For Elizabeth Blackman, a career in epidemiology wasn’t something she initially planned. “It’s a funny story—I was in undergrad working at Macy’s when a friend mentioned she wanted to be an epidemiologist. I looked into it and immediately realized, ‘This is exactly what I want to do!’” That summer, she landed an internship at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was introduced to cancer research. “That eight-week internship opened my eyes to the impact of epidemiology. I remember thinking, ‘This is incredible—you can help so many people through research!’”
Blackman pursued her undergraduate degree at Howard University, though at the time, they didn’t offer a Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Determined to further her education, she earned her MPH from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. “Going back to Brooklyn for my MPH was a transformative experience. I saw firsthand how emergency rooms were overused, and I realized public health is so much more than just cancer research.”
Her mentor later moved to Fox Chase Cancer Center, a part of Temple Health, and encouraged her to follow. “That’s when I decided to pursue my PhD at Temple,” she said. “It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.” During her PhD studies, several family members in Trinidad were diagnosed with cancer, including an uncle who passed away from colorectal cancer within a year of his diagnosis. “He wasn’t even old!” she says, her frustration evident as she reflects on the injustice of it all. This personal loss fueled her academic drive, leading her to successfully defend her dissertation, The Colorectal Cancer Continuum: Elucidating Differences Within the Heterogeneous Black Population, and earn her PhD in Spring 2024. “Seeing what my family went through, I kept thinking, ‘Why don’t they have access to the same resources we do in the U.S.?’”
One of Blackman’s key focuses is colorectal cancer screening, both globally and locally. “Did you know the U.S. is one of the few countries with an established screening program? In Africa and the Caribbean, people often don’t get colonoscopies or mammograms unless there’s already a problem. That needs to change.”
Now a scientific research analyst at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Blackman works to increase funding for cancer research, while also advocating to establish colorectal cancer screening programs internationally and increase awareness of less invasive, more accessible screening options within African American communities, starting with Philadelphia. “Stool-based testing is a game changer,” she explains. “For a lot of people, a colonoscopy is intimidating, but stool-based options are just as effective and often covered by insurance. It’s all about getting the word out.”
Blackman credits the Temple University College of Public Health (CPH) for shaping her career by exposing her to a diverse faculty, research opportunities, and an extensive professional network. “Even now, I still use my Temple email to access journal articles,” she laughs. “Temple opened so many doors for me.”
Looking back, she sees a guiding force behind her journey. “God, the universe, a higher power—whatever you believe in—it pushes you where you need to go,” she reflects. With a deep sense of purpose and a clear vision for change, Blackman remains steadfast in her mission to improve health outcomes for communities near and far.