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 Political Studies, the Institute for Quantitative Social Science, and the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. My 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 Haitian Study Group on Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections (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 of directors for the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) and GHESKIO.

My dissertation analyzes the role of healthcare as a strategic resource in conflict and development. One of my projects examines how combatants interact with humanitarian healthcare providers and identifies the conditions under which they target healthcare resources with violence. In particular, it studies contexts in which healthcare resources generate value for the perpetrating group’s members or supporters, making them politically and strategically salient. A second project attempts to evaluate the long-term political and economic impacts of partisan shocks to foreign aid delivery in recipient countries. By integrating insights from political economy and global health, my research agenda hopes to delineate the pathways through which healthcare provision shapes politics and power dynamics, particularly in low-resource settings.

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 on HIV and tuberculosis research in Haiti, impact modeling for large-scale COVID-19 contact tracing programs in Massachusetts, and program development and evaluation to improve global health service provision.

As a first-generation American, my path has been shaped by many individuals who offered generous support and guidance along the way. 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.