Ciaran Conlin
Ciarán Conlin is a rising senior at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor pursuing degrees in Community & Global Public Health and Women’s & Gender Studies with a minor in LGBTQ & Sexuality Studies. They’re interested in the complex intersection of LGBT health and harm reduction, and are greatly motivated to be part of the next generation of public health practitioners developing novel substance use communication programming. Not only are they passionate about programming that encourages community and resilience building in physical queer spaces, but they are greatly interested in the promotion of queer individuals’ lived experiences as valid forms of public health knowledge. After graduating next year, they plan to pursue a Master’s in Public Health and work in an LGBTQ+ community health setting before ultimately pursuing a doctorate-level degree in social epidemiology.
This summer, Ciarán is working with Ari Gzesh to critically examine the influences of psychosocial factors on PrEP use and resonance of current PrEP messaging among a diverse cohort of TM/AFAB individuals. Ciarán is also working with Professor Julia Lynch through the GEAR UP program as part of an ongoing research project using archival and qualitative data analysis methods to examine how sociodemographic data is collected and the implications of its definitions or exclusions.
At the University of Michigan, Ciarán is part of the Student Opportunities for HIV/AIDS Research Program, where he researches structural stigma’s impacts on sexual minority alcohol misuse outcomes. In their free time, he enjoys being a DJ at Michigan’s student-run radio station (WCBN-FM) and running the social outreach team for Helicon, the student art history society. He’s a big fan of budget backpack traveling, haggling at flea markets, Solange, and caramelizing onions.