SAVIR Member Spotlight: Shannon Guillot-Wright, PhD

Shannon Guillot-Wright, PhD, Associate Professor, UTHealth School of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Tell us about your areas of interest within injury and violence prevention. Why did you decide to pursue a career in this field?

I began my career working with migrant workers, which led me to injury and violence prevention in the workplace. I really like using participatory and photo-ethnographic research methods to connect macro or structural issues to people’s individual health outcomes, asking the question of how the political-economy is embodied. My most recent work has been with Gulf Coast shrimpers, mainly Vietnamese refugees, who have one of the most dangerous and precarious jobs in the world.

How long have you been a member of SAVIR? What has been your favorite part about being involved with SAVIR?

I’ve been a member of SAVIR since graduate school. After my first meeting, I felt like I finally found my conference home and I’ve never looked back!

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career so far?

I do a lot of qualitative field work, which means I get to hear people’s stories and how they want to see their health outcomes improved. One participant told us, “Thank you for seeing us, no one see us,” and that was powerful – getting to implement projects ideas that came directly from our participants and elevating their stories. People don’t always know what it takes to get food on their tables, and it’s part of my job to make the invisible process visible.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to drink red wine while I watch my husband cook. I also like to run, lift weights (women over 40, don’t neglect it!), and play tennis with my son.