A piece of advice that Dr. Aguilera would give to a young professional entering the field:
I encourage young professionals to follow their passions and share them with others, I cannot stress enough how important is to collaborate also across different fields and disciplines.
Juan Aguilera is a medical doctor from Mexico with a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences and a Master’s in Public Health from UT El Paso. His research focuses on environmental exposures such as air pollution and their effects on respiratory and cardiovascular health in at-risk populations. In 2020, he was selected for the Scientist Sentinels: Civic Engagement and Leadership Program by COMPASS which brings together scientists working at the nexus of environment and civic engagement to advance the role of science in the US.
Thanks to en evidence-based screening project, Dr Aguilera has been involved with the Paso Del Norte community which besides the city of El Paso, also includes Las Cruces, NM, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. He coordinates health fairs and community events offering free health exams in underserved communities with over 5,000 participants served in the last five years. As a data-oriented professional, Juan enjoys implementing GIS mapping, big data analytics, and machine learning algorithms to population-based research. This Fall, he will join Stanford University as a postdoctoral scholar with hopes of developing new skills and partnerships.
Dr. Aguilera joined the HPP Editorial Board three years ago. “HPP allows me to review innovative health projects, promote better health habits, and engage in disease prevention while advocating for better health policies for our communities. I love HPP and the amazing efforts each member offers to disseminate health information. With each passing year, our journal keeps being a forum so health professionals and the communities they serve can voice their needs and findings”.
A quote Dr. Aguilera lives by:
“Health science involves devotion to lifelong learning, research, and teamwork, only by working together we can find solutions to complex health problems”
Editorial Board Member at Health Promotion Practice Journal
