Three New Hudson Fellows in Public Health Named

The Hudson Fellows in Public Health Program was established in 2015 to support outstanding students in full time doctoral study and research at the Hudson College of Public Health, through the generosity of Dr. Leslie and Cliff Hudson. 

Please join us in congratulating our newest Hudson Fellows, Ozair Naqvi, Osariemen “Osa” Omoregie, and Mingze Zhu.

Ozair Naqvi Ozair Naqvi is a third-year PhD student studying epidemiology, with a passion for applied public health practice. His interests are focused on the fields of infectious disease, emergency preparedness, and implementation science. Ozair completed his MS in Epidemiology at the Hudson College of Public Health in 2018 and worked as a communicable disease epidemiologist at the Oklahoma State Department of Health for 2 years before returning for his PhD. In this capacity, he investigated over 44 different state reportable conditions and played an active role in 16 different outbreak responses, including COVID-19, Mpox, and EVALI. Most recently, Ozair worked as a graduate research assistant on two federal grants designed to advance health literacy among vulnerable communities in Oklahoma City. A cornerstone of this project was a partnership with community-based organizations, and ensuring that individuals have access to information, understand it, and trust it to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. Ozair is an accomplished scholar, with seven peer-reviewed articles related to infectious disease published in notable journals, including Pediatrics and MMWR. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to student life and support, as reflected by his past service as the President of the Biostatistics and Epidemiology Student Association and Vice President of the College of Public Health Student Association. In these roles, he was dedicated to connecting students to vital resources, ranging from research opportunities to interdisciplinary collaboration and service initiatives across the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. When he isn’t buried in research or in class, Ozair enjoys traveling, trying out new local food places with friends, and being a sports fanatic. Following the completion of his doctoral studies, he is intent on pursuing a fulfilling and impactful career at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he aims to continue his work in epidemiology and public health.

Osariemen “Osa” Omoregie Osariemen “Osa” Omoregie obtained her Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology and Global Health from Boston University School of Public Health. Osa is a PhD candidate in Epidemiology, focused on the epidemiology of chronic diseases and health disparities. She previously worked on community-based programs aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes in low-income communities. Her current research seeks to evaluate the impact of Double Up Oklahoma (DUO), a nutrition incentive program, on the nutritional and health outcomes of low-income populations in Oklahoma. Osa has served as a student leader in BSESA and HCOPHSA. She served as the President of BSESA from 2022 to 2023. She loves reading and baking in her leisure time and appreciates her family members for their love and support.

Mingze Zhu Mingze Zhu earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physical Education from Shanghai University of Sport and later secured a Master of Public Health in Biostatistics from the University of South Florida. Currently, Mingze is a Ph.D. student in Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he also contributes as a graduate research assistant. His academic foundation uniquely blends exercise sciences and biostatistics, offering an enriched perspective on the intersections of exercise, environmental triggers, and human health. Over the past two years, Mingze has directed his research towards examining the health consequences associated with the exposure of Oklahoma firefighters to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). His findings aim to enhance safety measures and shape prevention tactics in the profession. Not confined to firefighter health, Mingze’s current scope extends to the realm of children’s health within the broader context of occupational and environmental health. His contributions to the field have been acknowledged with two 1st place student poster accolades at the 2023 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition in Phoenix.

For more information about the Hudson Fellows in Public Health program, including how to apply, visit: https://publichealth.ouhsc.edu/Current-Students/Hudson-Fellows