Grand Canyon Times

Marc Verhougstraete, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, is participating in the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Science & Technology Policy Fellowships this academic year. He has been placed with the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy in Washington, D.C., where he will work on establishing a new energy-water resilience program.

Verhougstraete serves as director of the Rural Health Professions Program at the Arizona Center for Rural Health and co-director for the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center. His research aims to reduce exposure to waterborne contaminants and develop health-oriented interventions focused on rural and vulnerable communities.

“I’m honored to have been selected for this competitive fellowship,” Verhougstraete stated. “Being an AAAS STP Fellow will provide me another opportunity to serve society while connecting my scientific skills to advance policy that generates large scale environmental health improvements.”

Iman Hakim, MD, PhD, MPH, dean of the Zuckerman College of Public Health, praised Verhougstraete's selection: “I am delighted that Marc’s expertise is being recognized in this way. He has done so much important water quality research in rural communities, and he understands the value of translating research into policies that improve health for all.”

Dan Derksen, MD, director of the Center for Rural Health at U of A Health Sciences and a former Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow, commented on the fellowship's significance: “It’s a great honor and a terrific opportunity for Marc to gain skills and develop relationships that will advance his academic career and benefit the students and faculty at the University of Arizona.”

Verhougstraete expressed enthusiasm about how this experience could benefit students: “I’m also excited to see the doors this experience will open for our students. Witnessing students get excited for topics that I am also passionate about is a driver for my career.”

The AAAS annually partners with branches of the U.S. government and over 30 sponsoring societies to bridge science with policy.

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