
T R I C I A A U N G
About Me
I believe that public health can be enhanced with empathy-driven research that prioritizes peoples' needs, values, and experiences.




I'm currently a PhD student in Human Centered Design & Engineering at University of Washington and Fellow at Gates Ventures. As part of my PhD, I am interested in applying human centered design methods in global health to promote epistemic justice. I am also a faculty member and Research Associate in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
I am an experience qualitative and quantitative researcher that helps optimize global health programs and policies. I have developed curriculum and teach how to optimize data visualizations for global health audiences. I love teaching, and I have trained over 1000 individuals in visualizing health data. I also provide support to groups on improving usability of global health data tools and dissemination materials for diverse global health audiences. I was a Graduate Teaching Assistant for University of Washington's HCDE 517 Usability Research course.
In my spare time, I juggle several creative side hustles. I previously was a semi-successful* lifestyle blogger and interviewed creatives (designers, entrepreneurs, etc.) on their current obsessions. I run an Etsy shop, where I sell handmade candles to seltzer admirers (and those trying to woo seltzer admirers), and I also sell candles in retail. In 2018 I founded Yum Index with a friend, and we author a series of data-centric food rating journals. We have published three books: Pizza Metric (September 2019), Donut Metrics (June 2021), and Ice Cream Metrics (March 2023). I have spoken about the pizza rating process embedded in Pizza Metrics to a large crowd. I enjoy baking enough to start a pun-y COVID-19 online baking group called Great Pandemic Bake Off.
Originally from Illinois, I live in Seattle with my dog Cody. Cody has the body of a corgi and the fur of a sheltie. However, he is neither a corgi or a sheltie. Cody is a true super mutt.
*defined by getting free stuff