Wang headshot

Leland Fellow

Michael Wang

10th Class, 2019-2021

Michael Wang, originally from Wisconsin, graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2019 with an MPhil in Public Health. His Master's research ranged from examining the social determinants of diarrheal disease and infant undernutrition in Myanmar to evaluating the impact of digital health interventions in managing non-communicable diseases. Prior to attending Cambridge, Michael served as a school teacher in rural Hunan province, China, where he coordinated efforts to lower high school attrition rates and support student academic achievement. As a teacher, Michael grounded his interests in rural community development through his experiences working with children and young adults. Michael's undergraduate degree is in Community Health and American Studies from Tufts University.

Host Organization: International Food Policy Research Institute

First Year Placement
Yangon, Myanmar

Based in Yangon, Myanmar, Michael worked with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to support the development and implementation of a nationally representative integrated household survey on agricultural production, livelihoods, gender, and nutrition. Michael supported this project, titled the Myanmar Agriculture Policy Support Activity (MAPSA), with the aim of collecting reliable data and facilitating Myanmar’s agricultural policy and program development to address historical inequities in livelihoods and health outcomes between ethnic communities.

Second Year Placement
Yangon, Myanmar

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael continues to be based in Yangon, where he is assisting IFPRI’s research on the pandemic’s impact on rural livelihoods, poverty, and nutrition. He is also providing support to research dissemination efforts and building IFPRI’s in-country communications strategy to help shape Myanmar’s response to COVID-19 by informing NGO programs and government policies. These efforts involve writing research briefs and blog posts, hosting policy seminars and media interviews, and presenting findings at donor meetings and workshops.

Publications & Blog Posts

Pick Up the Phone: Adapting M&E for Social Distance

Video / 2019-2021

Collecting Essential Data in Myanmar: Michael Wang

Blog Post / March 9, 2020