Alumni spotlight: Phindi’s journey through WMU’s IHS Ph.D. program

When Duduzile “Phindi” Mashinini began searching for a doctoral program, she hoped to find a place where her background in psychology and her growing interest in public health could come together. She also needed a program flexible enough to support her role as a parent of two young children. She found that balance at Western Michigan University in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (IHS) Ph.D. program. 

Throughout her coursework, Phindi discovered the value of working across disciplines. Training in both quantitative and qualitative research strengthened her ability to understand complex health issues from multiple angles. These skills shaped her research interests and ultimately guided her dissertation, which examined the impact of Michigan’s 2015 policy change on nonmedical vaccine exemptions. Her motivation for the topic was personal—navigating conflicting information about vaccines as a new mother sparked a deeper interest in understanding how families make these decisions. 

Mentorship played a key role in her academic development. From her first visit to campus, she knew she wanted to work with Dr. Kieran Fogarty. His global health background and direct, encouraging approach provided the structure and support she needed to grow as a researcher. 

“He believed in me even during moments I doubted myself,” she said. “His guidance, along with the program’s cohort model, created a strong sense of community that continued well beyond graduation.” 

Phindi’s time at WMU prepared her for the next steps in her career, including postdoctoral training at the University of North Carolina’s Carolina Population Center, where she gained expertise in geospatial analysis and epidemiology. Today, she serves as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Center for Global Health. In this role, she leads research focused on HIV prevention and response in countries including Tajikistan, South Africa, Angola, Nigeria, Vietnam and Thailand. 

Looking back, Phindi credits the IHS Ph.D. program for giving her the tools, mentorship and interdisciplinary training that shaped her path. The combination of rigorous research preparation, supportive faculty and a collaborative cohort helped her grow as a scholar—and prepared her for a career dedicated to improving health outcomes around the world.