Environmental Health Decisions

From global climate patterns and cross-border air pollution to the dust on our windowsills, our environment is full of hazards that make us sick. How do we measure the health effects of these environmental hazards? How do we use that knowledge to make personal decisions, local policies, and federal regulations? In this course, we will explore how the built and natural environment can both harm and protect human health. We will consider the scientific evidence for environmental and occupational health issues, what remains uncertain or unknown, and how knowledge has been used in local and federal policy decisions. This course will be grounded in a public health perspective and draw on scientific literature, news articles, and narratives of perceived risk.



Alessandria Schumacher is an environmental health scientist who has studied, researched, and worked to address environmental and occupational exposures such as PFAS, endocrine disruptors, heat, urban forests, and workplace hazards. Alessandria holds a Master of Public Health in Environmental Health and Epidemiology from Emory University and a BA in Geography from Middlebury College.