Johns Hopkins Environmental Health & Engineering

08/27/2026

In Episode 34, food system scholar Raj Patel unpacks the complex challenges embedded in the industrial food system and offers a compelling vision for a better future. A thoughtful conversation for anyone interested in food systems, sustainability, and structural change. https://clf.jhsph.edu/unconfined-podcast/polycrisis-stalking-our-food

08/06/2026

EHE alumna Ama Apenteng says the field trips she took as a student helped her better understand the challenges communities face.

“Those experiences gave me valuable insight into what happens on the ground and helped bring the course material to life,” said Apenteng, who graduated in August 2023.

Today, she puts those lessons into action by volunteering with the Elijah Backpack Program, which provides food to students at two Baltimore City schools.

Read more about Apenteng and the experiences that reinforced the importance of approaching public health with empathy:

Ama Apenteng always volunteers with a big smile.

08/05/2026

Venkataraman “Venkat” Lakshmi has been elected a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, a distinction awarded to fewer than 0.2% of AMS members each year.

An internationally recognized hydrologist and remote sensing expert, Lakshmi studies how water, land, and climate interact across landscapes and affect human health. He uses satellite data, field measurements, physical models, and AI and machine learning to better understand water resources and environmental influences on disease.

“This is a high honor that reflects the work done by my research group and collaborators and the support from the sponsors,” said Lakshmi.

Venkataraman Lakshmi studies how water, land, and climate interact, and how those interactions affect human health.

07/28/2026

We’re pleased to welcome Venkataraman “Venkat” Lakshmi to the Johns Hopkins Department of Environmental Health and Engineering as the Benjamin Howell Griswold Professor of Geography and International Affairs.

An internationally recognized hydrologist and remote sensing expert, Lakshmi studies how water, land, and climate interact across landscapes and affect human health. His work combines satellite data and field measurements with physical models, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to better understand water resources, environmental change, and connections to disease.

Learn more about his research:

https://engineering.jhu.edu/faculty/venkataraman-venkat-lakshmi/

07/17/2026

Six years ago, CLF released Growing Solutions, a 42-minute documentary highlighting farmers, ranchers, and educators across the U.S. who are addressing major challenges in agriculture. In the new Unconfined podcast episode, five panelists, including director Leo Horrigan, join host Tom Philpott to discuss regenerative agriculture, carbon cycling, land tenure, perennial crops, and more. https://clf.jhsph.edu/unconfined-podcast/retrospective-growing-solutions

07/14/2026

What can air quality tell us about preserving art?

A multi-year collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Baltimore Museum of Art is exploring exactly that.

Researchers are using advanced air monitoring technology to study how exhibit installation, painting, and other museum activities influence indoor air quality and the environment surrounding valuable collections.

The project is also providing students with hands-on research opportunities while helping museums better understand how to protect art for future generations.

Read the full story:

Long-term monitoring and targeted studies are helping researchers understand how museum operations affect the indoor environment.

07/06/2026

What do pollinators have to do with public health?

According to a new Nature study co-authored by Samuel Myers, MD, MPH, they play a vital role in supporting both human nutrition and household livelihoods.

Drawing on research conducted in farming communities in Nepal, the study found that pollinator-dependent crops supplied more than 20% of participants' intake of key micronutrients and accounted for 44% of household farming income.

In a new Q&A, Myers discusses what these findings mean for biodiversity, food systems, and the future of public health.

Read more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2026/why-pollinators-matter-for-human-health

05/27/2026

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to emerge as one of the most urgent global public health challenges — and agricultural workers are on the front lines.

A recent Nature Portfolio article featuring input from EHE's Chris Heaney, highlights the state of knowledge about, and innovative solutions to, the global challenge of AMR.

Strengthening worker protections, improving antimicrobial stewardship, and advancing One Health approaches will be essential in addressing AMR at scale.
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Antibiotic use in agriculture threatens the health of workers and their communities, but there are potential solutions.

05/14/2026

Congratulations to Shilva Shrestha on receiving a National Science Foundation CAREER Award! 🎉

The NSF CAREER Award honors exceptional early-career faculty members who show outstanding potential for leadership in both education and research. This recognition reflects Shrestha’s dedication to innovation, discovery, and student success.

Shrestha researches biotechnologies for wastewater treatment, and recovering biofuels and industrial chemicals from waste and biomass.

05/11/2026

We’re excited to share that Carsten Prasse has been selected to participate in the National Academy of Sciences Discovery as a Human Endeavor cohort.

This new pilot initiative is connected to the 2026 Revolutions in Science symposium and highlights leaders contributing to the future of science and discovery.