▁she ▁was ▁the ▁principal ▁investig ator ▁of ▁the ▁clin ical ▁tri als ▁of ▁Gard as il ▁and ▁Cer var ix , ▁v acc ines ▁against ▁H P V . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Har per ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Kansas ▁City ; ▁her ▁father ▁was ▁an ▁elect rical ▁and ▁mechanical ▁engineer . ▁Her ▁mother ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁of ▁breast ▁cancer , ▁while ▁Har per ▁was ▁at ▁gradu ate ▁school . ▁ ▁Education , ▁research ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁A ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Kansas ▁( where ▁she ▁completed ▁a ▁res iden cy ▁in ▁family ▁medicine ), ▁Har per ▁also ▁completed ▁under grad uate ▁and ▁gradu ate ▁degrees ▁at ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology ▁in ▁chemical ▁engineering , ▁ ▁before ▁att ending ▁Stan ford ▁University ▁and ▁Harvard ▁University ▁to ▁receive ▁her ▁public ▁health ▁degree . ▁Her ▁decision ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁medical ▁school ▁instead ▁of ▁continu ing ▁to ▁study ▁engineering ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁when , ▁on ▁Thanks g iving ▁Day , ▁she ▁called ▁her ▁d ad ▁and ▁told ▁him ▁that ▁her ▁heart ▁wasn ' t ▁in ▁engineering . ▁While ▁at ▁Stan ford , ▁she ▁studied ▁medical ▁decision ▁making ▁and ▁cost - effect iveness ▁analysis . ▁Har per ' s ▁degrees ▁include ▁MD , ▁MP H , ▁and ▁MS . ▁ ▁D iane ▁Har per ▁has ▁been ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Institute ▁for ▁Health care ▁Policy ▁and ▁In nov ation ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan , ▁Ann ▁Ar bor , ▁M I ▁and ▁the ▁Phys ician ▁director