Biography
Dr. Thoin Begum
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow
Office of Integrative Activities
Office of the Director
Class of 2024-2026
Dr. Thoin Begum is an environmental epidemiologist who served as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine Center for Asian Health. With over five years of experience, her research focused on environmental health disparities, specifically the impact of chemical exposures. Begum earned her doctorate and master’s degree in environmental health sciences from the University at Albany, where her work led to several peer-reviewed publications on the health effects of contaminants like polychlorinated biphenyls, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and phthalates.
In her previous role, Begum investigated cancer health disparities in underserved populations, with an emphasis on structural racism in healthcare and community-based participatory research. Her research interests span reproductive health, cumulative risk and health equity. Dedicated to advancing environmental justice, she secured significant grant funding, including a $15,000 award as principal investigator for a study on carcinogens in nail salons. Begum also served as co-chair of the Communications Committee for the South Asian Public Health Association.