¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

Amanda’s trajectory at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV began as an undergraduate student. After completing her undergraduate degree, where she first connected with her PhD supervisor, Pablo Nepomnaschy, she started her Master of Science degree. However, her skills and research scope quickly blossomed, and she transferred into her PhD degree, without having completed her master’s.

Rowlands’ PhD thesis, , focuses on improving reproductive health outcomes among adolescent girls and young women.

Specifically, her research focused on the biological mechanisms linking socio-ecological contexts with reproductive maturation outcomes among adolescent girls in Guatemala. She examined how physiologic and energetic stress play a role in reproductive health and ovarian function maturation. As part of her research, she prioritized community-driven approaches, both in understanding and addressing reproductive health needs of adolescent girls, in order to better inform policy and interventions strategies.

Rowlands’ studies, research, and community-work resulted in her earning a 4.11 CGPA and receiving multiple major awards and recognitions, including the prestigious NSERC Vanier Canada graduate scholarship and the Phyllis Eveleth Award for knowledge translation. She also authored multiple high impact publications and presented at many conferences.

Rowlands demonstrated an impressive sense of leadership, empathy, and advocacy in her work with Nepomnaschy. So much so that Nepomnaschy entrusted Rowlands to co-lead the lab’s 2022-2023 field season in Santa Cruz, Solola, Guatemala – the first and only time Nepomnaschy has ever done so with a trainee. Rowlands not only developed deep trust with the Indigenous group she was working with, but also earned their respect and strengthened the relationships between Nepomnaschy’s lab and the community.

Of Rowlands’ work in Guatemala, beyond community building, Nepomnaschy states, “[Rowlands] also demonstrated exceptional independence, perseverance, and organizational skills in her work with local field assistants in the collection of over 3000 daily interviews and as many bio-specimens, as well as sleep and physical measurements. Her work in our Guatemalan field site promoted the development of local research capacity within the community.�

Nepomnaschy continues, “Amanda embodies the exceptional motivation, social and academic intelligence, creativity and leadership that is necessary to transform information and experience into scientific endeavours that can change paradigms. It was an absolute pleasure mentoring Amanda and witnessing her hone these qualities over her tenure in our lab.�

Rowlands reflects on her time in the Faculty of Health Sciences from undergraduate to doctoral student to postdoctoral fellow.

Says Rowland, “The Faculty of Health Sciences has been my academic home for over 10 years, and the opportunities, learnings, and support I’ve received from this faculty have been outstanding. My training in how to frame and understand reproductive and sexual health outcomes through transdisciplinary approaches has been incredibly unique, and I owe a special thank you to the many mentors, Dr. Nepomnsachy and Dr. Katrina Salvante especially, who helped shape these academic and research priorities and passions. Receiving the Dean’s Convocation Medal is an incredible honour; I feel humbled to have my work and research recognized through this award.�

Rowlands’ exceptional work led to a postdoctoral fellowship offer within ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV’s Faculty of Health Sciences before she even completed her PhD. Now as a postdoctoral fellow, she incorporates perspectives of how chronic inflammation acts as a biological mechanism through which socio-structural inequities can impact reproductive and sexual health outcomes among adolescent girls and young women.