Alumni Spotlight - Olivia Malkowski

Olivia Malkowski - Class of 2017

Olivia was a student at Haut-Lac for 15 years, completing the entirety of her schooling with us. She left with outstanding IB results.

After graduating from Haut-Lac, Olivia went on to earn a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Bath, graduating with First-Class Honours and receiving the Best Overall Student prize with an exceptional programme average of 83%. She continued her academic journey at the same university, completing a fully funded Master of Research in Advanced Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences, again achieving a Distinction with a programme average of 82%. Her research skills and passion for data analysis and the social sciences have been evident throughout her studies.

Olivia recently completed a funded PhD in Advanced Quantitative Methods at the University of Bath and will officially graduate next month. Her research focused on informing the development of a digital precision intervention to promote physical activity among older adults from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. As part of her PhD, Olivia also visited the University of Southern California, where she collaborated with leading researchers on the analysis of intensive longitudinal data.

Alongside her doctoral work, she served as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Bath, regularly delivering workshops, seminars, and lectures to students and faculty. She also revamped the undergraduate research methods curriculum in the Department for Health, with her new teaching materials set to be implemented in the 2024/25 academic year.

Olivia is currently a Postdoctoral Associate in the Epidemiology of Ageing and Disability at Yale University’s School of Medicine.

Her journey is truly inspiring and demonstrates how dedication, academic excellence, and a passion for meaningful change can lead to impactful contributions in health and social sciences.

Since arriving at Yale in February 2025, Olivia has been focused on her postdoctoral research, a role that is allowing her to deepen her expertise and prepare for a successful academic career. Looking ahead, she aims to become an Assistant Professor, dividing her time between research and teaching in quantitative methods and healthy ageing.

Haut-Lac has always felt like a second home to Olivia. Her fondest memories include the lifelong friendships she built with classmates from all over the world. Since moving to the United States, she has reunited several times with fellow Class of 2017 graduate and close friend, Isabella Maier.

Her advice to current students is to make the most of Haut-Lac’s close-knit international community of students, teachers, and staff. The values nurtured at Haut-Lac are ones that will stay with you for life.