“This is really the first time in my life that I have stayed put this long. Because of my training as an epidemiologist, for most of my adult life I have moved every two or three years, living in Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, and Providence. So, a big part of living here in the Upper Valley has been learning to be rooted and to feel settled in a place.
I love the Upper Valley. I grew up in a smallish town in Western Pennsylvania, so the Upper Valley has always felt familiar. Even though it is a totally different community, it reminds me a lot of where I grew up. Since I have moved here, the most consistent advice I have been given is to take up a winter sport. I usually say that knitting is my winter sport, and I’m cool with that. It is fun to have those cold winter days with cocoa to sit and knit.
In my epidemiological work, I am interested in health equity and health disparities that affect communities in New Hampshire. I have been really involved with local communities that have had PFAS water contamination. PFAS is a class of long-lasting chemical toxins that break down slowly over time. Working with affected community members has brought me a new appreciation for how important our research is not just to policymakers and scientists, but to people who are living with these concerns every day.”
– Megan Romano, Quechee, VT
