After earning her bachelor’s degree from UK College of Public Health (CPH), Marissa English knew she wanted to explore her academic interests more deeply. English recently graduated with a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree where she focused her research on environmental factors influencing asthma.
Her capstone project was sparked by a presentation on air quality data by UK CPH faculty member Dr. Yisi Liu. During the lecture, students learned about Dr. Liu’s work in assessing the impact of air pollution and heat exposure on human health. At the time, English was interning at the Kentucky Department of Public Health where she was establishing a dashboard about extreme heat. This shared interest led English to ask Dr. Liu, a newly hired assistant professor in Epidemiology and Environmental Health, to work together for her capstone project. “(We are) like colleagues,” English said. “We are learning from each other.”
The project collected annual averages of six air pollutants, temperature data and asthma emergency department visit rates for each of the 120 counties in Kentucky from 2008 to 2019, assessing the combined effects. After looking at confounding factors such as race, ethnicity, smoking and obesity, the data found there was a significant impact of pollutants on asthma emergency department visits on warmer and colder days as compared to normal days.
English’s research provides insights for future warning systems for regions experiencing high air pollution concentrations, warning the population of extreme conditions, and protecting their respiratory health. “It has been a true privilege to mentor Marissa during her MPH capstone project,” Dr. Liu said. “She is a motivated student with strong independence. I am impressed by her analytical rigor, thoughtful engagement with real-world challenges, and commitment to public health. I am confident she will continue making meaningful contributions to public health practice and research throughout her career.”
Currently, English is working to publish her capstone project while exploring long-term career opportunities in epidemiology. She is also considering continuing her education through a doctoral program in epidemiology and biostatistics—ideally, right back where it all started, at the University of Kentucky.
English credits the University of Kentucky—and particularly the College of Public Health—for supporting her growth as a scholar. “I liked how friendly everyone was, and anywhere you go, no matter what group you are part of, it feels very close-knit and welcoming,” she said.
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