Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program in Environmental Health Engineering

Peter Lees, PhD
plees@jhsph.edu
410-955-3009

Admissions Information:
Nina Kulacki, Academic Programs Manager
nkulacki@jhsph.edu or 410-955-2212

The field of environmental health engineering focuses on improving public health through interdisciplinary research, professional training and practice. Researchers aim to minimize the adverse effects of exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents by identifying and studying their sources, fate and transport in both occupational and non-occupational environments. They also develop and evaluate risk management strategies that effectively protect human health.

Exposure assessment and risk management are integrating themes within the environmental health engineering program. Research and training in exposure and risk assessment employs principles and methods in chemistry, biology and physics, and includes the development and evaluation of biomarkers of exposure.

Environmental health engineering research opportunities in the Department emphasize exposure assessment methods and models for recognizing, evaluating and controlling hazards in the workplace and community environment. Assessments consider the continuum of exposure from source to effect and are comprehensive in nature, incorporating all relevant routes and pathways with a particular emphasis on air and water contamination. Such assessments are integral to evaluating risk, discovering environmental disease associations and developing methods and strategies for hazard reduction.