Insights into Diversity in the Environmental Health Science Workforce

Abstract

Environmental Health Science (EHS) professionals protect the public from environmental threats by conducting risk assessments and recommending preventative measures based on scientific findings. The EHS field itself is diverse in scientific areas (eg, air quality, water quality, food safety, healthy homes, preparedness, climate change, vectors/pests, tracking/informatics, occupational health, industrial hygiene) studied and evaluated by researchers and practitioners (https://www.neha.org/eh-topics). Scientific findings discovered in the EHS field help health leaders analyze and develop policies to protect health based on practical knowledge.1

Diversity is currently a wide-ranging societal topic, and this issue impacts the EH field. Many aspects related to diversity in EH involve the communities affected by environmental exposures and the EHS workforce serving these communities.