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Life story
January 25, 1971
 

Asong was born in Seattle, WA, in the United States of America on January 25, 1971 to Drs. Benedict and Philomena Satia, while her parents were studying at the University of Washington, Seattle. At the end of their studies, and when Asong was 4 years old, they returned to their native Cameroon. Asong went on to complete her elementary education at the Government Bilingual Primary school, and later attended College Bilingue d'Application (Secondary education) and CCAST Bambili (Highschool education).

Asong returned to the United States to attend the University of Washington –Seattle, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in microbiology, a master of science degree in laboratory medicine, a master of public health degree in epidemiology and a doctorate in nutritional epidemiology.

Her professional career was just as succesful as her academic career.

Dr. Satia, 39, died at her home in Chapel Hill after a long illness.
 

She was a postdoctoral fellow and later a research assistant professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. She joined the UNC nutrition department faculty in 2002 as an assistant professor. She also became a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2002.
 
For two years, Asong worked in the department of global epidemiology at Amgen Inc. in Thousand Oaks, Calif. She returned to UNC in late 2005 as an assistant professor of nutrition and epidemiology and Special Assistant to the Dean for Diversity. In 2007, she was promoted to associate professor, tenured in the departments of nutrition and epidemiology.
 
During her career, Dr. Satia published more than 65 papers and authored two book chapters. Her numerous awards and honors include the Graduate Student Fellowship Award from the University of Washington and the New Investigator Award from the American Society of Preventive Oncology in 1999.  In 2001, she won the Dannon Leadership Institute's Nutrition Leadership Institute Award. She has been a three-time recipient, in 1999, 2001 and 2003, of the Minority Research Scholar Award given by the American Association for Cancer Research.
 
Dr. Satia served on a number of external committees that address cancer and disparity issues at  local, state and national levels.  She was involved with the National Institutes of Health in the Integrative Nutrition and Metabolic Processes Program, the Health Disparity Research in Prostate Cancer Program and the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.  At UNC, she was a member of Campus Partnerships for Health Committee on Recruitment and Retention of Minority Faculty of Color and Campus Partnerships for Health Working Group on addressing health disparities. 
 
In addition to her university and community service, Dr. Satia was a member of a number of national societies that are prominent in the cancer and public health field, including American College of Epidemiology, American Association for Cancer Research, and the Association of Schools of Public Health's diversity committee.
 
She is survived by her parents, Drs. Benedict and Philomena Satia of Bothell, Washington, and two younger sisters and a host of family and friends.
For more information on Dr. Satia, please click on the following link: