Karen Levy, PhD, MPH
About
Karen Levy is Professor in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS). She studies the ecology and epidemiology of environmentally-mediated infectious diseases. Her research group uses microbiology, genomics, and epidemiology to study linkages between the environment and enteric (food and waterborne) disease transmission, with a focus on water quality, food safety, animal exposure, and climate change. Their goal is to generate robust scientific evidence to address the burden of enteric diseases in vulnerable populations.
For additional details about her research program, please see her research group website at http://klevyresearch.org
Education
- PhD 2007, UC Berkeley
- MPH 2006, UC Berkeley
- MSc 2002, UC Berkeley
- BA 1995, Stanford University
Mentorship
Not available to mentor new students in autumn 2026. Please follow the instructions on the How To Apply page.
Engagement
Equity, diversity and inclusion
My research focuses on infectious diseases in both global and domestic contexts, and considerations of equity are at the center of the questions that our lab group chooses to focus on. Much of our work takes place in lower-income countries, where problems associated with enteric disease transmission are the most salient. As a global health research group, we try our best to be cognizant of the colonialist roots of global health, to address these persistent issues by engaging with our in-country research partners in meaningful ways and to invest in long-term relationships in the communities with which we work.
In my mentoring and in my teaching, I strive to create an environment that celebrates, respects and deliberately seeks out diverse voices and perspectives. My research group regularly engages in discussions about best practices in how we carry out our research and mentoring through quarterly lab meetings focused on equity, diversity and inclusion, anti-racism and decolonizing global health topics, as well as ongoing discussion and information-sharing through our #AcademicDiversity Slack channel. We published a Levy Lab Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement that we update annually. I also serve as the Chair of the DEOHS Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee and represent the department on the UW School of Public Health Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Community and research partnerships
I have worked in the northern coastal region of Ecuador since 2003, and over the past two decades we have built long-term relationships with community members and government ministries, and a strong research collaboration with Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Universidad Central del Ecuador, University of Michigan, and other institutions. I was also involved for 10 years in a Fogarty International Center funded training program for environmental health professionals and researchers throughout Latin America, with a focus on Peru and Chile. In the past five years I have developed a research platform in Mozambique, with collaborators at the Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, and Emory University.
Teaching practices
I teach EH 440/545: Water, Wastewater & Health (Autumn) and ENV H 205: Environmental Health in Media (Winter). In my classroom I work to incorporate active learning practices, to foster an inclusive environment where students have the opportunity to engage with the material in a meaningful way.
Service
- Chair, DEOHS Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
- Member, DEOHS Budget & Management Committee
- Founder/Leader, UW ‘WASH-Nerds’ interest group
- Steering Committee, UW Environmental Health and Microbiome Research Center (EHMBRACE)
- Director of Global Health Research, UW Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHanGE)
- Leadership Team Member, UW Center for One Health Research (COHR)