It wasn't until his senior year of college that John Donovan, MPH '09, decided that a public health career was the right fit for him. At a young age, he loved the way that music and movies could bring people together and thought about being a film director. Yet, he was also drawn to pursuing an undergraduate biology degree and advancing society’s scientific knowledge of health.

The common thread was a desire to help those who need help, and public health became the obvious answer as a way to use both his passion and his skills.

Today Donovan helps to educate the public about radiation. He is a health communications and education specialist at the Radiation Studies Branch of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

From the CDC's web site to social media, videos and fact sheets, Donovan works hard to use his passion for art and public health training to make communication about the complex topic of radiation simple and easy to understand.

It was a way to combine his love of all forms of media with scientific backing.

Outside of his work at the CDC educating others about radiation, Donovan volunteers at Tucker High School in Tucker, Georgia, providing mentorship and a positive adult influence. This volunteering feeds into Donovan’s interest in finding ways to communicate with all age groups, building relationships and providing information to those who may not have access.

“Teenagers do not feel like they are being spoken to as adults, by adults,” said Donovan. “Viewing this through the lens of public health, technology drives their communication, and non-traditional public health methods are needed to best reach them with important messages.”

At the SPH, Donovan’s faculty advisor was Jennifer Taylor, PhD, MPH, a professor who specializes in patient safety and occupational health. Both share a passion for public health.

“It’s important to reach out to young people about public health, and help them become more aware of ways to stay healthy at an earlier age,” said Donovan. “As public health professionals, we have a duty to do just that.”

Donovan received his undergraduate degree in biology from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. He was raised in Lancaster County, PA, and currently resides outside of Atlanta.