Environmental & Public Health

Associate Professor Rachel Morello-Frosch M.P.H. '93, expert in environmental health and justice, has been honored with a 2012 Chancellor's Award for Public Service, in the area of Research in the Public Interest. She was selected for her high-level, rigorous research that contributes to the public good, her outstanding commitment to empowering underserved communities and building community partnerships, and her dedication to educating the next generation of scholars. Read the full story

There is little regulation of nail product manufacturers, said Thu Quach, a research scientist with the Cancer Prevention Institute of California who has studied the nail salon industry. Any amount of toxic chemicals in nail products can be dangerous to workers, she said, especially if the salons lack adequate ventilation. "Low levels in the products really add up when you are using them constantly," she said. Read the full story

In developing countries, diarrhea, which is a symptom of gastrointestinal infection, is one of the biggest health concerns. Diarrhea kills 2.5 million children each year, but little data about diarrhea and climate exists. Karen Levy, an environmental epidemiologist at Emory University in Atlanta, found that rotavirus, which causes diarrhea, becomes more active in tropical regions when the climate is cooler and drier.

A recent study may give germophobic students yet another reason to dread going to lecture. A joint study of indoor microbial composition by UC Berkeley and Yale University researchers found that human presence causes a significant increase in levels of bacteria and fungi indoors. The average human emission, the study states, is about 37 million bacteria per person per hour.

After compiling data from 21 Silicon Valley companies, Wilson and his co-authors Heather Madison and Steven Healy discovered that 57 percent of the companies surveyed did not have a confined space safety plan in place other than to call the fire department. As a result, the companies resort to calling 911 in the case of any confined space emergency. “The employers need to take responsibility for having a way to rescue their employees in the event of a confined space emergency before the firefighters arrive,” Wilson said.

Just a short walk separates F&ES from the Yale Divinity School (YDS) campus at the top of Prospect Street. Yet it took Stephen Blackmer ’83 more than 20 years after graduating to make the journey up the hill from F&ES. The long circle that brought him back to Yale shows the ways in which environmentalists are seeking a deeper moral and spiritual grounding for their work and how believers are applying their faith to environmental advocacy. Read the profile

"One of my first thoughts is perhaps (I-75) shouldn't have been built through that area," said Ruth Steiner, an associate professor in urban and regional planning at the University of Florida. Read the full story

“There is a far-reaching impact from freight transportation in these neighborhoods,” said Catalina Garzón of the Pacific Institute. “Toxic diesel pollution is a harmful substance that has been shown to contribute to additional cancer risk in these communities and which has contributed to respiratory conditions like asthma.” Read the full story

We are very excited to be working with a cohort of innovative developers that are breaking the mold and setting a new bar by providing transit passes and carshare memberships for 40 years!