UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences

09/09/2026

When wildfires blazed through Spokane this August, about 65,000 people in the surrounding community evacuated due to the threat of fire and smoke.

But at Airway Heights Corrections Center, about 6 miles from the burn area of the Old Trails Fire, many of the 500 workers and the 1,800 incarcerated residents stayed put.

DEOHS Assistant Professor Rachel Sklar, PhD student Beck Kiely, and MS student Esmma Almousa have been sampling indoor and outdoor air at the facility to understand people's exposures and find solutions to protect their health. The project is in partnership with the Washington State Department of Corrections and is partly funded by the UW Rapid Facility.

“Both incarcerated people and correctional staff are disproportionately affected by climate-related exposures, like heat and smoke,” Sklar said. Read more: https://deohs.washington.edu/news/tracking-wildfire-smoke-protect-people-correctional-facilities

Photos (courtesy of Sklar):
1. DEOHS PhD student Beck Kiely works with air monitoring equipment at Airway Heights Corrections Center.
2. MS student Esmma Almousa takes a wipe sample inside the corrections center.
3. Rachel Sklar takes a wipe sample outside at Airway Heights Corrections Center.
4. An installation to monitor indoor air at the corrections center.

University of Washington School of Public Health

09/08/2026

Love how the Seattle Channel described our One Health Clinic as offering health care on both sides of the leash! 🐾

Check out their video about how the clinic serves both human and animal patients, featuring DEOHS Senior Research Coordinator Vickie Ramirez, center manager of the Center for One Health Research. The clinic is a joint effort from the UW and the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, in partnership with Neighborcare Health.

For people experiencing homelessness, a pet can be a lifeline. But getting medical care for both can be a challenge. The One Health Clinic treats both ends of the leash, bringing human and veterinary care together under one roof.

09/01/2026

Opening today: applications for our grad programs in Environmental Health Sciences for 2027-28! Apply by December 1 for priority admission. Change your life and your community with research into cannabis worker safety, infectious disease prevention and more. More details at the link in our bio!

08/25/2026

Congratulations to fearless public health advocate Lianne Sheppard on her retirement after 33 years on the faculty of UW DEOHS and UW Department of Biostatistics!

“Throughout her career, Lianne has exemplified scientific integrity, strengthened the connection between science and public policy, and devoted herself to mentoring the next generation of environmental health scientists," said DEOHS Professor and Chair June Spector. "Her impact on our field, our department, and the many people she has mentored will be felt for years to come.” Read more: https://deohs.washington.edu/news/fearless-public-health-advocate-retires

Photos:
1. Lianne Sheppard celebrates her retirement. Credit: Karen Levy.
2. Sheppard, Bruce Lanphear and Rachel Shaffer at the Seattle Glyphosate Symposium. Credit: Elizar Mercado.
3. Magali Blanco, Sheppard and Rachel Shaffer at the joint meeting of the International Society of Exposure Science and the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology in 2025. Courtesy of Sheppard.

University of Washington School of Public Health

08/20/2026

In light of the recent earthquakes in Colombia and Venezuela, our Center for Disaster Resilient Communities is sharing a Spanish-language resource for public health practitioners about the health impacts of earthquakes: https://cdrc.uw.edu/resources/natural-hazards-factsheets/

Debido a los recientes terremotos en Colombia y Venezuela, nuestro Centro para Comunidades Resilientes ante Desastres (Center for Disaster Resilient Communities) comparte un recurso en español dirigido a profesionales de la salud pública sobre los efectos de los terremotos en la salud: https://cdrc.uw.edu/resources/natural-hazards-factsheets/

Photo: Pereira, Colombia after the 2026 Colombia earthquake. Credit: World Central Kitchen.
University of Washington School of Public Health

08/17/2026

6 simple things you can do to limit your exposure to microplastics, from Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, professor in DEOHS and UW Medicine:

✅ Take off your shoes when you enter your home to avoid tracking microplastics into the home.
✅ Keep dust in your home to a minimum, as dust particles can contain microplastics.
✅ Try to drink from glass and stainless steel bottles when possible.
✅ Store your leftovers in glass Tupperware instead of plastic.
✅ Don’t reheat your leftovers in plastic containers.
✅ Don’t use plastic in cooking or food preparation (such as plastic cutting boards, spatulas or mixing bowls)

Here’s what you can do.

08/06/2026

5 UW experts, including our faculty members Elena Austin and Edmund Seto, told UW News how they navigate wildfire season. Get more tips at the link in the comments! 🔥💨😷

University of Washington School of Public Health Washington State Department of Labor & Industries University of Washington News

08/03/2026

It takes just three simple steps to protect your health during wildfire smoke events.

Read more about the health impacts of wildfire smoke: https://deohs.washington.edu/news/risk-real

Tips for choosing a HEPA air cleaner: https://deohs.washington.edu/news/hepa-air-cleaners-could-prevent-deaths-wildfire-smoke

07/28/2026

DEOHS faculty member Marissa Childs examined the recent record-breaking levels of air pollution from wildfire smoke around the U.S. for the The New York Times. Explore the map below:

Many towns and cities recorded their highest readings of one pollutant, known as PM 2.5, in 20 years.

07/23/2026

Struggling to afford food? You're not alone, according to the results of the latest Washington State Food Security Survey (WAFOOD6) from the University of Washington, WSU Pullman and the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

“Our findings show that Washington households continue to feel the impact of rising prices,” said DEOHS Professor Jennifer Otten. “What is especially concerning is that nearly seven in ten food-insecure WAFOOD6 households reported cutting back on the quantity or quality of food that they eat and this is a reminder that food inflation is not just an economic issue, but also a health and wellness issue.”

University of Washington School of Public Health UW Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health

Washingtonians struggle to afford food amid rising costs and uncertain federal support, according to new survey from UW, WSU and WSDA