Morgan Tarpenning earned a bachelor’s degree in earth systems with a minor in human biology–global health from Stanford University. She is particularly interested in the intersection of human and environmental health and hopes to bring this perspective to a future career in medicine.

Her Fulbright research focuses on trash management in Makassar, South Sulawesi, particularly how plastic waste creates breeding sites for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the primary vector for dengue and Zika. By assessing community knowledge and practices related to the health risks associated with trash, her project aims to lay the groundwork for developing and scaling effective waste reduction strategies that help disrupt disease transmission.

She is conducting this research in collaboration with Dr. Ansariadi at Universitas Hasanuddin.