Biography:
Rumi Chunara is a computer scientist who has made significant contributions to the field of biostatistics. She currently serves as an associate professor of biostatistics at the New York University School of Global Public Health. Chunara’s work revolves around the development of computational and statistical approaches to acquire, integrate, and utilize data to improve population-level public health.
Chunara began her academic journey as an undergraduate student at the prestigious California Institute of Technology, where she focused on studying electrical engineering. Her interest in the field led her to pursue graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she joined the Department of Electrical Engineering. During her time at MIT, Chunara conducted research for her master’s dissertation, which explored the creation of low-noise electronic readouts for high-throughput biomolecular detection.
After completing her master’s degree, Chunara joined the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology to further her education. Under the guidance of her mentor, Scott Manalis, she embarked on her doctoral research journey. Chunara’s work during this time centered around data mining and the development of machine learning algorithms for better public health decision-making. She became particularly interested in how the acquisition of data could be harnessed to support public health initiatives and the ethical considerations involved in designing computational systems.
Chunara’s research breakthroughs have showcased the potential of using social media and online sources to understand public health dynamics and emerging disease outbreaks. In regions where public health information can take weeks to be aggregated, early warning signs become crucial in directing medical resources to areas of need. Chunara demonstrated the correlation between an increase in cholera-related Twitter posts in Haiti and a cholera outbreak. This groundbreaking insight highlighted the potential of using social media data for early disease detection and response.
Notably, Chunara co-developed Flu Near You, a website that utilizes user-generated information to create spatially resolved maps of flu prevalence. This platform empowers individuals to contribute to public health surveillance even in the absence of public health officials. Additionally, she has made substantial contributions to improving vaccination rates in Pakistan through the development of smart immunization targeting. By combining artificial intelligence with cell phone technologies, Chunara has directed vaccinators to areas with low vaccination coverage.
Chunara’s expertise extends beyond infectious diseases. Her research has shown that hate speech on social media can be used to predict real-world hate crimes. This groundbreaking finding has significant implications for addressing online hate speech and preventing hate crimes.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chunara studied the use of telemedicine and its impact on healthcare access. Her research revealed disparities in accessing telemedicine, with Black patients being less likely to receive telemedical services compared to their white counterparts. This important finding sheds light on the need to address healthcare inequities in the era of virtual healthcare.
Throughout her career, Rumi Chunara has consistently pushed the boundaries of data-driven public health research. Her work has provided valuable insights and tools for monitoring diseases, improving vaccination rates, and addressing societal challenges. Chunara’s dedication to leveraging computational approaches for the betterment of public health has had a profound impact on the field and serves as an inspiration to future researchers.