“I thought that I would pursue medicine. And I actually completed the full litany of pre-med courses. I believe it wasn’t until 2013 that I took my first public health class,” says Macmadu of her first few years at Brown University. That first class was with Brad Brockmann, assistant professor of the practice of health services, policy and practice; someone with whom she would co-design and teach a course with in 2016.

Around the same time that she began taking courses in public health, Macmadu began to hear about naloxone (an opioid overdose antidote) and got connected with efforts to distribute naloxone in Providence.

“The place I’m from has some of the highest overdose rates in the country,” she says of her home state, West Virginia.

Before graduating in 2014, Macmadu would be involved in research efforts in West Virginia, through West Virginia University, interviewing people who use drugs to assess the feasibility of expanding a naloxone distribution program in the state. It was these experiences doing research in the field that inspired her to pursue her master’s in behavioral and social sciences and then later, her doctoral studies in epidemiology. While she always had the requisite passion for harm reduction and tackling the overdose crisis, her doctoral program provided her with the necessary skills to further investigate these questions of interest.

“I got to take a deep dive and learns the ins and outs of epidemiology and methods applicable to my field, which was incredibly fulfilling,” said Macmadu.

As part of her dissertation, she looked at how overdoses can affect social networks; in particular, how risk of overdose is affected when someone in a social group overdoses.

“I think that this a compelling question,” she explains. “On one hand, we see that for some folks, knowing someone who overdosed can have a protective effect –– like ‘oh man that could happen to me, I need to watch myself. Whereas for other people, particularly if the person who overdosed was someone they were very close to or overdosed fatally, people may find themselves using to more to cope with that grief.”

“My vision for this fellowship is that it will grant me the time and flexibility to thoughtfully construct grant applications that will serve to further catalyze my research career."

She credits the mentorship she received in the department for playing a large part in her success. As a graduating student from the School of Public Health, she was awarded the Public Health Impact Award, an award that recognizes a graduating student for impact in scholarship or professional contributions.

“I’m so incredibly thankful for the mentorship that I received while I was a student here. I’ve been fortunate to have a truly outstanding advisor, Professor Brandon Marshall, and I’ve greatly appreciated all of the support and community that the department has provided,” she said.

What’s next for the new postdoctoral fellow? Macmadu has long term plans to continue to build a research program that focuses on the social determinants of opioid use and overdoses, looks at evidence-based ways to reduce harm and advance health justice and equity for those who are marginalized including people who use drugs, in particular those from BIPOC populations and people affected by the criminal legal system.

“My vision for this fellowship is that it will grant me the time and flexibility to thoughtfully construct grant applications that will serve to further catalyze my research career. I also look forward to honing my skill in teaching and expanding my research networks—both at Brown and elsewhere,” she says of her plans for the fellowship.

Alexandria Macmadu graduated from Brown University with a Ph.D. in Epidemiology in 2022, she begins her presidential postdoctoral fellowship at the university this month.