Brunick and Soni 2025–26 TIPH Ambassadors
Two Pitt Public Health graduate students, McKenna Brunick and Maahi Soni, have been selected as This is Public Health (TIPH) ambassadors for the 2025–26 academic year.
Allison co-chairs NIH grant session
At the annual meeting of the International Society of Exposure Science and the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology, researchers, public health leaders and community advocates gathered for a session titled “Joining Forces in the Face of Disaster: How Five Universities Address Exposure and Health Concerns Resulting from the East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment.”
Maureen Lichtveld to talk about global health landscape for CIF
Dean Lichtveld speaks on “Lessons from COVID, the Imminent Avian Bird Flu Threat, and the Certainty of Future Pandemics,” at the Chautauqua Insitute. Her talk provides a candid assessment of the global health landscape. She examines "what went wrong, what went right, and what we must do now to protect public health, strengthen resilience and navigate the challenges ahead.”
Pitt Public Health staff shine
Pitt Public Health recently presented the inaugural Staff Awards, honoring exceptional effort and dedication through teamwork, leadership, innovation and contribution to school, University and community culture. The awards were presented on August 5 at the annual Staff Recognition Picnic, preceded this year by a ceremony that also recognized staff who reached milestone service anniversaries in the last fiscal year. The event also celebrated the hard work of the entirety of the school’s staff.
Donors study alongside students
The Fosters, longtime fixtures in Pittsburgh business and philanthropy, joined the 2025 class for “Public Health Threats in Suriname: From Ecosystem to Human Health,” meeting with public health and other government officials and observing ecological and economic threats to the country on the northeast coast of South America.
Pitt researchers say residents will get results of tests for vinyl chloride and liver damage, refer people for treatment if needed
"We said unequivocally that every community member will get all their information personally," said Maureen Lichtveld, dean of Pitt's School of Public Health. "So if we see early warning signs, we will refer them to a specialist. We will also provide more overarching results."
Chunbin Zou and Rushikesh Deshpande win IJMS Best Paper Award
The International Journal of Molecular Sciences grants the award to highlight publications of high quality, scientific significance, and extensive influence. Chunbin Zou is associate professor in the School of Medicine with secondary appointment in Environmental and Occupational Health. Rushikesh Deshpande was a PhD candidate in his lab at the time of this publication.
Recent heavy rains wreak havoc on Pittsburgh's river recreation
Beyond sewage, flooding can wash all sorts of chemicals into the water, said Maureen Lichtveld, dean of the school of public health at the University of Pittsburgh.
Mahek Zaveri's practicum with Pima County Health Department
During her internship at Pima County Health Department, in Arizona, Mahek Zaveri worked on reviewing and strengthening the county’s Emergency Operations and Preparedness Plan.
Liz Conte's practicum at Smurfit Westrock
Liz Conte is a safety engineering co-op/intern at Smurfit Westrock, in Lancaster, PA. This is a corrugated packaging facility, producing standard cases, boxes and trays that are suitable for all industries. She worked in the wastewater area of the facility to improve the personal protective equipment (PPE) standards and enhance the standard operating procedures. She is also scheduling and attending all training sessions for all employees who will be working with wastewater.
Quantifying the toll of plastics: Researchers link 350,000 global deaths to phthalate exposure
“Cardiovascular disease is really at the low end of health risks for phthalates, versus we know a lot about endocrine disruption,” said Barchowsky, professor of environmental and occupational health.
Cassava Flour, chips, bread and more contain high levels of lead
“In Ghana [this contamination] tends to be a problem because we consume a lot of cassava. It’s our staple,” says Nesta Bortey-Sam, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health.
Farm roots, field goals
“I went to my advisor, and she mentioned a new program in public health,” says Aman, now a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Pitt’s School of Public Health. “I took an intro class, and I was completely hooked.”
Congratulations to our exceptional 2025 EOH graduates!
We celebrate the achievements of Dr. Yuchen Kristine Sun, Dr. Salman Ali Alquwayi, Jade Heckman, Margaret Woodwell, Fang Zhong and Alexis Kiyanda. Their dedication and hard work have made us proud. Wishing them all the best in their next chapter!
Students, staff and faculty present at Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting
Baoli Qian, Natalie Price, Alexis Kiyanda, Zach Zimmerman, Jiaqi Vivien Lyu, Juliane I. Beier, Pooja Muddasani, Charis-Marie Vanderpuye, Shannon Heinig, and Yuexin Cao presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology March 16-20 in Orlando, Florida. Lyu, a PhD student, received a travel award and Secondary Faculty Member Beier was invited to give a 'Tiny Tox Talk'.