Amanda Wilson wins international young scientist award

Amanda Wilson, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, received the 2025 Joan M. Daisey Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the International Society of Exposure Science. 

The International Society of Exposure Science brings together an international community of professionals to support public health, especially focused on exposures from indoor and outdoor environments. The society provides opportunities for career development, exchanges of new research findings and ideas, and networking with exposure scientists across the world.

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Wilson, who is in the Department of Community, Environment and Policy, joined the college’s faculty in 2021 after completing her postdoctoral training at the University of Utah in the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. Prior to this, she earned both a master’s and a doctorate from the Zuckerman College of Public Health. 

“I was shocked to receive the news that I received this award and felt a deep sense of gratitude,” said Wilson, who is also a member of the BIO5 Institute. “It feels like the culmination of not only a lot of hard work but also a lot of enriching, collaborative relationships. Seeing all the support for me in the form of nomination letters from colleagues and mentors made me realize how wonderfully supportive my scientific community is.”

The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the science of human exposure analysis by a young scientist.

Some of Wilson’s research focuses on investigating risk tradeoffs related to hygiene protocols in health care. An example of this is work-related asthma risks posed by intensified cleaning and disinfection protocols for workers versus infections driven by less intensive protocols. 

“Amanda Wilson is an exceptional early career scientist whose work is changing the way we approach exposure science in public health,” said Kelly Reynolds, PhD, MSPH, a professor and department chair of Community Environment and Policy in the Zuckerman College of Public Health. “Her research on microbial risk assessment, risk-risk tradeoffs and community-informed tools is both innovative and deeply impactful. Receiving the Joan M. Daisey Award reflects not only her national leadership in the field but also the strength of the interdisciplinary research culture we foster at the Zuckerman College of Public Health.” 

Wilson said one of the things she appreciates most about working within the U of A Health Sciences is the commitment to a culture of collaboration. 

“The challenges we face in public health are increasingly complex and require a lot of creative, multidisciplinary brainpower. It’s through our collective efforts that we accomplish meaningful impact,” Wilson said. “There have been countless times where I turned to a mentor with a new research idea, and they said, ‘I know someone here who is working on a part of that, and I think you could work really well together.’” 

Wilson has been a member of the society since 2020 and has served on several committees within the organization. Last year, she began an elected three-year term as an academic councilor on the society’s board of directors. 

“As a core faculty member of the U of A’s Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center, Amanda helps lead collaborative efforts that translate complex science into practical tools for schools, health care and environmental decision makers,” said Reynolds, the center’s director. “Through her interdisciplinary projects and community partnerships, she elevates our college’s research profile and inspires the next generation of public health scientists.”