Dr. Shefali Halder is grateful to be surrounded by support. When she was a child, her family and teachers noticed her interest in science and nurtured her enthusiasm. When she enrolled in the Syracuse University School of Information Studies in 2010, her professors encouraged her to try out advanced coursework and undergraduate research opportunities that kept her interested.
Since graduating and focusing on her career, she wants to use her love of science to give back by improving the health care system that some of her friends and family have struggled with for years.
“During the months of my junior year, several close friends and family members were hospitalized and I helped take care of them,” Halder said. “I faced the realities of the health care system: fragmented health information, complex decision-making, physical and mental stress, and the difficulty of advocating for loved ones.”
“This experience motivated me to do something to improve the health system,” she added. “I wanted to use my problem-solving skills to develop solutions that empower people.”
Mr. Halder earned a bachelor's degree in information management, technology, and biology from Syracuse in 2014 and a doctorate of philosophy in biomedical and health informatics from the University of Washington in 2019.
While considering a career path, she found the field of medical informatics and discovered it was a place where she could work at the intersection of technology and health and achieve her goals.
Mr. Halder is currently an associate director of platforms and innovation at Merck & Co. in the Boston metropolitan area, where he leads the research, design and development of technologies used by scientists to conduct research. Her goal is to understand their challenges and needs and use research to find technological solutions that can improve their work.
“I had the opportunity to work on solutions across the healthcare industry, including hospital systems, government, nonprofits, and life sciences,” she said. “In every project, I am fortunate to use the technology I help create and work closely with the people directly affected by that technology: patients, caregivers, healthcare workers, and scientists.”
Halder's ultimate goal is to develop her skills as a leader and mentor. She also wants to help scientists realize their vision of successful and equitable technologies and challenge traditional ways of thinking about and solving problems.
Syracuse's strong and supportive community
When she's not working, Halder is busy exploring the Boston area, trying new recipes and knitting projects, and reading a good book. She hopes to continue learning from different experiences, places, and people.
“I want to keep trying new things, travel often, rest, and spend lots of time with the people I love,” she said.
If Halder could give advice to current Syracuse students, he would say not to be afraid to ask for help. Also remember that career paths are rarely linear.
“You have a whole community of friends, professors, staff, and the student body around you that can be your go-to source for ideas and advice when you need it,” she says. “Taking your first steps out of school can be daunting, and it can be daunting to think that the steps you choose to take will impact your entire career. “Maybe. But the choices you make now will create new opportunities. It's up to you to decide how to take advantage of those opportunities and what direction to take next.”
Halder hopes her students feel the same support she felt at Syracuse, and that support system still sticks with her.
“I chose Syracuse because I felt it was a strong and supportive community,” she said. “I am grateful to my professors for exposing me to opportunities that I otherwise would not have known about. Without their encouragement, I may not have had the confidence to pursue them.” .”
