ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENCE
been planned but not yet conducted on the Navajo Nation. Begay emphasized that some people are concerned about exposure from the mine in her community and want to be tested as part of studies on uranium health eects (Figure 2). She said others are con- cerned that their land rights will be aected by a study of uranium mining exposures. Begay suggested using the ATSDR Action Model (2019) for community engagement to identify ways to address these issues, pre- vent more exposures, and lower the negative health impacts from the uranium mining. • Brownfields and the Long-Lasting E ects They Can Have on Local Neighborhoods: Tracie Jones noted that brownfields fre- quently are not represented in federal envi- ronmental tools, such as My Environment (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2022). Drawing on a 2-week training on GIS and geospatial data science through the SIP at the University of New Mexico, Jones conducted surveillance of known brown- fields in Chinle, Nazlini, and Holbrook, Arizona. She superimposed and highlighted the locations of brownfields that have 1) not yet been identified by the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency or 2) received funding for assessment, which would tag them on My Environment or other federal maps. The map of brownfields in Chinle is shown in Figure 3. These maps could contribute to health professional and environmental professional knowledge of contaminated land on or near the Navajo Nation that could cause adverse health eects among community members. Another important learning experience for the students was the soilSHOP event that took place at a community health fair in Navajo, New Mexico (Photo 1). Students were able to use an XRF spectrometer and get hands-on experience in testing soil samples from their community areas. They measured lead and arsenic levels in soil samples brought in by Navajo residents. Under the guidance of an ATSDR health education specialist, the stu- dents were able to practice risk communica- tion to community members based on soil sampling results. With the help of a gradu- ate student peer mentor, the students learned to create a chart that described the sample results (Figure 4). NEHA conducted a full evaluation of the EHLR Immersion Training pilot. Most stu-
FIGURE 3
Map of Chinle Brownfield Sites
MyEnv Chinle, AZ
April 18, 2024
1:36,112
0
0.25
0.5
1
mi
Hazardous Waste (RCRAInfo)(Single)
0
0.4
0.8
1.6
km
Bureau of Land Management, Esri, HERE, Garmin, INCREMENT P, USGS, METI/NASA, EPA, USDA
Note. The map shows the Chinle brownfield sites (red circles) that were previously not indicated in federal environmental maps (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2022).
dents indicated that the modules in a) Com- munity Engagement, b) Evaluating Envi- ronmental and Health Risks, and c) Risk Communication increased their knowledge and self-perceived new skills to a great, good, or moderate extent. The full evaluation will be described in the second article of this series. Discussion and Conclusion During our collaboration, we were battling a global COVID-19 pandemic while learning how to shift from a face-to-face to a virtual learning environment. We had to learn how to work from home and how to keep people engaged in virtual learning. Despite these challenges, we trained >3,000 people, evalu- ated the EHLR Basic Training, and created and launched the EHLR Immersion Training. We learned many lessons during the pan- demic, which were transformative person- ally and professionally. For example, we drew on the BROWN partner group to pro- vide instruction during the 2021 Diné Col- lege SIP. In total, 20 members of BROWN
donated their time and expertise to provide the SIP students with exceptional instruc- tion and unique opportunities to engage with people all over the country from a variety of disciplines (e.g., environmental health, geol- ogy, environmental and occupational health, pediatric medicine, risk assessment). This approach would not have happened were it not for the pandemic, which neces- sitated the switch to a virtual classroom. In 2022, we incorporated the Navajo Nation mask mandate and bring the students into a professional conference (NEHA AEC) and a community environmental health educa- tion event. These experiences provided the students with additional opportunities for professional networking and environmen- tal health practice. As a result, one student might have an opportunity for an internship in aerospace engineering and another is con- sidering a graduate program in public health. Regardless of training modality or deliv- ery, our training evaluation illuminated the value of environmental health and
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Volume 86 • Number 10
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