Rosseirys (Ro) De La Rosa

Graduate Student (Bio-Cultural; Embodiment, Health, Community Engaged Work, African Diasporic Populations, Spanish-Caribbean)

Ro entered the Ph.D. program at Vanderbilt in the Fall of 2022. She completed her B.S. in  Anthropology and Human Biology with a minor in African-American Studies at Emory University in May 2022. During her academic career, she participated in ancient DNA research exploring human population history in the Americas and linking individuals and communities to the multi-faceted ancient civilizations that existed before the colonial era.    

Ro’s main interests include genetics, race, health, embodiment, and flourishment/resiliency. Ro is broadly interested in using epidemiological approaches and anthropological insights on identity and genetics to address medically related questions. Specifically, her graduate research centers on understanding how life experiences are embodied by Black populations throughout Latin America, and how different aspects of culture may act as buffers to specific stressors. Her work is currently focused on the Spanish Caribbean, particularly in the Dominican Republic.