Ankita Deka completed her PhD from the Indiana University School of Social Work. Her dissertation is titled “Racial disparities in self reported health and health care utilization: Does primary care matter?” Using Medical Expenditure and Panel Survey (MEPS) data, she analyzed how perceived institutional discrimination impacts African-Americans physical health status as well as patterns of their health care utilization. This is one of the first few empirical studies that analyze this relationship in Dr. Deka’s discipline.

Dr. Deka was also awarded the 2011 Chancellor’s Scholar award for the best PhD student in the university. She currently works as an Assistant Professor in the Social Work Department at Augsburg College, Minneapolis. Her current research interests include health disparities in the United States, quantifying women’s empowerment in India, globalization and its impact on vulnerable populations, studying people’s movements around the world. Her other passions include reading, traveling and creative writing. She lives in the twin cities area with her son Devarsh and husband Dr. Bijan Borah.