About
Dr. Sklar's research focuses on environmental health and environmental justice, emphasizing exposures to invisible populations that are disproportionately burdened with environmental hazards. These populations have included waste workers in sub-Saharan Africa, people incarcerated in the United States, and frontline communities in wildfire-prone areas.
Her community-based approach centers on supporting efforts of existing community organizations and government programs. She works closely with worker groups and public utility providers in the United States, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. Her research has brought global attention to the plight of sanitation workers, while her work in the California prison system has led to statewide directives improving indoor air quality in carceral settings.
A cornerstone of Dr. Sklar's work is her commitment to developing community capacity in environmental health research and policymaking. She actively mentors community partners across sub-Saharan Africa and supports their contributions to the scientific enterprise and peer-reviewed literature.