidence, and reinforced my motivation to continue contributing to public-health research.

Experiential learning opportunities such as conference presentations, collaborative research projects, and peer-reviewed publications continue to be central components of the WE Lab experience at the University of New Haven. Through mentorship, applied research, and community-engaged scholarship, students are gaining opportunities to develop as researchers while contributing to meaningful public health conversations.

Reflecting on our accomplishments, Dr. Tran, emphasized the significance of the achievement and the mentorship process behind it.

“Conducting a literature review is already a major undertaking for students,” he said. “But guiding that work through the peer-review and publication process in a respected journal is another level entirely. As recent MPH Class of 2026 graduates, Fouzia and Reyusha demonstrated tremendous persistence, professionalism, and growth throughout the process, and it was incredibly rewarding to mentor them as they developed their research and scientific writing skills.”