Dr. Chaliawala is a public health scholar and educator whose work focuses on mental health, sexual health, and psychosocial well‑being among international and underserved student populations. She is an Assistant Professor of Public Health and a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®).

Her research examines how psychological, cultural, and social factors shape health behaviors and well‑being in higher education settings. Through evidence‑based and culturally responsive approaches, her work informs public health practice, student support services, and inclusive educational policy.

As an educator and mentor, Dr. Chaliawala is committed to fostering inclusive learning environments and supporting students, particularly international and early‑career scholars in navigating academic and professional pathways.

In 2010, at the age of nineteen, I began my journey from a small town in India to pursue higher education in the United States. Like many international students, I arrived with a sense of excitement and possibility, tempered by uncertainty and apprehension. My family had little familiarity with international travel, and navigating visa requirements, flight bookings, and institutional processes involved considerable confusion and limited guidance. After a 38‑hour journey across multiple time zones and extended layovers, I arrived in Denver, Colorado, marking not only my first time in the United States, but also my first experience traveling abroad.

My introduction to life in the U.S. was not a welcoming one. During immigration processing, I was subjected to hours of questioning by Homeland Security officials. My slight stature, unfamiliar accent, and four suitcases appeared to invite heightened scrutiny. That moment. standing alone in an unfamiliar country, being questioned and evaluated became my first experience of being “othered.” It was an experience that felt isolating and unsettling, and one that many international students silently endure but rarely articulate.

As I began my undergraduate education, I carried this experience with me. I approached my studies with determination and resilience, yet the challenges of navigating an unfamiliar academic culture persisted. In classrooms, linguistic differences and cultural misunderstandings often became barriers rather than points of inclusion. Some faculty members demonstrated limited awareness of diverse accents and dialects, and comments such as, “Since English is your second language, you probably do not know how to write a proper paper,” undermined confidence and contributed to feelings of marginalization. These experiences made participation in academic discussions more difficult and reinforced the perception that international students must constantly prove their competence.

Despite these challenges, I persisted. Over time, my early experiences as an international student began to shape not only my academic path, but also my professional purpose. What initially felt like personal struggles revealed broader structural and cultural issues embedded within higher education systems; particularly in how international and marginalized students are supported, understood, and included.

These formative experiences ultimately guided my transition into public health scholarship. My academic training and research now focus on mental health, sexual health, and psychosocial well‑being among international and underserved student populations. Drawing from both lived experience and empirical research, my work examines how cultural norms, stigma, institutional practices, and systemic inequities influence health behaviors and well‑being in higher education settings.

As a public health scholar and educator, I am committed to advancing culturally responsive, equity‑centered approaches to research, teaching, and student support. My work seeks to bridge gaps between policy, practice, and lived realities, with the goal of informing inclusive institutional strategies that recognize international students not as deficits to be managed, but as individuals with diverse strengths, identities, and experiences.

Today, my journey, from an international student navigating unfamiliar systems to an academic working to reshape them; continues to inform my teaching, mentorship, and scholarship. Through research, education, and engagement, I strive to amplify student voices, challenge inequities, and contribute to healthier, more inclusive academic environments.

Presentations at various conferences across years!