Born and raised in Lima, the most polluted city in South America, I witnessed how pollution affected my family’s health, with cases of asthma, allergies, and even cancer. These environmental and public health challenges are common in Peru and motivated me to pursue a degree in environmental engineering and dedicate myself to volunteering and research aimed at improving people’s quality of life.
During my undergraduate studies, I led a university research group focused on air pollution and its health effects. I also managed two projects in Mi Perú, a district contaminated by heavy metals, where I conducted environmental risk assessments. I had the opportunity to present my findings in Congress, which contributed to the prohibition of harmful industrial activities in the area.
Currently, my career goal is to specialize in environmental health and climate change through the Master of Science in Environmental Health at the University of Washington to help bridge critical environmental health gaps in Peru. By advancing research and policy solutions, I aspire to mitigate the effects of pollution and climate change on human health, ensuring a safer, healthier future for vulnerable communities.
I am currently enrolled in the Environmental Health Sciences MS program at the University of Washington. This master’s program is comprehensive, offering courses in the foundations of environmental and occupational health, epidemiology, toxicology, and risk assessment. These courses provide a strong foundation for understanding disease distribution, analysis, and intervention strategies. Additionally, the program’s “Climate Change and Health” emphasis focuses on how climate change affects human and environmental health, preparing me to address these complex challenges.
The university also houses the Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHanGE), which promotes the health benefits of climate action, including both mitigation and adaptation strategies. I plan to work with CHanGE on my thesis, gaining advanced research skills that I can later apply in Peru to strengthen environmental health research and policy.
Moving to the United States was more challenging than I had anticipated—nobody warns you how hard it is to pack your entire life into one bag. I also had to rent a shared apartment while in another country without visiting it beforehand, purchase essential household items, adapt my wardrobe to the local climate, and acquire study materials. The Mehendale Welcome Award was an invaluable source of support, covering large upfront costs such as rent, security deposits, basic furnishings, cleaning supplies, food, and travel expenses. This funding allowed me to focus immediately on my introductory sessions and courses, which began the day after I arrived in Seattle, without the added pressure of finding a job to cover moving expenses. Once I am settled, I plan to further engage in research through a research assistant or teaching assistant position.
The Mehendale Welcome Award has been an immeasurable help for my transition to Seattle and my graduate education. It was a great honor to receive this award, and I am deeply grateful to SOT. I look forward to contributing to and participating in the Society in the near future.
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