KATY, Texas — As most of us deal with the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Katy ISD student Stephanie Wang also wrote a book.
"COVID-19 was what really drove me to do this,” Wang said. "It was kind of on a whim."
It’s a 117-page textbook called "Epidemiology Unmasked," which Wang designed and self-published using computer programs.
“I basically take the reader in the shoes of an epidemiologist starting an outbreak investigation," Wang said. "They go from learning there’s an outbreak to collecting the data, analyzing the data, doing prevention measures, throughout the whole process.”
Wang said making difficult subject matter conversational was her biggest challenge.
"I wanted to make it easy to understand," Wang said. “I also did a lot of research into COVID-19 such as through the CDC website, through various scholarly sources and scholarly journals."
The book has already garnered praise from politicians to Texas Medical Center doctors. It's available for $3.99 online or in paperback for $8.99.
But she isn’t pocketing the profits. They’re going to a nonprofit health clinic in Katy. Wang has competed in science-related events since 7th grade, and as a student at Seven Lakes High School, recently witnessed a brief shutdown due to a cluster of COVID-19 cases.
“But I’m glad that we were able to open back up safely for our students,” Wang said.
Students might be able to learn something from their classmate, who has her sights set on making the world a healthier place.
“I’m not 100% decided on what I want to do in the future, but I’m looking down a medical/biology route,” Wang said.