Nancy is a second year Masters of Public Health student concentrating in Environmental Health Science in the School of Public Health. She expects to graduate May 2013.

When I saw that CTG is participating in a project regarding the use of satellite data to determine air quality, I was interested. Air quality is a crucial aspect to overall health, and many health implications are linked to poor air quality. Finding accurate measurements of air pollutants is a challenge for environmental health scientists, and to invest in new technology that can possibly indicate better measurements of air pollutants is a major advancement for our society’s health and future.

I interned at the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) prior to working at CTG. In the summer of 2012, I worked at the Wadsworth Laboratories as a research assistant intern investigating new and more precise methods to detect contamination in drinking water. In the fall of 2012, I worked at the NYSDOH Center for Environmental Health, Bureau of Toxic Substance Assessment, where I conducted research on health implications associated with certain types of building insulation.

I hope to find a career that works with communicating, informing, and educating the public about health issues associated with environmental exposures. I am possibly considering continuing education in my field by applying for a PhD or DrPH program.

Communication and informing government agencies, non-profit agencies, educational institutions, and private sectors about STI are the main components of the project I am working on. Effective communication to an organization or the general public is a very important aspect in public health. I am also learning a lot of project management skills, which will be very useful for my future career in public health.