Improving Health in Disadvantaged Communities
our students
Kathy Hall
Vanessa Galaviz, PhD, 2013 Environmental & Occupational Hygiene Vanessa Galaviz is interested in protecting the environmental health of minority and low-income communities and has a passion for mentoring undergraduate and high school students. Her doctoral research on traffic-related air pollutant exposures for pedestrians who cross the US-Mexican border was part of the Healthy Borders research study, a collaboration among researchers at San Diego State University, San Diego Prevention Research Center, and Casa Familiar, a community development agency. Galaviz’s research is providing information to the San Ysidro Community Planning Group and the San Ysidro Smart Border Coalition. It will also be used to support the recommendations of Casa Familiar, which is advocating for San Ysidro residents to ensure that the reconstruction of the US–Mexico border port-of-entry takes into account community concerns. Galaviz received the Abrazo Award from Casa Familiar for her research efforts that are making a difference in this community. In 2012, Galaviz also received a Community Volunteer Recognition Award from the UW Medical Center and Health Sciences Administration at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute event. The award honors King’s enduring contributions to human rights, peace, and social justice. In spring 2013, she graduated with a PhD in Environmental and Occupational Hygiene and received the Gilbert S. Omenn Award for Academic Excellence, the highest award given to a student by the School of Public Health. n
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Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Our scientists presented on “Communities at risk: Linking science with communities to address environmental and occupational health concerns” at the 2012 annual meeting of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). The panelists shared their investigations into community-based problems— work done in collaboration with community residents—and recommended ways to improve the health of the populations studied. More than 3500 people attended the conference, one of the largest gatherings of minority scientists in the country. “Presenting my research allowed me to showcase one example of the type of work you can do in public health and the positive impact this work can have on disadvantaged communities,” said Vanessa Galaviz (PhD, 2013), who has attended the conference numerous times. She explained that she has met many students of color from disadvantaged communities who want to give back to their communities. “I can easily relate to them and help them explore and visualize the powerful ways in which they can do this using public health as a venue,” she said. Read more about the conference and the role Graduate Program Manager Rory Murphy played at http://deohs.washington.edu/environmental-health-news/ sacnas-annual-conference. n
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: The Superfund Research Program Research Translation Core provides opportunities for dialogue among investigators and health professionals, disease advocacy groups, government agency staff, and the general public.
http://depts.washington.edu/sfund/