From Environmental Chemistry to Planetary Health

I am an environmental scientist, educator and science communicator working across Environmental and Planetary Health, healthcare education and interdisciplinary research. My journey began in environmental chemistry, studying pollution and its effects on ecosystems. Over time, however, my attention increasingly turned towards human health and one question in particular: if we know so much about how our environment can affect our health, why does so little of this knowledge reach healthcare professionals and the people they care for? This question took my work beyond the traditional boundaries of environmental science. I trained in Lifestyle Medicine and Health Coaching, began educating healthcare professionals, and became increasingly involved in Planetary Health, One Health, and environmental health literacy. Today, my work explores the connections between pollution, health, and society; from toxic exposures and healthcare education to gender, health equity, and the way we communicate environmental risks. My perspective is also informed by years of working directly with individuals and families, where I have seen how culture, gender roles, family dynamics, and social conditions influence health and sustainability choices in everyday life. Raising my children in a multicultural family has made many of these questions personal as well as professional.