Nicolas Lopez-Galvez Receives Recognition for Work on Migration and Health
Nicolas Lopez-Galvez, MPH, MA, a doctoral student in environmental health at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, was recognized for his work investigating kidney function in migrant farm workers in the U.S.-Mexico border region. As a recipient of the Marshall Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, he will receive support to complete his doctoral dissertation through both a stipend and a scholarship that will cover in-state base graduate tuition.
Lopez-Galvez’s work will help protect farm workers’ kidney health in the U.S.-Mexico border region.
Lopez-Galvez also received an award from Research Programs on Migration and Health, which will provide funding for extra sampling and data analysis necessary to complete his dissertation. The program, which is called PIMSA for its Spanish acronym, is a binational effort between Mexico and the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health.
“It is an honor to have received the Marshall Foundation Dissertation Fellowship Award and the PIMSA research award. I am also thankful for the support provided from my mentors and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health,” Lopez-Galvez said. “These awards will help me to complete our analyses and disseminate findings to push for the implementation of future accurate interventions that protect farm workers.”
Lopez-Galvez conducts his research under the mentorship of Paloma I. Beamer, PhD, associate professor of environmental health sciences and current president of the International Society of Exposure Science. Her research focuses on understanding how individuals are exposed to environmental contaminants and the health risks they face as a result, with a special focus on vulnerable populations, including children, low-wage immigrant workers, Native Americans and residents of the U.S.-Mexico border region.
“It has been a pleasure to mentor Nico. These awards are a testament to his development as a scholar, but of even more importance is that he is an up-and-coming scholar dedicated to achieving health equity for these most at-risk workers who continue to provide us with food during these uncertain times,” Dr. Beamer said. “Nico and his research exemplify the potential impact of a college of public health at a Hispanic-Serving Institution.”