Our Team
Principal Investigator
Chris Lim
Education:
Ph.D. Environmental Medicine, NYU School of Medicine
M.S. Biostatistics, Yale University
B.S. Environmental Engineering, Columbia University
Research Interests: My research interests include evaluating the health effects of environmental exposures and application of sensors for exposure assessment.
Postdoctoral Associates
Kylie Wilson
Education:
Ph.D. Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, Arizona State University, 2024
Research Interests: My interdisciplinary research explores how environmental and social factors influence behavior and health outcomes, aiming to promote active schools and communities through co-designed, sustainable strategies.
Maiya Block Ngaybe
Education:
Ph.D. Health Behavior Health Promotion, University of Arizona, 2024
M.P.H. Health Behavior Health Promotion, University of Arizona
Research Interests: My research focuses on understanding how neighborhood environments, particularly access to and quality of greenspace, influence cancer-related health outcomes and health inequities. I integrate mixed methods, community-engaged research, health behavior, and implementation science to examine how environmental interventions can be designed and implemented in communities experiencing disproportionate health and environmental burdens.
Doctoral Students
Jeonggyo Yoon
Education:
B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Gachon University, S.Korea, 2017
M.S. Preventive Medicine, Gachon University, S.Korea, 2019
Research Interests: I aim to research the impact of environmental factors and their effect on chronic diseases with a major interest in public health using geospatial, machine learning and experimental approaches. I am also interested in evaluating health inequalities and disparities using Environmental Justice lenses to assess the disproportionate effect of environmental risk factors in minority groups.
Grace Chao
Education:
B.A. in Public Health, University of Washington, 2018
MPH in Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, 2021
Research Interests: I am interested in exploring how changes in air quality and climate affect public health, and I use geospatial analysis to explore health impacts and climate-related disparities across communities.
Hassan Alzahir
Education:
MPH, University of Arizona
Research Interests: Heat exposure in occupational settings.
Mahdi Faraji
Education:
B.Sc. & M.Sc. both in Occupational Health Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University
Research: I am conducting research on integrating Air Pollution with Human Health Outcomes through AI and Big Data analytics, applying Machine Learning to develop EHS and ESG strategies to contribute to protecting vulnerable populations and promoting sustainable innovation in public health.
Ahmed Batobara
Education:
Medical Degree, Alexandria University, Egypt, 2012
Master of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 2024
Research Interests: I am interested in the intersection of environmental exposures, social determinants of health, and chronic diseases, focusing on how air pollution, climate, and built environment factors influence health. I also explore spatial analysis and machine learning methods to better understand health disparities at both local and global scales.
Goeun Jung
Education:
B.A. Geography, Kongju National University, S.Korea, 2020
M.A. Geography, Korea University, S.Korea, 2022
Research Interests: My research applies spatial analysis and spatial statistics to environmental health problems. I am interested in using human mobility data to examine how activity patterns shape personal air pollution exposure. I am also interested in air pollution exposure modeling and in examining geographic and environmental determinants affecting cancer incidence.
Louise Biville
Education:
Bachelor in History
Master in Geography and Water Management
Research Interests: I am a PhD candidate in Social Anthropology, working on the use of low-cost air quality sensors and the perceptions of air quality in Arizona.
MD Students
Logan Kenny
Education:
B.S. Political Science, Arizona State University, 2021
B.S. Biology, Arizona State University, 2024
Research Interests: I am interested in getting a better understanding of how inequalities in our healthcare system, and society at large, impact different communities.
Rebecca Avila
Education:
B.S. Biochemistry with minor in Psychology, Arizona State University, 2021
University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix (Expected May 2028)
Research Interests: I aim to research the health outcomes of underserved populations relating to the built environment, climate change, public policy, and resource access.
Arad Arasteh
Education:
B.S. Biological Sciences, Arizona State University, 2024
Research Interests: I am interested in leveraging data science and epidemiologic methods to study environmental exposures, health disparities, and population-level outcomes in public health.
Research Staff
Athira Satheesh
Education:
MPH, University of Arizona, 2025
Research Interests: Occupational health, cardiovascular impacts of air pollution.
Andrew Weesner
Education:
B.S. Economics, University of Arizona
Research Interests: Mobility, exposure disparities.
Alumni
Ian Estacio
Education:
Ph.D. Environmental Management, Kyoto University, Japan, 2023
M.S. Geomatics Engineering, University of the Philippines, Philippines, 2019
B.S. Geodetic Engineering, University of the Philippines, Philippines, 2016
Research Interests: Expertise in developing geospatial tools for understanding and predicting Earth system dynamics and human-environment feedback loops.
Co-mentored with: Cristian Román-Palacios
Rhiannon Curtis
Education:
B.S. Human Biology with minor in Statistics, North Carolina State University, 2022
M.S. Epidemiology, Georgetown University (Expected 2026)
Research Interests: My research interests include reproductive epidemiology, particularly reproductive cancers and the impact of environmental exposures on reproductive outcomes. I am also interested in the relationship between environmental factors and skin cancers, and have a special emphasis on applying geospatial methods to these areas.
Mojisola Ajayi
Education:
B.S. Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, 2023
Research Interests: I am interested in air pollution, climate change, and global health. I am also interested in improving environmental awareness in underserved communities.
Aracely Esquer
Research Focus: Environmental health research.
Background: Graduate student in environmental health sciences.