LUISA FERNANDA RIVERA FORERO

I’m a dedicated public health professional and bacteriologist with hands-on experience in clinical laboratory settings and community-facing health research. I’m currently completing my Master of Science in Public Health at Universidad del Valle, focusing on therapeutic itineraries of pregnant individuals diagnosed with malaria.

As a Research Support Scientist — Public Health (2022–Present), I conduct rigorous qualitative research on health-seeking behaviour and access barriers at a tertiary-level hospital in Cali. I document complex patient care pathways and community health workflows, synthesize evidence for multidisciplinary teams, and use evaluation rubrics to assess data quality and relevance.

Earlier, as a Bacteriologist & Clinical Laboratory Scientist (2021–2022) at Instituto de Diagnóstico Médico (IDIME), I processed and analysed serum and urine specimens across multiple medical pathologies. I applied standardized clinical protocols for diagnostic accuracy, maintained detailed laboratory records aligned with regulatory standards, and communicated findings to physicians and multidisciplinary clinical teams.

I build my work with digital health and responsible AI in mind. Through MinTIC and the American Chemical Society, I’ve certified training in artificial intelligence fundamentals and ethical use, and I’m especially interested in translating community and clinical insights into AI model development that supports public health outcomes.