Starting in February 2021, a new collaborative initiative between the UNC Institute for the Environment, the Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine in the UNC School of Medicine, and the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), will provide research opportunities for diverse undergraduates through a new program called the 21st Century Environmental Health Scholars (21EH Scholars).
Starting in February 2021, a new collaborative initiative between the UNC Institute for the Environment, the Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine in the UNC School of Medicine, and the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), will provide research opportunities for diverse undergraduates through a new program called the 21st Century Environmental Health Scholars (21EH Scholars). This program will support up to 10 scholars annually from UNC and NCCU and is funded by a $516,000 grant from the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
“In 21EH Scholars, we’re broadening access to environmental health sciences research by engaging students who have typically been underrepresented in STEM disciplines,” says Kathleen Gray, research associate professor in the Institute and one of three principal investigators for the program. “To solve our most pressing environmental problems, we need the enhanced creativity and productivity typically associated with diverse teams, and we expect this program to ultimately contribute to a more diverse environmental health sciences workforce.”
Ilona Jaspers, professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine and director of the Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine and Antonio Baines, associate professor in the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences in the College of Health and Sciences at NCCU, are the other principal investigators. They have been working together for several years in training and mentoring students in toxicology and environmental medicine.
“Environmental contaminants have a disparate impact on the public health of disadvantaged communities,” says Jaspers. “One of the major goals of NIEHS’ Strategic Plan is to ensure environmental health equities. Obviously, this goal is much easier achieved if we can diversify the next generation of environmental health scientists.”
21EH Scholars internships will last one year, and students will work 10 hours weekly during the spring and fall semesters and 30 hours weekly during the summer. The program is designed to support students who are underrepresented in STEM fields, a group that includes women of any race or ethnicity and Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Alaskan Native individuals.
“Unfortunately, studies show that communities of color disproportionally live in or near neighborhoods negatively impacted by air and water pollution,” Baines says. “The 21EH Scholars from both NCCU and UNC will be learning environmental health sciences together in the classroom and laboratory, making them advocates for cleaner communities.”