Service

The University of Washington School of Public Health (UW SPH) has been ranked No. 5 among public health graduate schools in the US News & World Report rankings for 2023, up from last year’s position of No. 9.

For Esther Min, the most effective public health science starts with listening to the needs of communities.

The University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) programs are ranked No. 7 in the world, according to newly released rankings from US News & World Report’s Best Global Universities.

PhD graduate Megumi Matsushita (left) with Professor Zhengui Xia.

About 100 staff, faculty and student workers in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) were designated “essential workers” by the UW and worked in person throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain critical DEOHS work and services.

In 2021, the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) welcomed new faculty, forged collaborations in climate and health, and continued our innovative, community-oriented environmental health research on areas including air pollution, COVID-19 and the far-reaching health impacts of wildfire smoke across Washington state. Explore our top stories below.

In mid-October, UW PhD student Amber Khan took a hike up Mt. Si that was different from the treks she usually goes on with her husky.

Joanne Medina MPH, Environmental and Occupational Health Hometown Brooklyn, NY “Be open to diverse experiences, because you never know how those skills may prepare you for future jobs and opportunities.” - Joanne Medina

It’s a fitting recognition of Lianne Sheppard’s dedication to research, teaching and public service that she received an endowed professorship at the UW in the same week as being tapped to chair a federal scientific committee.

For many farmworkers across Washington state, the risks of working on the front lines during the pandemic have been compounded by an “infodemic.”

UW industrial hygienist Jennifer Henderson and Ben Ma, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Colorado, measure ultraviolet light emissions at an entry gate at the Space N

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.

Elizabeth Torres with El Proyecto Bienestar. Even before COVID-19 showed up on Pacific Northwest farms last spring, some farmers and farmworker advocates were rushing to get ready for it.

Dr. Esi Nkyekyer, OEM Clinic medical director 

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.

This month, students, faculty and staff from the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) were honored by the department and the UW School of Public Health (SPH) for their contributions to scientific research, education and community service in 2020.

This spring, the first group of undergraduates to complete the UW Nutritional Sciences Program’s Food Systems, Nutrition and Health major are taking the knowledge they’ve acquired and applying it to help their communities.

Business owners who have weathered pandemic closures face a new challenge as they prepare to reopen—protecting their workers in a landscape altered by the novel coronavirus. Now researchers in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) are teaming up to help them.

As a physician with a passion for science, social justice and patient care, Dr. Joel Kaufman gravitated to public health from his earliest days as a college student pursuing BA and MD degrees in a combined six-year program.

  Herders with their horses in Mongolia.

Support the One Health Clinic The UW Center for One Health Research is seeking new funding sources to sustain and expand the clinic. Make a gift: https://deohs.washington.edu/cohr/donate

What’s the best way to get young women hooked on a career in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM)? Iron Man, of course. Students in Highline Public Schools south of Seattle recently got an up-close look at new exoskeleton technology designed to reduce musculoskeletal risk factors for workers.

“OK, who do we have next?” Dr. Esi Nkyekyer leans forward, listening intently as a medical fellow describes her next patient.

Nearly 100 students, faculty and staff in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) got a crash course in community-based research this week during our fall kick-off event featuring research partnerships from every corner of Washington state.

Sure, you can lecture teenagers about the dangers of sun exposure. You can tell them that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. But if you really want the message to hit home, let them discover it for themselves.

Veterinary workers, farm animal handlers, aquaculture workers and others who work closely with animals are at high risk for on-the-job injuries and illnesses. But when those workers need treatment for bites, scratches, kicks, exposure to infectious diseases or other workplace exposures, they currently have nowhere to turn for specialized care.

Seven students and staff members from the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) were recognized Friday at an annual awards celebration held by the UW School of Public Health. Their contributions range from investigating the health effects of climate change to advocating for women in trades to the development of a new tool to monitor air pollution.

Nancy Simcox, MS, is Associate Teaching Professor and the Director of the Continuing Education programs for the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences.

Dr. Cohen is Teaching Professor in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, Assistant Chair for Stakeholder Engagement and Director of the Field Research and Consultation Group. He is a certified industrial hygienist and certified safety professional.

Washington counties where DEOHS works DEOHS provides health and safety services and leads environmental and occupational research projects in 34 of 39 Washington counties. Data from 2020