Educating the Future Environmental Health Workforce During COVID-19: Developing a Virtual Curriculum for Navajo...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Urban Redevelopment
• Environmental Justice

Background:

• Brownfields, or land reuse sites, are often contaminated with hazardous chemicals.
• Improper redevelopment of brownfields can lead to harmful human exposures and exacerbate socioeconomic disparities.
• A partnership between ATSDR and NEHA was formed in 2016 to address these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the utility of the Environmental Health and Land Reuse (EHLR) Certificate Program.
• To demonstrate how the EHLR program builds understanding and knowledge among environmental health students.
• To showcase practical application of brownfields remediation and redevelopment principles.

Main Methods:

• Development of a free online course by ATSDR and NEHA.
• The Environmental Health and Land Reuse (EHLR) Certificate Program was launched in 2020.
• The program's impact was assessed through student engagement and knowledge acquisition.

Main Results:

• The EHLR Certificate Program effectively enhanced environmental health students' understanding of brownfields issues.
• The course provided practical knowledge for community capacity building in land reuse.
• Students demonstrated increased awareness of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of brownfields.

Conclusions:

• The EHLR Certificate Program is a valuable tool for educating future environmental health professionals.
• Community capacity for brownfields remediation and redevelopment can be significantly improved through targeted educational initiatives.
• Addressing brownfields is crucial for promoting environmental health and reducing socioeconomic disparities.