Mehreen S. Ismail, MPH

Mentor   Dr. Wilde

Recent Work

I am a doctoral student in the Food Policy and Applied Nutrition program at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. My research interests are related to federal nutrition assistance, primarily through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps). During the course of my doctoral work, I hope to apply an interdisciplinary approach to study how state and local-level policies affect access to SNAP and the overall social safety net. I am also interested in studying how program access and participation influence food expenditures, dietary quality, and food security, particularly among low-income older adults.

Prior to beginning my graduate school career, I worked in university and non-profit settings to promote access to SNAP and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. I hold a master's degree in public health nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. While completing my public health training, I worked on projects related to afterschool meal quality; farmers' market access among homebound seniors; and policy, systems, and environmental strategies for SNAP Education. My MPH capstone assessed the relationship between food assistance program participation and dietary quality among low-income seniors.