| July 13, 2009 | |
 Nathan Nickel, a third year doctoral student at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health in the Department of Maternal and Child Health, is staying in Chapel Hill this summer. Nathan is spending his time engaged in research with the Global Breastfeeding Institute at Carolina. An advocate of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, he is also taking advantage of all that the town of Chapel Hill and Carrboro have to offer. Nathan is working with Dr. Miriam Labbock on a research project examining changes in breastfeeding policies at hospitals. He is a member of a team collecting baseline data in several local hospitals. He will be presenting preliminary finding to his research team next week. According to Nathan, the area around Chapel Hill and Carrboro is perfect for graduate students. He finds the area a welcoming environment and is happy for a short, free commute unlike the one he faced as a master’s student at UCLA. He spends his time enjoying the open air seating at Weaver Street Market and sipping coffee at the Open Eye Café in Carrboro. An avid biker, he appreciates the open roads and trails around Chapel Hill. He often rides with Department of Health Policy and Management doctoral student, Greg Boyer. The two students are training for the Bike MS Historic New Bern Ride on September 12-13, 2009. The ride is a fundraising event for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Eastern North Carolina Chapter. Thinking about the upcoming academic year, Nathan offers some advice to incoming doctoral students. He recommends that students network with second and third year students for course recommendations, as well as taking advantage of one-on-one interactions with professors. He encourages students to strike a balance between schoolwork and exploring the community beyond UNC. For more information about student life at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, visit the current students page. For more information on the Global Breastfeeding Institute at Carolina, visit http://www.sph.unc.edu/breastfeeding. |
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