ARIANA RAHMANCancer Immunology Researcher
Goldwater Scholar · TEDx Speaker
Advocacy

Science in Service

Tutoring, interpretation and health policy work in metro Phoenix.

Health Policy

District Lead, ACS CAN

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network · Arizona District 6 · 2023 to present

Advanced from Legislative Ambassador to Co-Lead to District Lead, overseeing chapter strategy, volunteer coordination and multi-year advocacy, education and fundraising programming.

Directs the annual Lights of Hope fundraiser and represents constituents at the Arizona State Capitol, advocating for cancer-research funding, expanded screening access and affordable care for underserved communities.

Clinical Service

Medical interpretation

Metro Phoenix · ongoing

Bengali and English interpretation in medical and legal settings, for community members navigating healthcare and legal systems.

Teaching

Knowledge That Travels

Two ongoing teaching commitments carry the science into classrooms and clinics: virtual instruction through the Teach For America Ignite Fellowship, and health education with the Refugee Education and Clinic Team.

Teach For America · 2024 to present

Ignite Fellowship tutor

Virtual instruction for students from under-resourced schools, including Native American and Hispanic students, in collaboration with their educators.

REACT · 2024 to present

Refugee Education and Clinic Team

Education branch member. Health education and clinic support for refugee, Hispanic, Black and uninsured populations, covering diabetes, cholesterol and chronic disease at community clinics.

Volunteers holding Lights of Hope bags in front of the Arizona State Capitol
Lights of Hope at the Arizona State Capitol with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Ariana seated with an Arizona state legislator at an outdoor advocacy event
Advocacy day with an Arizona state legislator. The work is mostly showing up, repeatedly, with the same ask.
ACS CAN volunteers in Arizona Fights Cancer shirts outside the Arizona State Capitol
Day at the Capitol with ACS CAN volunteers, ahead of legislator meetings.
Environment

Earth Day at BASIS Chandler

Organised an Earth Day celebration on the BASIS Chandler campus, bringing student volunteers together to plant trees and flowers in the school’s raised garden beds.

Student volunteers planting flowers in a raised garden bed on the BASIS Chandler campus
Student volunteers filling the raised beds on Earth Day.
The Earth Day volunteer group beside the finished garden bed at BASIS Chandler
The Earth Day crew beside the finished planter, BASIS Chandler.
Ariana beside an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network banner at the Arizona State Capitol
Why It Sits Beside the Science

Research answers a question. Policy decides who gets the answer.

Screening disparities across racial and ethnic groups are a research question and a legislative question at the same time, and the same person is working on both. The advocacy and the immunology are one line of work, not two.

SEE THE RESEARCH →

Working on access
or health equity?

Glad to speak at advocacy trainings, brief a community group, or collaborate on a policy brief.

CONTACT ARIANA  →