Sampson Ipiankama
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.
Gloria Oladeji
Gloria Oladeji is a first-year HDFS PhD student in the Health, Wellbeing, and Prevention specialization. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Health Education with a minor in Human Kinetics from the University of Ibadan (Nigeria) in 2021, and completed her master’s degree in Kinesiology and Health at the University of Wyoming in 2025. At the University of Wyoming, Gloria examined how Nigeria’s food security interventions align with the United Nations’ best practices for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2—a focus on ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture. She also contributed to mental health research, deepening her interest in the intersection between food security, mental health, and the social determinants of health. Beyond academics, Gloria is passionate about social impact and gender equity. She is the founder of The GLEA Network (The Gloriae Girls’ Empowerment and Advancement Network), a youth-led nonprofit advancing education, health, and empowerment for girls and women in underserved communities. One of her major projects before coming to the U.S. focused on supporting the mental health of young girls who were survivors of female genital mutilation by providing psychosocial care and community sensitization.
At UConn, Gloria hopes to explore research and community-based interventions that enhance food and nutrition security, promote physical wellbeing, and prevent chronic diseases across diverse populations while working with her advisor, Professor Kim Gans. She aims to merge her academic research with her social development experience—building evidence-based, sustainable interventions that advance health globally.
Originally from Oyo State, Nigeria, Gloria enjoys volunteering, exploring new foods, traveling, and spending time with her husband. She believes in purposeful living and finds joy in using her voice and research to create positive, lasting change.