Clean air research in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences explores how air pollution is associated with health risks like heart and lung diseases, high blood pressure, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, with a special focus on the impacts on vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly and low-income communities.
We work with new technologies and strategies to identify pollution hot spots and measure exposure, using approaches to help communities understand the impact of wildfire smoke on health.
Our faculty works closely with our students to train and mentor them in clean air research.
Research spotlight
Beautifying UW and the environment
Emily Do named 2026 DEOHS Outstanding Undergraduate for community leadership and environmental toxicology research
Protecting Washington workers in the heat
Xinyuan Hao, 2026 DEOHS Outstanding Master’s Student, evaluates heat risks for outdoor workers
Tackling climate change by the numbers
From infectious diseases to wildfire smoke, new faculty member Marissa Childs predicts how climate change will influence health