Our Work
Researchers at the Institute answer diverse and complex questions to help guide policy and practice to protect public health.
Explore a Few of Our Projects
Ending drinking water disparities through better communications
How can we provide clear information about drinking water safety to communities?
Ensuring safe urban harvests
This study of contamination risks associated with urban agriculture showed that most urban farmers and gardeners can continue growing safely in Baltimore City.
A risk management framework for unregulated organic contaminants in biosolids
Wastewater biosolids can be a beneficial resource to enrich soil. But biosolids-associated organic contaminants may pose risks during transport and application.
Assessing dust and soil exposure in children
Our researchers are developing innovative tools and approaches to assess exposures in small children
Validating disease presumptions in state policy
Institute faculty led an epidemiological review to inform disease presumptions for Virginia’s workers compensation system.
Improving our understanding of farm worker soil exposure
Investigators sought to characterize the nature of soil (and potential contaminant) ingestion in the agricultural context.
Mixed exposures and cumulative impacts on workers here and around the world
Looking first at long-haul truck drivers, faculty and alumni investigate the complex exposures we face at home and at work
What are the Goals of Our Work?
- Improve the application of epidemiology in the evaluation of environmental health risks
- Communicate and translate critical risk concepts into policy to improve public health protections
- Advance new exposure and risk assessment methods for the protection of populations such as multimedia, multichemical risk analysis and characterizing cumulative impacts from chemical hazards and other health stressors
- Encourage decision makers to tackle and reduce environmental injustices through policy
- Train the next generation of public health professionals in risk assessment methods and risk communication practices