Name: Vanessa Eileen Galaviz
Department: Environmental and Occupational
Hygiene, Department of Environmental and
Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health
Year in School: PhD Candidate
Ethnicity: Chicana
Hometown: Palmdale, CA
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/vanessaegalaviz
Vanessa Galaviz supports the San Ysidro community in California with her research on personal exposure and uptake of diesel particulate matter (DPM) among pedestrians who cross the U.S.-Mexico border. 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) is a major constituent of DPM and recent research has indicated 1-NP as an exposure marker for DPM due to its abundance and minimal contribution from other non-diesel sources. In addition, the applicability and utilization of 1-NP as a prominent DPM marker is strengthened in that biomarkers specific to 1-NP can be collected and quantified in urine. Utilizing biological and environmental sampling, her work as a doctoral student in the Environmental and Occupational Hygiene program will be used to support the recommendations of the local community group, Casa Familiar, and to provide information to the San Ysidro Community Group as well as the San Ysidro Smart Border Coalition, ensuring that the redevelopment planning already underway by the US Government takes into account community concerns.
The UW SACNAS Chapter is proud to announce that Vanessa will be receiving the Community Volunteer Award for the School of Public Health’s Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 12, 2012. Congratulations, Vanessa!
