Environmental Health Scientist
March 29, 2024
Updated April 13, 2025
16 minute read
Exploring a Career as an Environmental Health Scientist
Environmental Health Science is a fascinating and vital field dedicated to understanding how environmental factors impact human health and well-being. Professionals in this area investigate the complex interplay between people and their surroundings – encompassing the air they breathe, the water they drink, the food they eat, and the physical spaces they inhabit. They work diligently to identify potential hazards, assess risks, and develop strategies to prevent disease and promote healthier communities.
Working as an Environmental Health Scientist can be deeply rewarding. You might find yourself pioneering research on the health effects of emerging contaminants, designing interventions to protect vulnerable populations from pollution, or advising policymakers on regulations that safeguard public health. This career offers a unique blend of scientific investigation, problem-solving, and community engagement, allowing you to make a tangible difference in people's lives and the health of the planet.
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Find a path to becoming a Environmental Health Scientist. Learn more at:
OpenCourser.com/career/jutrve/environmental
Reading list
We've selected some books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Environmental Health Scientist.
David Quammen traces disease detectives across rainforests, caves, and wet markets to show how Hendra, Ebola, SARS, and HIV leap from wildlife reservoirs into humans. Essential reading for grasping the ecological mechanics of spillover and why habitat disruption accelerates pandemic risk.
Laurie Garrett delivers an encyclopedic investigative chronicle of emerging microbes from Marburg and Lassa fever to hantavirus and drug-resistant pathogens. Learners gain deep historical context on how urbanization, deforestation, and strained public health systems fuel modern outbreaks.
Serves as a foundational text for understanding Planetary Health, offering a comprehensive introduction to the field. It explores how the degradation of Earth's natural systems impacts human health across various domains, including food, infectious diseases, and mental health. This valuable resource for students and professionals seeking a broad overview and is often used as a textbook in academic settings.
Virologist Nathan Wolfe draws on field surveillance in Central African bushmeat markets to explain how animal retroviruses and novel pathogens cross species barriers. Bridges evolutionary biology and global viral forecasting to show how early detection can intercept pandemics before they ignite.
Drawing on interviews with nearly a hundred virologists, David Quammen dissects the scientific race to decode SARS-CoV-2, trace its bat coronavirus lineage, and track rapid viral evolution. Ideal for understanding modern genomic surveillance and real-time outbreak investigation.
Epidemiologist Michael Osterholm translates decades of outbreak response into an actionable blueprint for confronting pandemic influenza, coronaviruses, and antimicrobial resistance. Equips public health learners with concrete strategies for vaccine stockpiling, biosafety, and crisis readiness.
Richard Preston reconstructs the Reston ebolavirus incident and early African filovirus outbreaks with vivid narrative precision. Introduces learners to biosafety level 4 containment protocols, hemorrhagic fever pathology, and the urgent biosecurity stakes of primate-borne viruses.
Focusing on a critical aspect of Planetary Health, this book provides a comprehensive review of the health impacts of climate change. It covers a wide range of health issues, from infectious diseases to mental health, and discusses mitigation and adaptation policies. The second edition is updated with the latest scientific evidence and includes chapters on climate justice, making it a valuable resource for understanding contemporary topics.
A French translation of the book "Social Determinants of Health" by Marmot.
Provides a comprehensive history of quarantine, from its origins in the Middle Ages to its modern-day applications. It explores the ethical, legal, and social implications of quarantine, and offers insights into the ways in which it has been used to control the spread of disease.
Sonia Shah maps the ecological and infrastructural pathways that carry pathogens from wild animal hosts into dense cities, linking cholera, West Nile virus, and Ebola. Clarifies how industrial livestock, global trade, and climate shifts repeatedly turn localized spillovers into global crises.
An in-depth exploration of the social factors that influence health, such as income, education, and social support. Written by a leading expert in the field, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the evidence and its implications for public health policy and practice.
Carl Zimmer offers crisp, accessible essays on viral biology spanning influenza, Ebola, rabies, and SARS-CoV-2 alongside ancient endogenous retroviruses. Perfect for building foundational virological literacy on how viruses mutate, jump hosts, and reshape ecosystems across species.
Explores the ongoing extinction crisis, a critical component of planetary environmental change with significant implications for human health and well-being. It provides a compelling look at the impact of human activity on biodiversity, which is directly relevant to the ecological foundations of Planetary Health. [B]
Provides an environmental history of the period since 1945, highlighting the accelerating pace of human impact on the planet. It explains the causes and consequences of this 'Great Acceleration,' including trends in climate change and urbanization, which are highly relevant to understanding the context of Planetary Health in the Anthropocene.
Salkeld, Hopkins, and Hayman synthesize wildlife disease ecology, mathematical epidemiology, and conservation biology to model cross-species pathogen transmission. Rigorous graduate-level training for analyzing reservoir host dynamics, biodiversity loss, and land-use drivers of emergence.
Presents a stark and urgent picture of the potential impacts of climate change if significant action is not taken. It delves into the cascading effects of warming on various aspects of human life and the planet, serving as a critical, albeit challenging, read for understanding the stakes involved in Planetary Health. It highlights contemporary topics and future challenges. [D]
Physician Laura H. Kahn compares SARS-CoV-1, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2 through a One Health lens to examine wildlife markets, camel and civet reservoirs, and gain-of-function biosafety debates. Helps policy and health learners connect molecular spillover evidence with geopolitical realities.
Delves into the issue of environmental racism and its impact on the health and lives of people in affected communities. It provides in-depth case studies and analysis of how industrial pollution and other environmental hazards are linked to race and socioeconomic status, offering a critical perspective on environmental justice within Planetary Health.
Connects environmentalism with social justice, highlighting how environmental issues disproportionately affect marginalized communities. It provides a crucial perspective on equity within the context of environmental challenges, which is increasingly recognized as vital to Planetary Health. This is particularly relevant for understanding the social determinants of health in a planetary context.
Jakob Zinsstag and an international team establish the quantitative and operational foundations of integrated human-animal-ecosystem health. Covers joint epidemiological surveillance, economic valuation of zoonosis control, and empirical field studies across pastoral and urban settings.
A comprehensive history of public health. Written by a leading expert in the field, this book provides a detailed and authoritative account of the development of public health from its origins to the present day.
Explores the application of HIA to assess the health impacts of climate change. It provides guidance on how to identify and quantify the health risks associated with climate change and discusses strategies for adaptation and mitigation.
Offers an accessible introduction to the One Health concept, which is closely related to Planetary Health and emphasizes the links between human, animal, and environmental health. It provides an overview from different disciplinary perspectives and includes case studies, making it useful for gaining a broad understanding of interconnected health issues.
Rolf Bauerfeind and specialist coauthors provide an authoritative clinical and microbiological reference covering viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic zoonoses. Indispensable for veterinary and medical students needing pathogen-by-pathogen details on reservoirs, vectors, diagnostics, and prophylaxis.
William E. Sander delivers an applied practitioner handbook for cross-sector outbreak investigation, uniting veterinarians, physicians, and environmental scientists. Demonstrates practical surveillance workflows and field coordination for tackling emerging zoonoses and vector-borne threats.
Specifically links our food choices and agricultural systems to climate change, offering practical solutions for creating a more sustainable food system. It aligns well with the 'Sustainable Food Systems' course and provides actionable insights for individuals interested in the food-health-environment nexus within Planetary Health. [G]
A comprehensive textbook that provides a global perspective on health and disease. Written by a team of leading experts in the field, this book covers a wide range of topics, from infectious diseases to chronic diseases to health systems.
This handbook explores the complex relationship between urban environments and public health. Given the course on 'HEALTHY URBAN SYSTEMS', this book provides valuable insights into how urban planning and design can impact health outcomes, addressing issues like air quality, access to green spaces, and social inequities in urban settings, all relevant to Planetary Health in urban contexts.
Explores the history of energy consumption and its link to climate change and environmental degradation. It provides a clear and accessible explanation of complex scientific concepts, making it valuable for gaining a broad understanding of the environmental challenges that underpin Planetary Health. It offers important context for the 'Climate Change and Health' course. [A]
Martyn Jeggo and John S. MacKenzie examine high-consequence bat- and rodent-borne zoonoses alongside endemic threats like bovine tuberculosis and rabies. Demonstrates why coordinated cross-sectoral surveillance across wildlife, livestock, and public health agencies is vital for outbreak control.
This textbook offers a broad overview of environmental health, covering a wide range of topics relevant to Planetary Health, including air and water quality, climate change, and environmental justice. It provides foundational knowledge in the relationship between the environment and human health, making it a useful reference or preparatory text.
Oreta Samples and colleagues systematically map major viral, bacterial, parasitic, and arthropod-borne zoonoses onto clinical One Health workflows. Designed for veterinary and public health trainees mastering causative agents, clinical signs, diagnostic testing, and prevention protocols.
Ripan Biswas and fellow veterinary microbiologists present contemporary frameworks for mitigating zoonotic spillover across intensive farming, companion animals, and wildlife interfaces. Equips students with up-to-date surveillance concepts, biosecurity standards, and integrated control strategies.
Former CDC outbreak director Ali S. Khan recounts frontline field responses to hantavirus, Ebola, SARS, and anthrax to expose operational vulnerabilities in global disease detection. Offers grounded lessons in field epidemiology, contact tracing, and rapid containment logistics.
A comprehensive textbook that provides a theoretical and practical overview of health behavior. Written by a leading expert in the field, this book covers a wide range of topics, from health promotion to disease prevention to health education.
Medical anthropologist Paul Farmer investigates the 2014 West African Ebola epidemic to reveal how colonial extraction and gutted health infrastructure turn zoonotic spillovers into mass fatalities. Crucial cross-disciplinary perspective linking clinical care equity with outbreak containment.
This influential book examines the factors that have contributed to the collapse of past societies, with a significant focus on environmental problems. While not solely about health, it provides crucial historical context and highlights the long-term consequences of unsustainable practices, a core theme in Planetary Health. It's a valuable resource for understanding the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and political factors.
Explores the scientific evidence for the benefits of nature on human health and well-being. It highlights the importance of preserving natural spaces for human health, a key aspect of Planetary Health, and provides a different lens through which to view the human-nature connection. [H]
Historian William H. McNeill reframes human civilization around the ecological shock of animal domestication and cross-species pathogen exchange. Illuminates how livestock herd diseases evolved into endemic human plagues that toppled empires and reshaped global demographics.
Laura H. Kahn traces how routine antibiotic use in industrial livestock drives drug-resistant bacteria across food chains, soil, and human hospitals. Essential specialized reading on the agricultural and regulatory dimensions of zoonotic microbial threats.
Published in 1989, this book was one of the first to warn the public about the dangers of climate change. While some of the science has evolved, its core message about the profound impact of human activity on the planet's natural systems remains highly relevant and provides important historical context for contemporary Planetary Health discussions. It is considered a classic environmental text. [F]
Katie Woolaston and Jane Kotzmann analyze the legal, regulatory, and governance barriers dividing wildlife conservation, agricultural policy, and human public health agencies. Provides legal scholars and policy practitioners with concrete frameworks for institutionalizing One Health mandates.
A seminal work in conservation and environmental ethics, this book articulates a 'land ethic' that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living things and the environment. While published decades before the term 'Planetary Health' was coined, its philosophy is deeply aligned with the core principles of the field and is considered a classic in environmental thought.
This novel tells the story of a group of people who are quarantined together during a plague outbreak. It explores the psychological and emotional effects of quarantine, and the ways in which it can bring people together and tear them apart.
Explores the integration of HIA into Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). It provides guidance on how to assess the health impacts of proposed developments and projects, ensuring that health concerns are considered alongside environmental factors.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/career/jutrve/environmental
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