Environmental Engineering & Toxicology

Jade Johnson is part of a research team that has found new and mysterious DDT chemicals accumulating in coastal California condors.

In addition to the environmental impact of single-use waste, foodware can contain toxic chemicals that can lead to serious health issues, including reproductive and developmental toxicity, autoimmune and metabolic disorders, respiratory issues, neurodevelopmental effects, and cancer.

Aaron Maruzzo is bringing the skills he learned during his MPH back to his community in Saipan to “reduce pollution and improve environmental and human health through community-based action.” We interviewed Aaron on the unique professional and personal challenges and opportunities of working to improve environmental and human health at the intersection of two little-recognized acronyms: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and the CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).

“I was initially pretty skeptical of the entire idea [of pivoting to fertilizer],” Kevin Kung says. “I didn’t think it was feasible. But the local team really proved me wrong and has validated the improved yield and the impact on farmers. For me, it’s been an inspiring journey.”

Community-based hydropower — such as pico, micro, and mini hydro — has provided socio-economic and environmental benefits to thousands of off-grid communities in the Asia Pacific, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, long before central grids have reached them. Dipti Vaghela was recently interviewed by International Rivers on key aspects of community-scale micro hydropower (MHP).

Nithya Ramanathan's organization Nexleaf Analytics is one of the recipients of new grants for innovative data- and AI-driven approaches that support digital transformation of health systems and healthcare across the globe.

Dustin Mulvaney is presenting a webinar on Wednesday, Dec 8, 2021 to the IEEE’s Santa Clara Valley Sustainability Chapter on Labor, Land, and Waste Across the Life Cycle of Solar Power.