Meet: Aislinn Rookwood

Aislinn Rookwood is the new YES! (Youth Enjoy Science) program outreach specialist in the UNMC Department of Health Promotion at the College of Public Health. Here’s a chance to get to know her:

Education: Master’s of Public Health, University of Arizona

How I fell in love with the public health profession:
I got into public health to work with underserved communities and connect them with resources that will help them live healthier lives. After I graduated from the University of Arizona, I worked in their school of public health working with migrant workers and looking at mining safety and health and environmental contaminants.

I was looking for something in this field when I came to Omaha last year and found the YES! position a perfect fit, particularly because I get to work with the Native American community in the region.

My job:
YES! is a biomedical pipeline program aimed at preparing Native American students for careers in scientific research. The purpose of the YES! program is to encourage partnerships between biomedical scientists, science educators, and community leaders for cancer education and prevention. The program also aims to increase the number of Native American cancer research and health care professionals.

As the program outreach specialist, I will work with middle, high school and undergraduate students connecting them to workshops, presentations, lab tours, or shadowing and mentoring opportunities.

I will work specifically with undergraduate students, partnering them with mentors and summer-long research experiences in the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center to help them develop laboratory research skills.

Three things people don’t know about me:

• I have been to most of the major national parks in the western half of the United States. My favorite is Glacier National Park.
• My husband and I are not from Omaha but have come to appreciate the strong sense of community here, and we look forward to raising our two children here.
• We are huge Manchester United soccer fans.