Dr. Dulin Keita came to UAB as an undergraduate in 2000 with plans to study political science. The Ohio native chose UAB after a close friend expressed interest in attending, but it wasn’t until taking a sociology course that she found her own path. “I had planned to get my degree in political science and then go on to law school,” she says, “but I just fell in love with sociology.” She finished with majors in sociology and Spanish and a minor in criminal justice.By Dr. Dulin Keita’s junior year, sociology had become such a passion that she decided to stay at UAB to pursue her medical sociology degree—a program that allows students to earn their M.A. as they matriculate through the Ph.D. program. While working on her master’s thesis on bullying and depression, Dr. Dulin Keita attended a lecture by Dr. Jose Fernandez, Professor of Nutrition Sciences in the UAB School of Health Professions. “That presentation really opened my eyes,” she says. “I was intrigued by the social structures that affect obesity and nutrition.” After introducing herself to Dr. Fernandez, she was invited to join his research team, where she worked as a post-doc in the UAB Nutrition & Obesity Research Center.
Asked about the benefits of her UAB education, Dr. Dulin Keita says that her opportunities to do research, work collaboratively across disciplines, and be mentored by senior faculty are what made the greatest impact.
“First of all, I had amazing faculty and support in the Department of Sociology,” she says. “Dr. Cockerham provided incredible training to graduate students in the department. I was able to hone my thinking skills and I felt free to explore my ideas. Beyond that, I was empowered to pursue cross-school collaborations, to focus on applied work, and to explore research and funding opportunities under the leadership of Dr. Fernandez and Dr. David Allison.”
She adds that her experience as a McNair Scholar, a federal TRIO program that prepares undergraduate students for doctoral studies, helped her build confidence that was critical to her success. “After my experiences at UAB, I would advise undergraduates to fully engage in their classes with gusto and not be afraid to approach their professors with questions and ideas. It’s good to interact with faculty, and it’s okay to think you like something and then decide that you don’t. Be flexible, but also be committed to whatever path you choose.”
In her four years at Brown, Dr. Dulin Keita has worked on identifying and exploring the community dynamics that affect diet and health, including how urban revitalization policies and public health efforts impact behaviors and outcomes.
She says she still partners with her UAB colleagues and notes that her alma mater has so many things going for it that many institutions do not: research centers, renowned guest lecturers, advanced technologies, interdisciplinary opportunities, and leading scientists and scholars,
“UAB is a powerhouse,” she says.
