Rochelle Sun

As a third-year PhD candidate, I’m working through the early stages of solidifying my dissertation project. My research examines the role of healthcare as a strategic asset in conflict and diplomacy. Specifically, I study how combatants navigate and interact with healthcare resources during conflict, and analyze the political and economic implications of these interactions. I work closely with international NGOs that provide medical care for some of the most vulnerable patient populations in Haiti and throughout the Sahel region. A core goal of my research is to support and protect the life-saving humanitarian work that these organizations do. 

My research has greatly benefited from the diversity of expertise and knowledge across the university, and I am especially grateful for the opportunities to work alongside experts in public health, public policy, economics, and the various subfields of government here at Harvard. Beyond my research, I’ve loved teaching undergrads in the College and master’s students at the Kennedy School; sharing my enthusiasm for the subjects I teach has been incredibly rewarding. 

When I’m not in CGIS, I love having picnics on the esplanade, hosting game nights, trying new restaurants, competing in pub trivia, and cooking spicy foods. That said, I’m also trying to impose my spicy foods obsession on the department by exploiting my power as Graduate Student Association co-president to host a Hot-Ones challenge this year.