This July, I returned from a six-month fellowship in Thailand, where I focused on building capacity in children's environmental health (CEH). Through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program , I was a lecturer in international and public health at Mahidol University and the Chulabhorn Research Institute in Bangkok. I also worked with faculty to develop CEH research and training programs and to set up a mentoring program connecting students with potential resources and experienced researchers.

In return, I had an opportunity to hear about similar research programs and gain new perspectives on how we can translate the important work we do here at NIEHS.

South and Southeast Asia has many ethnic groups and languages. Understanding these different cultures and their histories is essential to translating basic research into knowledge that can be used to protect health. Moving from scientific advances into disease prevention requires strong public health leadership and anthropological research that explores both differences and commonalities between populations. By understanding and engaging different communities, we add value to our research through dissemination that benefits the most people.

By participating in a variety of workshops, I met inspiring people and enjoyed fruitful discussions about global CEH needs. These experiences emphasized the importance of broadening our networks with informed connections around the world.

I heard from early-career researchers doing innovative work in areas important to NIEHS and the Superfund Research Program, such as understanding how exposures early in life can lead to later-life disease.

If you would like to read more about my fellowship, related articles are in the NIEHS Environmental Factor and the NIEHS Global Environmental Health Newsletter.

CEH research is a priority for NIEHS and an important part of the SRP. Children and infants are especially vulnerable to pollution and other environmental factors that may cause serious health problems. An important global health goal moving forward is improving how we use basic research to develop innovative tools for intervention and prevention approaches to reduce exposures and their effects. In our Feature Story, we highlight exciting CEH work from our SRP network that is moving us toward this goal.

Kind regards,
William A. Suk, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Director
Superfund Research Program