#2022Trojan: Meet Brandyn Ruiz, Master of Science in Public Health Data Science program graduate

Brandyn Ruiz, MS earned his Master of Science in Public Health Data Science in December 2021.

Why did you choose to pursue your degree?

I chose my degree program for the applied aspect with every class being hands on addressing health questions back to what we were learning. Having a capstone project where we have the opportunity to explore real hospital data to answer their question starting from the ground up as another real world experience to add to my resume. The Department of Populations and Public Health Sciences being diverse in all the fields of public health, allowing me to explore the different fields in classes, and having the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned through internships.

What are you doing after you graduate?

Working full time for the Southern California Environmental Health Science Center (SCEHSC) at USC.

What do you look forward to in your career path?

I look forward to helping people through research [and] advocating for those who are disadvantaged so that there may be environmental justice and better health quality.

What advice do you have for future grads?

My advice to future grads would be to challenge yourselves to explore the different areas of public health whether it be spatial health, environmental health, or clinical trials. USC has so much to offer, push yourself to apply and make those connections.