Meiyan Chen is a current doctoral student at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the
University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on exploring social determinants of health
and health disparities, particularly for adolescent and young adult with chronic illnesses such as
cancer, across different social contexts and cultural settings. Her research interests also include
palliative care, gender disparity, economic inequality, and the study of advanced quantitative
research methods.
Meiyan earned her Bachelor’s degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and
her Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Michigan. During her undergraduate
internship at Wuhan Children’s Hospital, her interest in health disparities was sparked by her
observation of differences in health outcomes based on socioeconomic status. This experience
motivated her to pursue social health justice and uncover the elements contributing to these
disparities. Prior to her doctoral studies, Meiyan gained valuable experience through a social
work field placement with Michigan Medicine’s Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) Oncology
program. There, she developed skills in combining social work research with behavioral health
interventions in clinical settings. Post graduation, she worked as a research assistant contributing
to several studies with a focus on socio-economic and technological factors influencing health
outcomes for cancer patients, employing systematic review and a meta-analysis approach.
Currently, Meiyan is working under the mentorship of Dr. Lailea Noel, whose community-based
research approach aligns with Meiyan’s goal of conducting empirical research to bridge the gap
between research and practice. Her work aims to identify potential resources and possibilities for
societal growth within existing social structures. Meiyan’s long-term research goal is to advance
the creation of more women-friendly, health-just communities. She is committed to uncovering
systemic inequities and proposing strategic interventions to reduce health disparities, with a
particular focus on the intersection of health outcomes and social justice