Shamika Ranasinghe, a 2014 graduate with an MS in global health, has published four first-authored journal articles this year, all based on research she performed while a Mason student.
In line with her focus in global health, three of the papers were collaborations with the Mercy Hospital Research Laboratory in Sierra Leone. The first study, published in Malaria Journal in February, examined attitudes about malaria testing. The second study focused on herbal treatments for malaria and was published in May in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. The third study, also in Malaria Journal and published in November, discussed child bednet use following a bednet distribution campaign.
Ranasinghe’s fourth study is focused on her capstone project, which was a meta-analysis of adolescent hygiene behaviors and mental health. That study is published in the Journal of Infection and Public Health.
“Many people who earn PhDs never publish four papers as first author during their whole careers, so this record is a hugely impressive accomplishment for a master’s student. It’s wonderful that Shamika and so many other Mason students are doing research of consequence and contributing to the scientific literature,” said Kathryn H. Jacobsen, professor in the Department of Global and Community Health, who co-authored the studies with Ranasinghe.