Rochelle Sun

I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Government at Harvard University, where I also hold affiliations with the Center for American Politics, the Institute for Quantitative Social Science, and the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. My dissertation research evaluates the role of healthcare provision in diplomatic relations, governance, and conflict. Additionally, I support research on optimizing HIV care services in settings of conflict and instability through my work with the GHESKIO centers in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Prior to my graduate studies, I worked as a health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) analyst specializing in cost-effectiveness modeling and indirect treatment comparisons. I have also had the opportunity to support research at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC. I received my bachelor's in Political Science and Health Policy from the University of Rochester. I am a member of the associate board for the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA).

My dissertation research analyzes the role of healthcare as a strategic asset in conflict. Specifically, I aim to uncover the conditions under which combatants target healthcare resources, particularly when such resources provide care for members or supporters of the perpetrating group. I also have ongoing research projects that evaluate the political and economic impacts of partisan shocks to foreign aid delivery and the effects of subnational variation in implementation aid allocation. By integrating insights from political economy, conflict studies, and global health, this research agenda seeks to illuminate the dynamic ways healthcare provision shapes politics and power dynamics in the modern international system.

Highlights of my HEOR experience include cost-effectiveness analyses of anti-obesity medications and population modeling to estimate the impact of novel cell therapies on reducing racial disparities among patients indicated for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Other projects include matching-adjusted indirect treatment comparisons, network meta-analyses, patient surveys, and physician chart reviews.

Through my partnerships with global health non-profits, I have also had the opportunity to work on data analysis for NIH-funded clinical trials in HIV and tuberculosis research, impact modeling for large-scale COVID-19 contact tracing programs, and grant proposal-writing to support continued improvement in global health service provision.

Carbon Copy: US Public Opinion on the Diffusion of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms with Tayla Ingles and Dustin Tingley.

Beyond Parochial Altruism: Cross-Ethnic Solidarities and Shared Crises in Lebanon with Amanda Rizkallah and Melani Cammett.

As a first-generation American, my path was shaped by many individuals who went out of their way to offer me support and guidance over the years. I am committed to building more bridges for other young researchers from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds. Please reach out over email if I can be of support.

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