Risk Assessment

In a year like no other, DEOHS faculty, students and staff quickly pivoted to tackle new threats posed by the pandemic. We contributed to Washington state's COVID-19 response, showed the effectiveness of self-sampling for the virus and assessed impacts on essential workers—not to mention our furry friends.

Gilbert Omenn and Martha Darling are longtime benefactors of the UW School of Public Health. Photo: Courtesy of Omenn.

I work at the US Environmental Protection Agency as a physical scientist in the Radiation Protection program. Depending on the day, I may be developing radiological risk assessment tools, crafting risk communication products or supporting radiological emergency preparedness activities.

DEOHS Clinical Professor Stephanie Farquhar.

By the end of the century, heat exposure may lead to about 110,000 premature deaths annually across the United States given a high degree of climate warming, suggests a new study published in GeoHealth.

“How can we make our operating room safer during the pandemic?” When Dr. James Hecker, an anesthesiologist at UW Medical Center, heard this question from a fellow physician, he thought about the problem not just as a doctor but also as an engineer.

How many times can a health care worker safely reuse a face mask?

Are our pets at risk for COVID-19?

After 18 years at the University of Washington, Peter Johnson, professor in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, will retire in mid-November.

According to the analysis, “strategic investments in a coordinated global-pandemics initiative would likely have a return ratio of between $17 and $20 on every $1 spent.” Curbing pandemics might also address shared global challenges, such as gender and social inequalities, and support climate adaptation and mitigation.

Dr. Meghan McGinty is passionate about building the capacity of public health and medical systems, as well as our communities to respond, recover and be resilient in the face of disasters She is also deeply committed to ensuring that we have a competent public health workforce.

Michele Andrasik is a clinical health psychologist.

Research Services Program Manager/Toxicologist employed by the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County (Haz Waste Program) at Public Health-Seattle & King County. Responsibilities include setting the research agenda for the Haz Waste Program and supporting the research needs of both internal and external stakeholders.

I became interested in the characterization of urban air quality after working in Beijing in the mid-1990s. I make measurements to model the spatial and temporal distribution of pollutants. I am particularly interested in bringing new methods and technologies into exposure assessment for air pollution health studies.

Dr. Sprugel has worked in preclinical research and development in the biotechnology industry in Seattle for over 25 years, including work at ZymoGenetics, PathoGenesis and Chiron. She is currently a Scientific Director in Toxicology Sciences at Amgen in Seattle, where she works on safety assessments and nonclinical development strategies for drugs in the areas of inflammation and oncology.

Barbara Silverstein is the Research Director of the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program.

Nat is a marine biologist and zoologist by training. He has managed the multidisciplinary Ecotoxicology Program at the Nortwest Fisheries Science Center since 2004. He joined the Center in 1998 as a Postdoctoral Associate with the National Academies of Science and Engineering (National Research Council) after completing a doctorate in zoology from the University of Washington.

Mary Schoen joined Soller Environmental after completing a post-doctoral research position with the US EPA. While with the EPA, Mary developed risk assessment and sustainability assessment tools for natural and engineered water systems. Her work helped to establish the scientific foundation for the development of new 2012 Draft National Ambient Water Quality Criteria.

Walt Rostykus, Vice President and Ergonomics Engineer for Humantech, has over 30 years of experience delivering and managing ergonomic, occupational safety, industrial hygiene, and environmental programs.

Anne M. Riederer, MS, MSFS, ScD is an environmental health scientist focused on assessing exposures of young children and pregnant women to heavy metals, pesticides, and other environmental neurotoxicants. Before moving to Seattle, she was: American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow (2010-2012) hosted by Dr.

Dr. Ponce is an Executive Vice President, Nonclinical Development at Shape Therapeutics, a gene therapy company focusing on RNA editing (Seattle, WA). Prior to this position he was Sr.

Bruce Millies teaches occupational safety and health continuing education courses. He is a former lawyer who practiced environmental law, took a break from the law to earn an MS in environmental health from the University of Washington, and then somehow forgot to return to being a lawyer.

Therese Mar received her PhD in 1998 from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences - Toxicology Program. Her doctoral research was on the toxicokinetics of toluene in men and women under exercising and resting conditions.

Dr. Lorenzana's work focuses on study design, community engagement and development of effective community outcomes relating to toxicant exposures coming from the outdoor environment. Her interests include translating science knowledge and research products for use in environmental health decisions and science policy development. Dr.

As a dedicated Injury Epidemiologist, Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service, and Interim Deputy Director for the new NIOSH Western States Division, Dr. Lincoln is known for having created the NIOSH Commercial Fishing Safety Research and Design Program.

Dr. Jia-Hua Lin is a research ergonomist with the SHARP (Safety and Health Assessment of Research for Prevention) program within the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. He currently serves as a scientific editor for the journal Applied Ergonomics. Dr.

Dr. Tom Lewandowski is a toxicologist and chemist working in the Seattle, WA office of Gradient, a science consulting firm. He received his Ph.D. in toxicology from the University of Washington School of Public Health in 2000. He also holds an MPH in environmental health from the University of Michigan. Dr.

Steven G. Gilbert, Ph.D., D.A.B.T., Director and Founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND), received a Ph.D. in Toxicology in 1986 from the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, and is a Diplomat of American Board of Toxicology.

Dr. Liz Dykstra is the Public Health Entomologist for the Washington State Department of Health’s Zoonotic Disease Program. After earning her BA in Biology from Luther College, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal, West Africa.

As Regional Science Liaison to EPA’s Office of Research and Development, I work with senior management in ORD’s Six National Program Offices, which include Human Health Risk Assessment, Chemical Safety for Sustainability (green chemistry, LCA, high throughput, comp tox, AOPs, etc.), Sustainable and Healthy Communities, Air/Climate/Energy, Homeland Security, and Safe and Sustainable Water Resour