Holly Bihun

E.P. Abraham Scholarship

Joining us from: Canada

DPhil Population Health (2024)

I am currently a first-year DPhil student in Population Health at the Nuffield Department of Population Health (NDPH). My research focuses on body composition, particularly adiposity, and its associations to bone mineral density, osteoporosis and fractures across different populations in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. My DPhil journey so far has been extremely fulfilling. Researching at NDPH has enabled me to continue to pursue my interests through access to rich, large-scale datasets that are essential to appropriately addressing these important global health questions.

The E P Abraham Scholarship at St Cross College has played an essential role in enabling me to continue my academic journey without the burden of financial stress. It has allowed me to fully immerse myself in all that the college and university have to offer, and I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to grow and thrive in such a supportive and inspiring academic environment.

St Cross has been central to the successes I have experienced in my first year of my DPhil. I have appreciated how the college celebrates both academic and extra-curricular achievements of its students, creating a vibrant, uplifting and balanced atmosphere. Learning to row with the Wolfson College Boat Club has been a highlight, providing a great way to make friends across both colleges and represent St Cross in the university’s sporting life.

Additionally, outside of my studies, I play ice hockey for both the Oxford University Women’s Blues and Men’s Blues teams and had the honour of representing Great Britain at the 2025 Winter World University Games. When I am not on the ice or the river, I enjoy going to the gym, swimming, reading, and recovering with naps and college breakfasts - both essential parts of the student-athlete lifestyle here at St Cross!