Pitt Public Health faculty and students presented research addressing environmental health challenges and solutions at the 2026 National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Annual Educational Conference, one of the nation's largest gatherings of environmental health professionals.
Representing Pitt Public Health were Dean Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH, professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH); Tina Ndoh, PhD, EOH associate professor and associate dean for public health practice; EOH doctoral student Miranda Aman, MPH; and Nesta Bortey-Sam, PhD, EOH associate professor.
Lichtveld presented on community-engaged environmental health surveillance following the East Palestine train derailment, highlighting the importance of working alongside communities affected by environmental disasters to inform public health response and future preparedness.
"Pitt Public Health is proud to contribute to one of the nation's premier environmental health conferences," said Lichtveld. "Our faculty and students are recognized leaders whose work is improving health in communities across the country and around the world. Sharing that expertise while strengthening partnerships with organizations like NEHA is central to our mission and our impact."
Ndoh, Aman and Bortey-Sam presented Breathing Better at Home: Empowering Public Action on Indoor Air Quality, a three-part session focused on practice-driven research addressing environmental exposures in residential settings. The panel highlighted both immediate behavioral actions that support healthier indoor environments and longer-term structural approaches, including policy and programmatic interventions.
Ndoh discussed radon exposure and the drivers and barriers to testing and mitigation. Aman presented research examining the impact of low-cost indoor air filtration on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and asthma symptom severity. Bortey-Sam shared research using HVAC filter analysis to better understand household exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
"This was my first NEHA conference and my first opportunity to present my research," said Aman. "I expected to survive it. I didn't expect people to actually care—to ask questions, offer ideas and want to collaborate. That's when it hit me: this is a community, not just a crowd."
Pitt Public Health's longstanding partnership with NEHA extends beyond the annual conference. The school's Master of Public Health program in Environmental and Occupational Health is accredited by the Environmental Health Accreditation Council, an affiliate of NEHA, and Pitt Public Health co-sponsored the conference's student awards celebration. NEHA CEO David Dyjack, DrPH, also chairs the Education Subcommittee of Pitt Public Health's Partner Advisory Board.
"Bringing together 1,300 environmental health professionals—including more than 150 students—the NEHA Annual Educational Conference was more than a successful scientific and practice exchange," Dyjack said. "It was a powerful reminder that the future of environmental health was already in the room."
Founded in 1937, NEHA is the nation's leading association for environmental health practitioners, advancing the profession through education, credentialing, advocacy and professional development.
-Clare Collins