ALSHAWABKEH PARTICIPATES IN DIVERSITY PANEL DISCUSSION DURING NIEHS FEST

Prof. Akram Alshawabkeh– Principal Investigator and Co-Director of the PROTECT Center, the CRECE Center, and the ROUTES Scholars Program–took part in a panel at the NIEHS FEST, a conference held to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and to provide a platform for researchers, trainees, young investigators, community partners, and stakeholders to discuss past accomplishments and future endeavors of those working in the field of environmental health science.

The panel discussion was about “Diversity and the NIEHS—Opportunities and Challenges,” and it had aims of stimulating a conversation about approaches to diversity and inclusion in the environmental health sciences.  Alshawabkeh spoke specifically on the Northeastern University Co-op, Research Opportunities for Undergraduates: Training in Environmental Health Sciences (ROUTES), which was established to recruit exceptional science, engineering, and public health undergraduates from traditionally underrepresented groups to participate in environmental health research. Also serving on the panel was Christopher Bradfield of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Christie Drew of the NIEHS Program Analysis Branch, Kelly Harris of the Food and Drug Administration, and Ericka Reid of the NIEHS Office of Science Education & Diversity. The speakers highlighted findings from their experiences and discussed mechanisms and approaches to growing a diverse cadre of trainees and researchers through both intramural and extramural programs.

To learn more about the ROUTES program at Northeastern, please click here.

Prof. Akram Alshawabkeh speaking on “Diversity and the NIEHS—Opportunities and Challenges” Panel