Passionate about foreign affairs, security studies and humanitarian issues as an undergraduate, Kevin Conley concerned himself with the complex problems that threaten groups of nations and large populations. But he also felt attracted to the service aspect of individual patient care and so he entered medical school. After the first term, though, Conley wondered how he could combine his commitment to medicine with his passion for foreign affairs.

In spring 2005, Conley found his answer in the field of public health, where he is particularly inspired by the global challenges of looming health threats such as bioterrorism, emerging pathogens, humanitarian crises and disaster management. “The connection seems painfully obvious now, but at the time I had zero exposure to public health,” he says. With his background in medicine, military service, political science and public health, Conley is committed to combating international security threats and humanitarian crises.