Franziska graduated with dual degrees in Biology and German in 2021 and has since moved to France to continue her studies with a Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the school EHESP. Throughout her undergrad, Franziska tried to balance her schedule between STEM and GSS courses, usually taking one or two German classes per semester. She started at UMass with some knowledge of German and enjoyed the chance to keep contact with the language and learn more about modern Germany and German history that the major provided. Covid-19 had other plans for her semester abroad in Freiburg, though, which she ended up completing online through the spring and summer of 2020.
During her senior year, Franziska did research for an honors thesis which bridged her two majors as well as her Certificate in Culture, Health, and Science. She used German-language archival evidence in the form of health booklets and scientific articles to support her investigation into the social history of tuberculosis in turn-of-the 20th century Germany. Scientific writing as well as the history of science and its implications in global health today continue to interest her as she takes her next steps into a public health career. Franziska is specializing in Epidemiology and Biostatistics during the final year of her MPH.
Although Franziska is currently living in France, it surprises her how often her knowledge of German is useful, and Germany is only a short train ride away.