The division’s core focus remains unchanged.
John C. Beier, Sc.D., professor and director of the division, said the updated name more accurately reflects the scope of their work while maintaining continuity with its long-standing mission.
Faculty within the division continue to examine the relationship between environmental conditions and human health, with particular emphasis on the urban environment, vector biology, indoor and occupational hazards, and the development of innovative approaches to reduce exposure risks and improve population health.
In recent years, the division has expanded its work at the intersection of environment and health, including increased attention to climate-related health challenges and innovative approaches to environmental intervention. This evolution reflects broader shifts in public health, where environmental conditions play a growing role in shaping population health risks and inequities.
In recent years, the division has expanded its work at the intersection of environment and health, with growing attention to climate-related health challenges and innovative approaches to environmental intervention. This evolution reflects broader shifts in public health, where environmental conditions increasingly shape population health risks and inequities.
As the Division of Environmental Health Sciences moves forward, priorities include strengthening its research portfolio, pursuing additional grant funding, recruiting faculty, and updating teaching programs to address emerging environmental health challenges. These efforts support the division’s role in training future researchers, practitioners, and decision makers equipped to assess, evaluate, and reduce the environmental burden of disease.
The name change serves as a clear signal of the division’s identity and direction, reinforcing its commitment to advancing public health through research and education focused on the environments in which people live and work.
Written by Deycha Torres Hernández, published on January 24, 2026.
