Editor’s note: “What is …?” is a section-wide column that explores the STEM majors at UW and explains what they are. In this edition, contributing writer Ellie Braggs explores environmental public health.

From food safety inspections to monitoring air quality, the environmental public health major trains students to address environmental risks to human health, including learning to assess exposure to toxins and understand policies to prevent environmental hazards. 

According to assistant teaching professor Emily Hovis, the field is especially indispensable because of its role in everyday systems, like drinking water safety and food protection, which often goes unnoticed. 

With around 78 students currently enrolled in the major, the small department enables closer relationships between professors and peers than in larger programs, where bigger class sizes can make personal student-faculty connections less common. 

“I’ve been able to achieve such a great community in the major, whether that be with faculty, [or] with staff,” Tejasvini Vijay, a graduating third-year in the program, said.

According to Vijay, that supportive environment also allows students to work directly with faculty in and outside the classroom. 

The program emphasizes real-world experiences both in its classes and its required 400-hour internship, helping students explore career paths and build practical skills. Vijay completed her internship with King County’s River and Floodplain Management Section, working on outreach and flood preparedness planning for the community. 

“My internship was very pivotal for me, because it inspired what I want to do in the future,” Vijay said. “This focus on applying your learning really prepared me to go beyond just my degree to actually make an impact.”

As environmental and public health concerns increasingly intersect due to climate change and changing environmental policies, the demand for professionals in the field will only continue to grow.

“There’s always going to be people who are getting sick from environmental exposures,” Hovis said. “We need knowledgeable people who can assess those risks and implement control measures to stop people from getting sick.”

That ongoing need is reflected in the wide range of careers students pursue after graduation, from public health consultants to workplace safety managers to policy advisors. 

Despite the broad array of interests, the program remains tight-knit and collaborative. 

“There are always people celebrating you,” Vijay said. “There are always people willing to help you.” 

Reach contributing writer Ellie Braggs at science@dailyuw.com. X: @ebraggs23. Bluesky: @ebragg2.bsky.social. 

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