Aaron Maruzzo

Aaron Maruzzo is a MPH student in the Environmental Health Science department at UC Berkeley School of Public Health. He joined UC Berkeley after three years of working as the Water Lab Analyst for the municipal water company in the U.S. territory, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, serving the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. He received his BA in Biology and Comparative Literature, and a concentration in Public Health from Williams College. Originally from the island of Saipan, he and his family moved to southern California where his lived experiences led to a commitment to reduce health inequities in overlooked communities. Currently, his research and advocacy focus on a class of emerging contaminants called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are ubiquitously detected in the water supplies in Guam and Saipan, and in various environmental media and consumer products. Incorporating an interdisciplinary approach, his work aims to mitigate toxic exposures and move toward environmental justice through community-based action.