Dr. Ashenafi S Cherkos
Assistant Professor, Department of Population & Community Health
Education & Experience:
I graduated with a PhD in Epidemiology and the MPH in Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology from the University of Washington in Seattle. I also completed requirements for the MPH degree from Mekelle University and a BSc degree in public health from Debub (Hawassa) University, both in Ethiopia. A year after I started my career as a clinician at a health center in 2006, I joined higher education institutions in Ethiopia. I was formerly an assistant professor of public health at Mekelle University. Beginning in 2020, I taught quantitative methods to first-year students in the Master of Public Health in the Community-Oriented Public Health Practice program at the University of Washington.
Teaching Areas & Public Health Interests:
For 16 years, I worked in public health research and practice, mainly focusing on maternal and child health and infectious diseases. I taught several public health courses in epidemiology, biostatistics and research methodology. I also chaired and mentored graduate theses and students’ practicum projects.
Professional Activities & Awards:
I am a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the Society of Epidemiologic Research. I received a Junior Investigator Award from the Washington TB Research and Training Center in 2022.
Scholarly Interests:
My research population of interest includes pregnant women, lactating mothers, infants with HIV or without HIV, and HIV-exposed children in the U.S. and developing countries. I am primarily interested in fetal origins, perinatal outcomes, maternal and infant nutrition, childhood obesity, growth and development, predictors and the impact of diarrhea, maternal and child health services utilization, family planning and reproductive health, and the effects of HIV infection and ART and TB preventive therapy on the long-term growth and development of children.
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