Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (GRAD)
The Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering in the Gillings School of Global Public Health focuses on the interface between people and the environment. Uniquely situated in a school of public health, the department combines the physical sciences, health sciences, engineering, and policy to develop solutions to current and emerging environmental challenges. Our mission is promoting human and ecological health for all by identifying, understanding, and solving pressing environmental challenges. This multidisciplinary approach provides unique academic and research opportunities for students.
WE WORK TO
- Understand environmental transport and transformation of chemicals and infectious agents
- Elucidate mechanisms by which chemicals and infectious agents influence human health
- Mitigate the impacts of climate change on air, water, and health; and
- Protect vulnerable populations from toxic exposures.
Our faculty bring expertise in the physical and life sciences, engineering, and policy. We work both locally and globally, in occupational and environmental settings, on issues relevant to air quality, water, health, energy, and resource management. We aim to create a healthy and sustainable future for all.
The wide scope of departmental research is reflected in the three interdisciplinary fields of study, faculty’s areas of research, and affiliated labs and research institutes. The three interdisciplinary fields of study are: Air Quality and Atmospheric Processes, Human Exposure and Health Effects, and Sustainable Water Resources.
Air Quality and Atmospheric Processes
Atmospheric processes have a major influence on air quality, as well as on long‐term global processes. Over the past 30 years, major research contributions of our faculty and students include the generation of an experimental database used to develop and test photochemical mechanisms that contribute to air pollution; development of methods to measure and monitor airborne contaminants; work to understand air quality and health implications of energy policies, and the development and application of occupational exposure models.
Human Exposure and Health Effects
Our faculty study the range of processes that ultimately lead to environmentally related diseases, from characterizing and quantifying human exposure to understanding the cellular, molecular and biochemical underpinnings of these diseases. Major research activities include: developing methods to measure and monitor chemical or microbial contaminants; and elucidating the genetic and epigenetic factors that lead to differences in disease outcomes among individuals or populations.
Sustainable Water Resources
Population growth and economic development continue to place increasing stress on global water resources, stresses that stem primarily from rising consumptive demands for limited supplies and increasing contamination of natural waters. Our faculty seek solutions to these challenges using a variety of computational, experimental, and field approaches. Our research results improve engineering applications and provide substantive guidance to policymakers.
Our research strengths include:
- Characterizing exposures to contaminants in air, water, soil, and workplaces
- Developing engineering and policy solutions to reduce environmental risks
- Using molecular approaches to understand disease mechanisms caused by toxic substances in the environment
- Overcoming environmental health challenges in developing countries
ESE Course Competencies Mapped
Each degree in our department is mapped to five degree-specific competencies that are taught and assessed in specific courses or other learning opportunities. Learn more
Resources for Current ESE Students
Current Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESE) students can find department resources here.
Courses
Numbered 400-999:
Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Engineering (M.S.)
The master of science (M.S.) in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering prepares students who are interested in advanced education or careers in research, practice or management in the field of environmental sciences and engineering. Students perform research leading to a thesis and potentially publishable work.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SPHG 600 | Foundations of Public Health 1 | 3 |
| ENVR 400 | Seminar Series | 1 |
| ENVR 601 | Epidemiology for Environmental Scientists | 3 |
| Additional formal coursework (400 level or higher). Can include credits from Research skill course(s), if applicable (not including ENVR 400, 991, 993). | 9 | |
| "Depth of knowledge in a discipline” approved by student and thesis Faculty Mentor (400 level or above) | 9 | |
| Research | ||
| ENVR 991 | Research in Environmental Sciences and Engineering | 3 |
| Thesis/Substitute or Dissertation | ||
| ENVR 993 | Master's Research and Thesis | 3 |
| Minimum Hours 2 | 31 | |
- 1
- Exemption is possible under certain circumstances as described on the Gillings How to Apply for a SPHG 600 Exemption page.
- 2
A minimum of 24 credits of graduate-level course work, which includes at least 15 credit hours of ENVR courses at the 400 level or above (to be determined by the student and faculty mentor) and excludes ENVR 400, 991, and 993.
Milestones
- Master's Committee
- Thesis/Substitute Defense (Master's Comprehensive Exam)
- Master's Thesis Approved
- Residence Credit
- Exit Survey
- Master's Competency Review (Research Skill Competency Review) (MS Competency 5)
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (M.S.E.E.), Professional & Research Options
The master of science in environmental engineering (M.S.E.E.) in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering is a program that gives students a Professional option (one year) or a Research option (two year) degree that provides students the vital skills and training needed to solve 21st century environmental engineering and public health challenges.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SPHG 600 | Foundations of Public Health 1 | 3 |
| ENVR 400 | Seminar Series | 1 |
| ENVR 601 | Epidemiology for Environmental Scientists | 3 |
| or EPID 600 | Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health | |
| Additional formal coursework (400 level or higher). Can include credits from Research skill course(s), if applicable (not including ENVR 400, 991, 992). | 9 | |
| Electives | ||
| 12 or more credits at 400 level or higher. See approved list of Engineering Elective Options below. 2 | 12 | |
| Thesis/Substitute or Dissertation | ||
| ENVR 992 | Master's Technical Report 3 | 3 |
| Minimum Hours 4 | 31 | |
- 1
- Exemption is possible under certain circumstances as described on the Gillings How to Apply for a SPHG 600 Exemption page.
- 2
An undergraduate or graduate course in Statistics, and one in Biological Sciences must be taken if such courses have not been taken in the past e.g., in another institution. These can count toward graduation credits if they are 400 level or above.
- 3
All MSEE students should register for and attend section 3 of ENVR 992 (ENVR 992.003).
- 4
A minimum of 24 credits of graduate-level course work, which includes at least 15 credit hours of ENVR courses at the 400 level or above (to be determined by the student and faculty mentor) and excludes ENVR 400, ENVR 991, and ENVR 993.
Engineering Elective Course Options
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENVR 416 | Aerosol Physics and Chemistry | 4 |
| ENVR 451 | Introduction to Environmental Modeling | 3 |
| ENVR 453 | Groundwater Hydrology | 3 |
| ENVR 468 | Temporal GIS and Space/Time Geostatistics for the Environment and Public Health | 3 |
| ENVR 500 | Environmental Processes, Exposure, and Risk Assessment | 3 |
| ENVR 525 | Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Global Health | 3 |
| ENVR 543 | Risk, Data Science and AI | 3 |
| ENVR 582 | Sanitation for Development | 3 |
| ENVR 656 | Physical/Chemical Processes for Water Treatment | 3 |
| ENVR 666 | Numerical Methods | 3 |
| ENVR 671 | Environmental Physics I | 3 |
| ENVR 672 | Environmental Physics II | 3 |
| ENVR 675 | Air Pollution, Chemistry, and Physics | 3 |
| ENVR 755 | Analysis of Water Resource Systems | 3 |
| ENVR 759 | Multiphase Transport Phenomena | 3 |
| ENVR 760 | Uncertainty Quantification for Environmental Systems | 3 |
| ENVR 765 | Space Time Exposure Mapping and Risk Assessment | 3 |
Milestones
- Master's Committee
- Master's Oral Exam / Approved Exam Substitute
- Thesis / Substitute Defense
- Residence Credit
- Exit Survey
Public Health, Master's Program (M.P.H.) — Environment, Climate, and Health Concentration
Prospective students in the Environment, Climate and Health Concentration understand that the health of the planet and the health of its people are inextricably linked. They aim to contribute innovative solutions to complex environment, climate, and health challenges: health challenges related to energy policy changes, safe drinking water, protection from infection where we work and play, economically feasible actions with co-benefits for public health and conservation of resources. If you wish to work towards creating a healthy environment as a public health professional, this Gillings MPH concentration is designed for you. The Environment, Climate and Health Concentration, housed in the Gillings School of Global Public Health and Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, will equip you with skills and know-how to identify and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate and environmental change on human health. Through a highly tailored curriculum and real-world experience, our students develop broadly applicable skills to address a range of exposure risks and sources. We welcome those interested in both local and global challenges.
UNC undergrads apply to the M.P.H.– Environment, Climate and Health concentration using a separate process:
- Current UNC seniors wishing to apply for an M.P.H. with an Environment, Climate and Health Concentration should submit a formal application to the program using this Graduate School link.
- Current UNC juniors should use this pre-admission application link.
- Details about ESE’s Accelerated bachelor's-to-master's programs can be found here: https://sph.unc.edu/envr/bachelors-to-masters-programs/
Course Requirements
Requirements for the M.P.H. degree in the Environment, Climate and Health concentration.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| M.P.H. Integrated Core | ||
| SPHG 711 | Data Analysis for Public Health | 2 |
| SPHG 712 | Methods and Measures for Public Health Practice | 2 |
| SPHG 713 | Systems Approaches to Understanding Public Health Issues | 2 |
| SPHG 701 | Leading from the Inside-Out | 2 |
| SPHG 721 | Public Health Solutions: Systems, Policy and Advocacy | 2 |
| SPHG 722 | Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Public Health Solutions (MPH Comprehensive Exam administered in class) | 4 |
| M.P.H. Practicum | ||
| SPHG 703 | MPH Pre-Practicum Assignments | 0.5 |
| SPHG 707 | MPH Post-Practicum Assignments | 0.5 |
| M.P.H. Concentration | ||
| ENVR 430 | Health Effects of Environmental Agents | 3 |
| ENVR 500 | Environmental Processes, Exposure, and Risk Assessment | 3 |
| ENVR 580 | Policy Design for Environment, Climate, and Health | 3 |
| ENVR 775 | Global Climate Change: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 1 |
| Graduate-level ENVR Discipline Depth Course | 2 | |
| Graduate-level ENVR Discipline Depth Course | 3 | |
| M.P.H. Electives | ||
| Electives (Graduate-level courses, 400+ level at Gillings, 500+ level at UNC) | 9 | |
| M.P.H. Culminating Experience | ||
| ENVR 992 | Master's Technical Report | 3 |
| Minimum Hours | 42 | |
Admissions
Please visit Applying to the Gillings School first for details and information. Application to the residential M.P.H. is a 2-step process. Please apply separately to (1) SOPHAS and (2) UNC–Chapel Hill (via the Graduate School application link that will be sent after completing the SOPHAS application). Visit the Graduate School Web site for more details. If you are interested in the online M.P.H., please visit the MPH@UNC website and fill out an inquiry form.
Milestones
- Master's Committee
- Master's Written Examination/Approved Substitute (Comprehensive Exam)
- Thesis Substitute (Culminating Experience)
- Residence Credit
- Exit Survey
- Master's Professional Work Experience (Practicum)
Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Doctoral Program (Ph.D.)
The Ph.D., a terminal degree, is intended for incoming students with a strong background in the sciences or engineering and prepares them for careers in basic and applied research, education, or management in the field of environmental sciences and engineering. Applicants should have a strong background in the sciences, math or engineering with interest and aptitude for original and significant research; focused written statement should convey a motivation for research; strong academic record; strong letters of recommendation.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health Foundational Courses | ||
| SPHG 600 | Foundations of Public Health 1 | 3 |
| Core Courses | ||
| ENVR 400 | Seminar Series (1 credit per semester, for a total of 2 credits) | 2 |
| EPID 600 | Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health | 3 |
| or ENVR 601 | Epidemiology for Environmental Scientists | |
| ENVR 703 | Proposal Writing for Environmental Research 2 | 3 |
| ENVR 704 | Critical Analysis of Environmental Research (Must be taken twice, preferably during the first and second years.) | 2 |
| ENVR 991 | Research in Environmental Sciences and Engineering 3 | 6 |
| Electives | ||
| 15 credits for "depth of knowledge in a discipline" (approved by candidate and committee). | 15 | |
| Thesis/Substitute or Dissertation | ||
| ENVR 994 | Doctoral Research and Dissertation (Two semesters for 6 credits) | 6 |
| Minimum Hours | 40 | |
- 1
Exemption is possible under certain circumstances as described on the Gillings How to Apply for a SPHG 600 Exemption page.
- 2
To be taken when student is ready to write dissertation proposal.
- 3
Students should register for ENVR 991 each semester they are doing research and may register for 1-9 total credit hours per semester.
Milestones
The following list of milestones (non-course degree requirements) must be completed; view this list of standard milestone definitions for more information.
- Doctoral Committee
- Doctoral Oral Comprehensive Exam
- Doctoral Written Exam
- Prospectus Oral Exam
- Advanced to Candidacy
- Dissertation Defense
- Doctoral Dissertation Approved/Format Accepted
- Residence Credit
- Exit Survey
- Doctoral Competency Review (Research Skills: PhD Competency 4)
- Doctoral Research Presentation (Research Presentation to ENVR 400 Audience; PhD Competency 5)
Following the faculty member's name is a section number that students should use when registering for independent studies, reading, research, and thesis and dissertation courses with that particular professor.
Professors
Joe Brown (137), Water and Sanitation, Environmental Health Microbiology; Director, Water Institute; Director, Engineering Programs
Gregory W. Characklis (98), Water Resources Engineering, Economics and Management; Director, Institute for Risk Management and Insurance Innovations
Orlando Coronell (10), Physical and Chemical Processes for Water Treatment, Membrane Technology, Granular Sorbents; Associate Chair for Academics
Rebecca C. Fry (7), Toxicogenomics, Epigenetics, Genetics, Toxicology; Director, Institute for Environmental Health Solutions; Director, Institute for Environmental Health Solutions; Department Chair
Avram Gold (43), Environmental Chemistry
Kun Lu (37), Microbiome, Exposome, Omics Profiling (Metabolomics, Proteomics, Lipidomics), DNA Adducts, Biomarker Development, Cancer, Chronic Inflammation, Children's Health
Richard A. Luettich Jr. (68), Marine Sciences, Coastal Physics, Hurricane Storm Surge Modeling; Director, Institute of Marine Science
Christopher S. Martens (92), Marine Sciences, Biogeochemistry
Cass T. Miller (59), Porous Medium Systems, Environmental Physics, Environmental Modeling
Rachel T. Noble (110), Marine Microbial Ecology, Water Quality Microbiology, Non-Point Source (e.g., Storm water), Contamination of Receiving Waters
Leena A. Nylander-French (95), Skin and Inhalation Exposures to Toxicants, Exposure Modeling; Director, Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center
Hans W. Paerl (65), Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Marine and Freshwater Nutrient Cycling
Michael C. Piehler (33), Marine Environmental Sciences, Environmental Microbial Ecology
Jason Surratt (30), Atmospheric Chemistry, Secondary Organic Aerosols, Heterogeneous Chemistry, Air Pollution
Barbara J. Turpin (32), Atmospheric Chemistry, Air Pollution and Human Exposure; Director, Graduate Studies
William Vizuete (6), Atmospheric Modeling, Air Pollution, Environmental Engineering, Atmospheric Chemistry
Paul B. Watkins, Drug Safety Sciences, Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Genomics Technologies
J. Jason West (16), Air Pollution, Climate Change, Atmospheric Modeling, Global Health, Environmental Policy, Environmental Engineering
Dale Whittington (70), Water Resources Economics, International Development
Associate Professors
Noah Kittner (131), Energy Systems Analysis, Sustainability Science, Energy and Environmental Policy
Julia Rager (130), Environmental Risk Assessment, Exposure Assessment, Genetics, Toxicology; Associate Chair for Strategic Initiatives
Marc L. Serre (100), Space/Time Statistics, Exposure Assessment, Environmental Modeling, Hydrology, Geostatistics, GIS, Environmental Epidemiology, Risk Assessment, Medical Geography
Assistant Professors
Musa Manga (5), Environmental Engineering, Water, Sanitation, Water Resource Management
Anna Young (54), Chemical Exposome, Multi-Omics Data Science, Reproductive Epidemiology, Women's Health and Menstrual Health, Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals, Exposure Science
Research Professors
Bill Gray, Hydrology, Porous Media Flow, Environmental Thermodynamics
Glenn Morrison (124), Indoor Air, Surface Chemistry, Human Exposure
Mark D. Sobsey, Environmental Health Microbiology, Virology, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Research Associate Professor
Zhenfa Zhang, Synthetic Organic Chemistry
Research Assistant Professors
Yash Amonkar, Environmental Financial Risk Modeling, Environmental Engineering, Insurance Innovation, Data Science
Ryan Cronk (11), Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH), Environmental Risk Assessment
Michael Fisher (136), Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH)
Megan Lott, Environmental Microbiology, Microbes of the Built Environment and Wastewater-based Epidemiology
Timothy Weigand (108), Fluid Dynamics, AI/Machine Learning, Mechanistic Modelling, Computational Science
Teaching Associate Professors
Amanda Northcross (134), Exposure Assessment, Air Pollution, Global Health; Director, Undergraduate Studies (B.S.P.H. and Assured Enrollment Programs)
John Staley (135), Occupational Health and Safety; NC OSHERC; NIOSH Center for Excellence: the Carolina Center for Healthy Work Design and Worker Well-being
Clinical Associate Professor
Courtney Woods (51), Health Equity, Systems Modeling, Environmental Epidemiology, Risk Assessment, Global Health; Director, E.C.H. M.P.H. Program
Adjunct Professors
Sarav Arunachalam, Air Quality Modeling, Analyses, and Health Risk; Environmental Policy
Stephen Bennett, Natural Hazards Risk Modeling, Climate Risks for Reinsurance Underwriting, Extreme Weather and Climate Preparation and Response
Linda S. Birnbaum, Xenobiotic Metabolism, Biochemical Toxicology
Clarissa Brocklehurst, Water Supply and Sanitation
Daniel L. Costa, Pulmonary Toxicology
Felix Dodds, Sustainable Development, Finance, Climate, Environmental Security
Jonathan Freedman, Toxicology, Chemical Exposure, Risk Assessment
Shabbir H. Gheewala, Life Cycle Assessment
Jackie MacDonald Gibson, Water Quality, Environmental Justice, Risk Assessment
M. Ian Gilmour, Immunotoxicology
Ilona Jaspers, Environmental Toxicology, Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology
Marc Jeuland, Sustainability, Climate Resilience, Water and Health, Environmental Health Cost-Benefit Anaylsis
Urmila Kodavanti, Toxicology, Environmental Exposure Assessment, Health Effects
Valeria Ochoa-Herrera, Biological and Physico-Chemical Wastewater Treatment, Bioremediation, Biotechnology, Sustainability
Stephanie Padilla, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology
Hans W. Paerl (65), Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Marine and Freshwater Nutrient Cycling
Grace Patlewicz, Toxicology, Computational Modeling, Environmental Chemistry
David Peden, Immunotoxicology, Cardiopulmonary Toxicology, Translational and Clinical Research in Environmental Lung Disease
Joseph Pinto, Atmospheric Modeling
Joachim Pleil, Exposure Assessment
Havala Pye, Air Quality Modeling
Ana Rappold, Environmental Exposure Assessment, Climate Change, Wildfires and Air Quality
Jacky Rosati Rowe, Exposure Assessment
Aaron Salzberg, Water Supply Planning and Sanitation; Director, Water Institute
James M. Samet (67), Mechanistic Toxicology, Cardiopulmonary Toxicology, Ambient Air Pollutants
ManishKumar Shrivastava, Atmospheric Chemistry, Secondary Organic Aerosols, Earth Systems Modeling, Climate and Health Impacts
Jill R. Stewart (26), Water Quality Microbiology, Ecological Assessment and Prediction
Miroslav Styblo (79), Nutritional Biochemistry and Biochemical Toxicology
Bill Suk, Hazardous Substances Remediation, Environmental Toxicology, Children's Environmental Health
Cecilia Tan, Mechanisms of Environmental Exposure and Disease, Physiologically-based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Modeling
John Tomaro, Research Collaborator for the Water Institute
Cavin Ward-Caviness, Toxicology, Epidemiology, Exposure Science, Biological Chemistry, Computational Biology
Adjunct Associate Professors
Bok Haeng (B.H.) Baek, Atmospheric Chemistry and Emission Models, Emissions Trends, Air Pollution Control Response
Karsten Baumann, Aerosol Chemistry
Jared Bowden, Air Quality and Climate Modeling
Jada Brooks, Health Equity, Community Engaged Research, Environmental Justice
Kristin Isaacs, Human Exposure Modeling, Risk Assessment
P. Ozge Kaplan, Energy Systems Modeling, Climate Policy, Environmental Economics
Janice Lee, Human Health Risk Assessment, Susceptibility, Mode of Action, Systematic Review
Liz Naess, Ambient Air Quality Data Analysis, Science and Policy, Health Equity
Roger Sit, Radiation Physics
Thomas B. Starr, Risk Assessment
John Wambaugh, Computational Toxicology and Exposure
Anne Weaver, Environmental Health Effects, Epidemiology
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Celeste Carberry, Toxicological Mechanisms and Health Effects of Environmental Exposures
Rich Cravener, Healthy, Safety and Industrial Hygiene; NC OSHERC; NIOSH
Radhika Dhingra (132), Air Pollution, Epidemiology, Epigenetics, Health Effects
Sara Duncan, Environmental Exposure, Indoor Air, Occupational Exposure
Alexander S. Gorzalski, Water Treatment Engineering, Remediation, Disinfection By-Products, Membranes
Crystal Lee Pow Jackson, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology
Jordan Kern, Environmental Modeling, Systems Analysis, Financial Risk Management
Yong Ho Kim, Cardiopulmonary and Immunotoxicology, Air Pollution Chemistry, Health Effects
Lucas Rocha Melogno, Environmental Health Science, Policy Translation
Cassandra O'Lenick, Environmental Epidemiology
Javad Roostaei, Environmental Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, AI
Antonia Sebastian, Environmental Hazards, Flood Risk Reduction
Lauren Eaves Sellers, Environmental Exposure, Prenatal Health Effects, and Epigenetics
David Singleton, Environmental Microbiology
Frank J. Stillo, III, Risk Assessment, Risk Communication of Environmental Exposures in Drinking Water
W. Jon Wallace, Occupational Safety and Health Education
Professors Emeriti
Jamie Bartram
Russell F. Christman
Douglas Crawford-Brown
Francis A. DiGiano
Michael Flynn
Donald L. Fox
Harvey E. Jeffries
Rich Kamens
Pete Kolsky
Donald T. Lauria
David Leith
David H. Moreau
Mark S. Shuman
Howard Weinberg
Stephen C. Whalen
Donald Willhoit
Clinical Professor Emeritus
Donald E. Francisco
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
