Siya Sharma '24

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Siya Sharma '24 has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to conduct anthropological research in Delhi, India, for the 2024-2025 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. She is a recipient of the Fulbright-Nehru Student Research grant, which provides the opportunity to conduct individually designed research projects in India.

During her time at UCLA, Sharma immersed herself in years-long research within the University’s biological and sociocultural anthropology departments. With the guidance of Dr. Daniel Fessler and Dr. Abigail Bigham, she has cultivated a research niche focusing on genome sequences present in Indian populations which contribute to metabolic disorder and lifestyle health problems. These experiences have allowed her to reconceptualize how genetics play a key role in the dynamics between individuals and their respective health outcomes.

Nowadays, Sharma is focused on Indian women's health outcomes and assessing epigenetic influences using laboratory, medical survey and participant interview methods. With the Fulbright-Nehru Student Research grant, Sharma will be assessing the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a metabolic and reproductive endocrine disorder rampant within India’s female population. Her project seeks to examine women diagnosed with PCOS and their respective social, cultural, economic and political conditions. She hopes with this study she can propose a two-part PCOS management model and produce meaningful health solutions for her community.

“I aspire for my medical and socio-cultural examination of PCOS to result in tangible solutions which destigmatize and address the holistic management of this condition. My academic career is a testament to prioritization of health outcomes affecting Indian women, like myself, both in my homeland and in my home country,” she said. “It’s not simply about finding answers. Rather, my aim is to shed light on the critical factors which have led women to their respective conditions. From here, we can structure a world where the concerns of women are given fundamental value on an academic and social front.”

Sharma cites many factors which motivate her to examine the rich intersections of personal heritage and women's health outcomes through an interdisciplinary lens. She finds that core experiences within classes at UCLA drive her to emphasize community engagement and make lasting positive impacts within her homeland. In addition, Sharma’s time volunteering as a medical caseworker at UCLA Health helped her form a nuanced understanding of the social determinants of health, as she connected underserved patients of the Los Angeles community to resources designed to improve their wellbeing. Lastly, Sharma’s role as UCLA’s undergraduate representative for the UC Title IX Student Advisory Board solidified the thread of gender equality and empowerment which runs through the course of her efforts.

Looking back, such themes have always been a focal point of Sharma’s life. As a teenager, Sharma fundraised for and purchased thousands of sanitary hygiene products which she distributed in local soup kitchens, food pantries and food drives. Eventually, she partnered with her local government and fellow community groups to pass a bill which would distribute $1 million worth of feminine hygiene products within her county.

“My educational and co-curricular pursuits are woven by a dedication to making reproductive healthcare effective and accessible,” Sharma shares. “As a teenager, I was eager to form connections with recipients of my sanitary hygiene product initiatives. What I came to recognize from conversations, is that Indian women reported experiencing debilitating symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, which remained undiagnosed and untreated in many. From there on, I made it my goal to understand the disorder and find lasting treatment and management solutions.”

In her spare time, Sharma led her university's poetry and spoken word program as director of The Word on Wednesday. She also served as a head editor, writer and creative director of UCLA's FEM Magazine, a news publication dedicated to writing about student life through a feminist perspective. Sharma plans to integrate these creative passions into her research by documenting and sharing the stories of women participating in her Fulbright study.

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections and work to address complex global challenges. Notable Fulbrighters include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, 41 heads of state or government, and thousands of leaders across the private, public and non-profit sectors. Sharma is honored to embark on this opportunity and become part of the esteemed Fulbright community for a lifetime.