Alumni Profiles Series: Parker Ince

Parker Ince is a public health data scientist who currently works with the SAS Government Health Solutions team to give state and local governments the tools they need to combat their most pressing public health issues. His work includes creating tools that help modernize the management and analysis of public health data to drive better decisions and health outcomes. In addition, he is a civil affairs sergeant with the U.S. Army Reserve. He received a B.A. in history from Stony Brook University, a master’s in political communications from The George Washington University, and an M.S. in population health sciences from Duke University.

What was your background before coming to Duke?

I grew up on Long Island, just outside New York. I started with a bachelor's degree in medieval history from Stony Brook University where I specialized in the Mongol Conquests of the 1200s. I later earned a graduate degree in political communications from George Washington University. I spent much of my twenties working in politics and government, but a combination of personal challenges, including a divorce and a stagnant work environment, pushed me to rethink my career path. I just knew I wanted to get back to school and get into the health space some way.  

What influenced your choice of Duke and your program?

Initially, I planned to pursue a career in physical therapy and even got into a doctoral program for it. However, COVID happened and changed my perspective; it also made me take a step back and re-evaluate what I wanted from my career. I decided to join the Army Reserve at 32, and after basic training and specialization at AIT (Advanced Individual Training), I discovered Duke’s Department of Population Health Sciences. After talking to some of the faculty there, and some recent graduates from Duke, the opportunity to be part of a new and evolving program, along with the strong community at Duke, made it an easy choice.

What was life like for you at Duke?

I started as a research assistant with Nina Sperber at the Department of Population Health Sciences, focusing on genomic medicine research. Although I quickly realized that academia wasn’t my long-term path, the experience was invaluable. Life was really busy for me during my time there because I was still combining my graduate school work with my military duties. It was easier to handle that combination because my faculty were accommodating and helpful. Even though I was working really hard at Duke, I was thriving and achieving things. Looking back, anything I wanted to study, I could because of Duke. In my last year, I ended up taking courses in medical device product development with Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship. The goal was to develop cheaper and technologically advanced products for underserved populations. I felt there was nothing I couldn’t do thanks to the vast amount of resources at my disposal. In my final year, my master’s thesis explored background factors related to opioid overdoses in Tennessee, with a focus on housing dynamics as a key social determinant. My committee included Professor Hayden Bosworth, Emma Sandoe, and Professor Brad Hamill. They were instrumental and incredibly supportive in guiding my research.

Outside the classroom, my wife and I made it a daily habit to walk around campus enjoying the beautiful scenery while walking our dogs. I also loved Duke’s vibrant sports scene, especially the basketball games, but I would pop in on any live sports game, it didn’t matter if it was soccer, lacrosse or tennis.

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How did you transition from Duke to your current career?

After realizing that a career in academia wasn’t for me, I started leaning toward industry. Despite some uncertainty around the Ukraine-Russia war and balancing military commitments, I landed an internship at SAS through networking, thanks in large part to Jared Dean, who connected me with a someone over there. That internship quickly turned into a full-time offer, and I now work on developing public health surveillance systems for various government agencies. Coincidentally when I joined SAS, they were working on predictive models for substance use disorders and it was wonderful to see how my thesis work was able to translate right into something in my professional environment. Soon after joining SAS, I wrote a white paper about how modernizing management and analysis of public health data can help drive better decisions and health outcomes.

How do you find balance between your professional life and your personal life?

It’s definitely a challenge, especially after moving back to New York where community ties aren’t as strong as in Durham. Working remotely has been a blessing: it allows me to spend more time with my family. However, it also means juggling work responsibilities from home. I’ve learned that understanding my needs, being honest about my time commitments, and prioritizing what matters most are key to managing the balance.

What’s one skill that you learned from graduate school that you use daily?

My in-depth statistical knowledge and ability to build models are skills I use every day, whether I’m explaining analyses to clients or developing policy prediction models. More broadly, being able to manage multiple subjects simultaneously has given me an edge in discussing complex issues from various angles.

What career advice do you have for Duke students?

Take full advantage of the resources available to you while you’re a student—this is a time you’ll never get back. Also, hone your time management skills, because understanding your productivity patterns can be a superpower. Finally, always seek out environments that fit your lifestyle. If you’re in a job that doesn’t give you the time or energy to pursue other passions, it might not be the right fit long-term.

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AUTHOR

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Francisca Hammond

M.S. student, Population Health Sciences

Francisca Hammond is a final-year master of population health sciences student at Duke University with an optometry degree from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. She is driven by a passion for tackling health disparities and advancing public health through research. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and trying new desserts.