Sampson Chinonso Ipiankama is a first-year HDFS PhD student specializing in adulthood, aging, and health. Before joining UConn, he served as the Research, Grants, and Sustainability Lead at Project PINK BLUE – Health & Psychological Trust Centre in Nigeria, leading national initiatives supported by organizations such as AstraZeneca, the Global Colon Cancer Association, the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS), the ACT Foundation, and From Testing to Targeted Treatments (FT3) to strengthen cancer control and patient-centered care across Nigeria.
At UConn, Sampson works with Dr. Keith Bellizzi to explore the psychosocial aspects of health and aging, focusing on resilience, adaptation to chronic illness, and cancer survivorship across the lifespan. He is particularly interested in applying emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to better understand these processes and enhance psychosocial care. Sampson’s long-term goal is to improve cancer survivorship outcomes through technology-driven, culturally responsive approaches.
Sampson was born and raised in Nigeria and brings a strong passion for global health equity to his work. Outside of academia, he enjoys volunteering, writing, mentoring young advocates, and spending time with his family. Sampson also loves storytelling and photography, which he uses to highlight resilience and hope in the cancer survivorship journey.