Cosette Scott

As an intern with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Cosette Scott ’24 quickly discovered how the data she analyzed could influence public health policy at the state level.

“We were one month into our research on occupations that risk heat exposure and the attorney general wanted our data,” says Scott, who worked with a lead epidemiologist in the state’s Occupational Health Surveillance Program while earning a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology.

Scott helped analyze more than 800 occupations by risk, equity, race and gender to identify any inequalities. The data will be used to possibly establish a standard for the number of breaks workers receive while exposed to long-term extreme heat.

“It’s always better to prevent sickness or death than be reactive,” says Scott, who is from Dracut, Massachusetts. “I’m excited to apply what I learned in the classroom to this research that will be used to make positive changes to policies that protect health and safety.”

After graduating with her undergraduate degree in marine biology and a minor in public health, Scott worked at Boston Children’s Hospital for three years, helping run clinical trials on devices intended for children with liver disease. 

“This experience made me curious about how common these diseases were and if there was an opportunity for prevention before occurrence,” says Scott. “By nature, I like to piece things together, which is what inspired me to pursue a career in public health.”

This career shift brought Scott to UMass Lowell for her master’s degree.

“The professors I worked with are proactive researchers who provide opportunities to start making a difference almost immediately,” says Scott, who is looking forward to her career as an epidemiologist to influence public health policy.