The Bachelor of Science in Public Well being, set to get started fall 2024, will examine environmental well being challenges that are prominent in Imperial Valley.
Miguel Zavala, associate professor in the College of Public Well being at SDSU Imperial Valley, saw harm to neighborhood agricultural landscapes in his hometown close to Guanajuato, Mexico, from what he stated had been a outcome of activities by manufacturing industries. The effects had been so profound, he stated, that quite a few of his close relatives had been beginning to have well being challenges.
“When you are in a modest, tight-knit neighborhood who perform each and every day in agriculture or manufacturing industries, your motivation is to offer for your family members and move forward with perform duties,” stated Zavala. “Yet, when you see folks about you beginning to get sick to the point of hospitalization, it opens your eyes to the lengthy-term disparities that a damaging atmosphere has on people of all ages.”
At the time, Zavala had tiny awareness of environmental well being as it relates to the study of public well being. Pulling from his individual experiences, Zavala’s existing analysis focuses on air pollution.
Zavala, alongside assistant professors of environmental health Linda Lara-Jacobo and Kai-Chung Cheng, will be launching SDSU Imperial Valley’s new Bachelor of Science in Public Well being degree system to bolster the quantity of neighborhood public well being specialists inside the area. The system is anticipated to be presented fall 2024.
“We have passionate, committed students who see the impacts of water and air pollution in our area and want to make a lasting transform in our neighborhood,” said Guillermina Gina Nunez-Mchiri, dean of SDSU Imperial Valley. “Our new public well being key will expand profession possibilities and enhance a mighty group of neighborhood authorities to boost advocacy, assistance and analysis that we require in the Imperial Valley.”
The perform of public well being specialists entails ongoing analysis to create, implement and assess applications to lessen threats to individuals’ well being. According to Zavala, public well being specialists are also heavily involved in connecting with neighborhood members by way of advocacy, education, and producing countywide sources that will enhance their high-quality of life.
“Public well being is all about neighborhood,” stated Zavala. “You ingrain oneself into the socio-financial well being disparities that folks knowledge and you obtain action-primarily based options that will make a distinction in the lives of these you care about. For me, it has been a incredibly rewarding journey.”
The new Bachelor of Science in Public Well being degree system will specialize in disciplines of epidemiology, environmental well being, occupational well being, well being solutions administration and behavioral well being. By way of this system, students will have internship possibilities with regional organizations to receive jobs in hospitals, government agencies, international applications, private/volunteer agencies and clinics. Students can also pursue a Master of Public Well being degree at SDSU.
SDSU Imperial Valley’s new public well being system builds on the university’s perform to continue to expand its degree offerings and student assistance solutions. In May perhaps 2022, the university announced the creation of a new, accelerated pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) system. The SDSU Imperial Valley BSN system offers freshman entry students the chance to comprehensive their BSN in 3 years and transfer eligible students in two years.