Throughout her diverse career in nursing, information technology, and nonprofits, Iori Yamasaki developed a belief that the information contained in medical records could be utilized more effectively. This conviction fueled her journey to the DPHS MS in Population Health Sciences program, where she concentrated on learning methods to manage and analyze large data sets. Underpinning this focus was an interest in the health issues associated with an aging society, a particularly pressing concern in her home country of Japan. Graduating in May 2024, Iori now works for a company in Japan that develops various electronic systems, including electronic medical records. Prior to her MS degree, Iori earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing.
Iori's participation in the DPHS master's program was supported by the Sasakawa Health Foundation in Japan through the Sasakawa Nursing Fellow Program, which nurtures future leaders in Japan’s nursing field. She is proud to be part of the first cohort of this prestigious program that aims to support 100 Japanese nurses over ten years in advancing their education at top U.S. universities.
For her thesis, Iori conducted a study using big data from the Health and Retirement Study. She applied a machine learning model to predict cognitive decline and evaluated the accuracy of this model, showcasing her skills in data analysis and machine learning. Iori feels the mentorship of Megan Shepherd-Banigan, PhD, and the support of DPHS played a crucial role in her professional development by offering information, knowledge, and networking opportunities tailored to her interests. The flexible class selections also allowed her to explore and deepen her expertise. She aspires to continue finding opportunities to apply predictive models in disease prevention, aiming to intervene at the right time for the right individuals.
In addition to a passion for her professional endeavors, Iori enjoys enriching her life experiences through travel by visiting diverse destinations such as Puerto Rico and Morocco.