Environmental Justice Research Lab

EH MATTERS

EH MATTERS Environmental Health MethodologicAl, Trainings and Teaching EnterpriSE

We are currently not accepting new students into the program. 

Program Description

EH MATTERS offers USC undergraduate students from under-represented groups a paid, two-year, three-semester per year internship (Summer/Fall/Spring) to build capacity of diverse students to engage in environmental health sciences and community health disparities research. Rising sophomore and juniors are encouraged to apply.

This community-engaged environmental health research program will expand students’ understanding of fundamental concepts in environmental health, exposure, susceptibility, risk, and health disparities. This formal training will provide a basis for a firm academic understanding of community environmental health disparity issues and firsthand experiences that look at environmental health through the lens of environmental justice.

Program Objectives

• Students will understand how urban health disparities and environmental exposures intersect and interact in communities, and how to leverage action-oriented research;

• Students will develop the necessary skills to successfully engage in community-driven environmental health research to address environmental health disparities;

• Students will build skills and confidence to pursue graduate education and careers in environmental health sciences.

Mentoring

Each EH MATTERS participant will be paired with a faculty research mentor with whom they will work as a paid intern during their two-year program.

Current and past mentors are pictured below. To learn more, click on their name.

Max Aung

Assistant Professor, Division of Environmental Health

Shohreh Farzan

Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine

JIll-Johnston

Jill Johnston

Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine

Megan Herting

Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine

Tracy Bastain

Associate Professor of Clinical Preventive Medicine

Jesse Goodrich

Assistant Professor of Population & Public Health Sciences

An-Min Wu

Assistant Professor of Spatial Sciences

Ans Irfan

Clinical Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences

Rob McConnell

Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences

Carrie Breton

Professor of Preventive Medicine

Khandaker Talat Islam

Assistant Professor of Research Population and Public Health Sciences

Zhanghua Chen

Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine

Erika Garcia

Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine

Rima Habre

Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine

Program Highlights

• Students will receive an hourly wage for internship hours (10 hours/week Fall and Spring, 36 hours a week for Summer)

• Highly competitive research positions in environmental health research

• Faculty mentors in the Division of Environmental Health, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine

• Students will have the opportunity to be mentored by peers (graduate and post-graduate students)

• Community engaged research skill-building: Through field trips, lectures, and in-person visits, students will gain exposure to community-based environmental justice organizations, public officials, and policy makers throughout Southern California

• Academic enrichment: Students will have access to course content in related course in undergrad and graduate programs including Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine to increase the ability to successfully compete for acceptance into a doctoral program.

• Research skill-building workshops focusing on:

  1. Developing and
  2. Designing a Research Question
  3. Understanding Health Disparities
  4. Epidemiological Study Designs and Analysis
  5. Approaches in Measuring Exposures, Health and Communities

Program Eligibility

1. All Native (American Indian or Alaskan Native), African-American, Hispanic, Hawaiian Native or Pacific Islander;

2. Students in at least one of the following categories (including international students and permanent residents);

a. A language other than English the primary language spoken at home
b. First Generation College
c. Identifying as LBGTQIA+
d. Identifying as multiracial
f. Immigrant students

3. Must have completed at least one year of undergraduate study to apply;

4. Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 or greater;

5. Students who qualify for Federal Work Study funding (students who do not qualify are also considered).

Selection will be based on:

  • Student’s academic achievements
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Essay and completed application

 

Program Application

Fall 2023 Applications Are Now Closed

The EH MATTERS program application is an online form. In addition to filling out the application form, you will need to upload the indicated documents in PDF format before submitting your application. Although it is recommended to try and fill out the application in one sitting, the application may be saved and worked on at a different time. If you choose to save and continue your application later, a unique web link will be sent to the email you indicate.

Short answer essay questions: Through answering a series of questions, you will address your fit for the program.

Unofficial college transcripts: As part of your application, you will need to upload a copy of an unofficial transcript. An unofficial transcript will be issued by your university or college registrar’s office but may be accessed through a student portal. An unofficial transcript may also be a physical, official copy that you have opened and uploaded. Avoid uploading degree progress reports, grade audits, or similar printouts; these do not count as unofficial transcripts.

Preferred grade report from the USC student portal: Completed Course Summary from the OASIS system
Not preferred/Do not include: STARS Report from the OASIS system

  • Acceptable unofficial transcripts from U.S. institutions must:
    • Have the word “transcript” on the document
    • Have the name of your institution attended or are attending
    • Include the student’s name, program of study, and major of study
    • Include a term-by-term breakdown of each completed course with its corresponding units and grade
    • Be clearly legible

Two letters of recommendation: One letter from USC or other college faculty; and one letter from a former work or internship supervisor.

Letters must be submitted by the person of reference through the reference portal. Students must send the link to the recommendation portal to their persons of reference and indicate who they have sent the link to in the online application.

Download the program description and application information here.

Program Directors: Jill Johnston and Max Aung

Program Administrator: Dayane Duenas Barahona (duenasga@usc.edu)

Program Coordinator: Janelle Vidal (janellev@usc.edu)

 

EH MATTERS is funded by NIEHS Grant #R25ES031867