Why do some neighborhoods lack access to municipal services? And how does this affect families? UNC public health researchers delve into this topic by testing well water in Wake County communities located on the outskirts of cities.

Banu Gökarıksel is an associate professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Geography within the UNC College of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on the politics of everyday life and questions of gender, religion, and living together across differences.

Senior Srihita Bongu is an undergraduate researcher within the Maness Lab, studying chemistry and economics in the College of Arts & Sciences. She is also the co-founder of the Women in Economics club on campus. Her research focuses on the changes in expression of the Neurocan gene in the adolescent brain and the implications that has for mental disorders and disabilities.

Noelle Romero is the program coordinator for the Chancellor’s Science Scholars and UNC-PROPS. In August 2016, she successfully defended her thesis within the Curriculum in Genetics & Molecular Biology. Her research focuses on how to prevent problems that arise from damaged DNA, such as cancer, through studying Fancm, a protein that helps repair it.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting Elizabeth L. Kemble, founding dean of the UNC School of Nursing. After becoming dean in 1950, she recruited faculty, oversaw construction of a building and dormitories, and even handpicked the first class of students. She spent the next 18 years dedicating her life to this school, making it the first in the state to offer a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in nursing.

Catherine Fahey is an MD-PhD student studying genetics and molecular biology within the UNC School of Medicine. In February 2017, she successfully defended her dissertation. She is also the co-leader of the student organization UNC Advocates for MD-PhD Women in Science. Her research focuses on how protein-modifying gene mutations contribute to cancer development.

How does a beach recover after a hurricane? What are the outcomes of natural processes versus man-made interventions? These are some of the questions posed by Elsemarie deVries, a PhD student in the UNC Coastal Environmental Change Lab. Using a variety of approaches, deVries investigates the interactions between different dune-building processes. Now she is taking her expertise to a South Carolina beach recovering from the effects of Hurricane Matthew.

Gaming giant Valve acquires Impulsonic — a UNC-created 3-D sound simulation software company started by two PhD students and faculty within the Department of Computer Science.

When Ebola strikes, what is the proper response? What measures should be taken to protect communities in a time of crisis? Should a neighborhood be quarantined? How? To help answer these questions, public health officials in Liberia turn to legal experts at the UNC School of Government.

Gulden Othman is a third-year graduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy within the UNC College of Arts & Sciences. She currently works in the Experimental Nuclear and Astroparticle Physics group and is also on the executive board of UNC Women in Science and Engineering (WISE). Her research focuses on observing the interactions of the building blocks of matter to understand how the universe has evolved from the Big Bang to present day.

Rumay Alexander, EDD, RN, FAAN, serves as special assistant to the chancellor and interim chief diversity officer, as well as professor and director of the Office of Inclusive Excellence at the UNC School of Nursing. Her career spans over 20-plus years in the areas of nursing, public policy, advocacy, teaching, and health career development, with an emphasis on cultural diversity issues.

Sylvia Frazier-Bowers is an associate professor and physician scientist in the Department of Orthodontics within the UNC School of Dentistry. Her research focuses on understanding the genetics behind how teeth and faces form.