Student Experience

As an environmental toxicologist and director of the UW Environmental Health and Microbiome Research Center (EHMBRACE), Julia Yue Cui is extremely busy — but never too busy for her students.

MS Thesis graduates Catherine Jennifer and Rachael Carter.

Javier Silva was born in Washington state’s Yakima Valley and lived there until accompanying his mom on her forced return to Mexico at age 11. About three years later, he returned to the Yakima Valley and stayed there, going to high school and picking apples and cherries with his dad, until starting college at the UW in 2018. Now a Ph.D.

Amber KhanPhD, Environmental Health SciencesHometownBay Area, CAFuture plansWorking as a researcher in either academia or a nonprofit to explore and advocate for grassroots approaches to community resilience during and after disasters.

One benefit of majoring in environmental public health at the UW is the chance to do independent research with guidance from expert mentors.

Cecilia MartindaleMS, Environmental Health SciencesHometownColorado Springs, COFuture plansPursuing a PhD in environmental health and working in public health practice.“We really need to consider how climate change is impacting environmental health hazards.”

Kaidan St LouisBS, Environmental Public HealthHometownLoveland, CO“It’s a huge honor to be recognized by such an amazing department, and everyone I look up to.”-Kaidan St Louis

The discovery of penicillin’s antibiotic properties in 1928 is considered one of the greatest milestones of modern medicine, saving millions of lives by advancing our ability to fight infection.

Hannah DyeMS Thesis, Environmental Health SciencesHometownThousand Oaks, CAFuture plansApplying to medical school.

More than a dozen students in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) attended the 2025 Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting and ToxExpo in Orlando, Florida last month. Seven students took home awards for their work in areas ranging from e-cigarette toxicity to the gut microbiome. Learn more about their research and what inspires them below.

Viviana AlbánPhD, Environmental Health SciencesHometownAmbato, EcuadorFuture plansPursuing an academic position in environmental health in Ecuador.“I have found so much support through my adviser, but also from the postdocs, PhD students, staff and collaborators in her lab.”

Cecilia MartindaleMS, Environmental Health SciencesHometownColorado Springs, COFuture plansPursuing a PhD in environmental health and working in public health practice.

Ally ClonchPhD, Environmental Health SciencesHometownNorth Wilkesboro, NCFuture plansBecoming a teaching professor at a public university.“Environmental health straddles two of my passions: protecting our natural world, and protecting and improving the health of communities.”

This summer, I embraced the UW EarthLab’s mission to “push the boundaries” as an EarthLab intern with the Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHanGE).

Jorge Rivera-GonzalezPh.D., Environmental Health Sciences (Industrial Hygiene and One Health)HometownPuerto RicoFuture plansPursuing a career as an Environmental Health Officer.

Sean AtijeraBS, Environmental Public HealthHometownMill Creek, WA“Our department wants us to be ready for our careers. It’s a small program, but they do put a lot of effort into preparing us.”- Sean Atijera

Kailee (Kai) SisounthoneBS in Environmental Public HealthHometownPasco, WAInternship withSeattle City Light

Maegan ChuaBS in Environmental Public HealthHometownKetchikan, AKInternship with:Public Health – Seattle & King County

Orhan EribacApplied MS, Environmental Health SciencesHometownRoswell, GAFuture plansWorking at the intersection of public health and culture, perhaps with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.“It was the perfect blend of human and environmental health for me.”

I was born and raised in Morton, Washington, a small rural town near Mount Rainier whose local economy is primarily supported by lumber mills. I completed my undergraduate degree at the UW, where I initially wanted to study biology. After taking my first environmental health class, I was hooked and decided to study environmental and occupational health.

Kaidan St LouisBS in Environmental Public HealthHometownLoveland, COInternship with:WM

Our annual Graduation and End of Year Celebration is a time to celebrate and reflect on the dedication and years of commitment our students have devoted to their studies to become leaders in advancing health equity around the world. 

The same geologic forces that shaped Washington state hold the potential to devastate the Pacific Northwest. This reality necessitates thorough disaster planning to prepare the region to mitigate, respond to and recover from future catastrophes.

Nell ThompsonBS, Environmental Public HealthHometownLynnwood, WAFuture plansGetting a master's of public health.“The learning opportunities I've had at UW have been really inspiring.”- Nell Thompson

Joey TeresiMS, Environmental Health SciencesHometownChannahon, ILFuture plansAn environmental health or public health career in the public sector.“I’ve been lucky to have advisers in DEOHS that help me set lofty goals and meet those goals.”- Joey Teresi

Migration to King County has grown over the years, in part due to the boom of the tech sector. As housing prices have risen, public health researchers want to know how this has affected internal displacement within the county, especially for low-income households.

The University of Washington School of Public Health (UW SPH) continues to offer some of the best public health graduate education in the country, according to the 2024 rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. UW SPH ranked No.

 

For University of Washington School of Public Health alum Rachel Shaffer (MPH, ’18, PhD, ’20), the notion of public health has always been present.