Sarah Rafferty

Sarah was elected as RSTMH’s first Early Careers Trustee in September 2018.

At the same time, Sarah started a funded PhD at the University of Cambridge in the Geography department. Her thesis explores the variations in infant mortality decline in London, 1870-1929 and focuses on demographic, political and social reforms and how they influenced this health outcome. While undertaking her PhD, Sarah has also assisted on a research project into the historical demography of Tanzania with colleagues at LSHTM.

Prior to her doctoral studies, she completed an MSc in Demography & Health at LSHTM, during which time she volunteered at RSTMH, completing an archiving project and helping with small grants.

Sarah was awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Historical Geography Research Group "Highly Commended" Undergraduate Dissertation Prize for research into historical smallpox while at the University of Nottingham. Sarah has published two academic papers in The Journal of Historical Geography and Social Science and Medicine both on historical smallpox - one directly from her dissertation and the other on the disease’s association with coalmining communities in Britain. She is also on the executive board for the Association of Young Historical Demographers.

Sarah plays an active role in the Meetings & Events and Education & Training Committees at RSTMH and strives to represent the opinions of researchers in their early careers on the Board.