Chelsea recently completed Montana’s first ever Climate and Human Health Course at UM. She is studying global health through a year-long certificate program through the School of Public and Community Health Sciences at UM.
Her end-of-course project focused on what wildfires, a manifestation of climate change, mean for Montana and for vulnerable populations.
If she could convince everyone of one important fact related to climate, it would be “opportunity.” Intrigued?
Where are you from? If not MT, how did you come to be in MT.
I was born and raised just outside of Arcata, California, located on the northern California coast. I first had the opportunity to spend time in Montana in 2017 when I was hired as an interpretive park ranger at Yellowstone National Park. I quickly fell in love with the natural beauty, rich history, and open spaces of Montana. I was thrilled when the opportunity arose to move to Missoula in 2020 for graduate studies in Public Health at the University of Montana, as I already knew that I loved this part of the country and could envision planting roots here.
What are you studying in school and which school and what is your anticipated career?
Over this last year, I have been studying global health through a year-long certificate program through the School of Public and Community Health Sciences at UMT. I recently completely this certificate and was accepted to the department’s PhD program in Public Health. I am thrilled to begin coursework for the program this fall. In my PhD program I plan to study the interplay between sociocultural determinants of health and disease and conceptualizations of subjective well-being. More specifically, as communities adapt to complex stressors and changes, such as infrastructural development, climate change, and various risks and hazards, how is well-being impacted and how do individuals assess it for themselves? I am also interested in understanding what would enhance or improve well-being as communities adapt to such stressors.
What made you take the climate and health course?
I first became interested in climate change issues while working as a park ranger in Yellowstone National Park and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. In both parks, environmental changes are palpable, with everything from visible glacial retreat, fire-scarred landscapes, and reduced snowpack. Hearing stories from local people who had observed profound changes on these landscapes over time and the impacts of these changes to community and individual identity, livelihoods, wildlife, etc. have inspired an interest in better understanding both the material and psychological impacts of climate change. Although I have had exposure to environmental change issues in professional settings, I had yet to develop an academic understanding of anthropogenic climate change prior to coursework at the University of Montana. I decided to take the climate change change class to develop more confidence in terms of how to undertake research that incorporates a concern for the impacts of climate change on human health and well-being.
Tell us about your class project.
My final reflection project for the semester focused on examining some of the key lessons of the course through the lens of a key climate change issue in Montana: increasing wildfire size, frequency, and intensity. One of the major takeaways of the course was that manifestations of climate change, such as increasing wildfires, will be the number one public health concern of the 21st century. For instance, in Montana many counties received an F grade by the American Lung Association for particulate matter air pollution, with wildfires contributing substantially to these particulate levels. For me, one of the most impactful takeaways of the course, beyond the human health impacts of climate change, is that health disparities related to climate often allude to environmental justice issues and social determinants of health. For instance, we learned that poverty is risk factor for disproportionate health impacts related to wildfire smoke, as those of lower socioeconomic status are five times as likely to develop COPD compared to individuals earning 75,000 or more annually. Finally, enhancing individual and community resilience in the face of wildfires in Montana is achievable and involves policy, practice, and communication strategies. Meeting the myriad challenges of climate change requires more than individual actions, but broad-cased structural and social changes.
What were people's reaction to the project?
I received some positive and useful feedback to this presentation. In particular, one of the students in the class has spent over a decade in the Forest Service and had some interesting insights into wildfire management and policies. The student highlighted some of the good work the Forest Service does and also raised two incredibly important questions: “Why are we not advocating for more research into how to properly manage our public lands? How to mitigate fuel loading and prevent fires?”
What is the most important takeaway for you for the course?
As I mentioned above, I think the most important takeaway for me from the course is that the human health impacts of climate change will be the number one public health concern of the 21st century.
If you could convince everyone of one important fact related to climate, what would that be?
The word “opportunity” comes to mind when I think of this question. Climate change conversations are understandably often heavy and filled with a sense of dread. However, a huge takeaway from the course is that future losses—whether wildlife species, environmental degradation, or ways of life—can in some cases be prevented through solutions-focused actions now.
Hobbies or sports?
I love anything that has to do with the outdoors, or playing with my dog in the outdoors. While working as ranger in Glacier Bay I was introduced to sea kayaking. I am excited to take a multi-week sea-kayaking trip this summer with a close friend.
Her end-of-course project focused on what wildfires, a manifestation of climate change, mean for Montana and for vulnerable populations.
If she could convince everyone of one important fact related to climate, it would be “opportunity.” Intrigued?
Where are you from? If not MT, how did you come to be in MT.
I was born and raised just outside of Arcata, California, located on the northern California coast. I first had the opportunity to spend time in Montana in 2017 when I was hired as an interpretive park ranger at Yellowstone National Park. I quickly fell in love with the natural beauty, rich history, and open spaces of Montana. I was thrilled when the opportunity arose to move to Missoula in 2020 for graduate studies in Public Health at the University of Montana, as I already knew that I loved this part of the country and could envision planting roots here.
What are you studying in school and which school and what is your anticipated career?
Over this last year, I have been studying global health through a year-long certificate program through the School of Public and Community Health Sciences at UMT. I recently completely this certificate and was accepted to the department’s PhD program in Public Health. I am thrilled to begin coursework for the program this fall. In my PhD program I plan to study the interplay between sociocultural determinants of health and disease and conceptualizations of subjective well-being. More specifically, as communities adapt to complex stressors and changes, such as infrastructural development, climate change, and various risks and hazards, how is well-being impacted and how do individuals assess it for themselves? I am also interested in understanding what would enhance or improve well-being as communities adapt to such stressors.
What made you take the climate and health course?
I first became interested in climate change issues while working as a park ranger in Yellowstone National Park and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. In both parks, environmental changes are palpable, with everything from visible glacial retreat, fire-scarred landscapes, and reduced snowpack. Hearing stories from local people who had observed profound changes on these landscapes over time and the impacts of these changes to community and individual identity, livelihoods, wildlife, etc. have inspired an interest in better understanding both the material and psychological impacts of climate change. Although I have had exposure to environmental change issues in professional settings, I had yet to develop an academic understanding of anthropogenic climate change prior to coursework at the University of Montana. I decided to take the climate change change class to develop more confidence in terms of how to undertake research that incorporates a concern for the impacts of climate change on human health and well-being.
Tell us about your class project.
My final reflection project for the semester focused on examining some of the key lessons of the course through the lens of a key climate change issue in Montana: increasing wildfire size, frequency, and intensity. One of the major takeaways of the course was that manifestations of climate change, such as increasing wildfires, will be the number one public health concern of the 21st century. For instance, in Montana many counties received an F grade by the American Lung Association for particulate matter air pollution, with wildfires contributing substantially to these particulate levels. For me, one of the most impactful takeaways of the course, beyond the human health impacts of climate change, is that health disparities related to climate often allude to environmental justice issues and social determinants of health. For instance, we learned that poverty is risk factor for disproportionate health impacts related to wildfire smoke, as those of lower socioeconomic status are five times as likely to develop COPD compared to individuals earning 75,000 or more annually. Finally, enhancing individual and community resilience in the face of wildfires in Montana is achievable and involves policy, practice, and communication strategies. Meeting the myriad challenges of climate change requires more than individual actions, but broad-cased structural and social changes.
What were people's reaction to the project?
I received some positive and useful feedback to this presentation. In particular, one of the students in the class has spent over a decade in the Forest Service and had some interesting insights into wildfire management and policies. The student highlighted some of the good work the Forest Service does and also raised two incredibly important questions: “Why are we not advocating for more research into how to properly manage our public lands? How to mitigate fuel loading and prevent fires?”
What is the most important takeaway for you for the course?
As I mentioned above, I think the most important takeaway for me from the course is that the human health impacts of climate change will be the number one public health concern of the 21st century.
If you could convince everyone of one important fact related to climate, what would that be?
The word “opportunity” comes to mind when I think of this question. Climate change conversations are understandably often heavy and filled with a sense of dread. However, a huge takeaway from the course is that future losses—whether wildlife species, environmental degradation, or ways of life—can in some cases be prevented through solutions-focused actions now.
Hobbies or sports?
I love anything that has to do with the outdoors, or playing with my dog in the outdoors. While working as ranger in Glacier Bay I was introduced to sea kayaking. I am excited to take a multi-week sea-kayaking trip this summer with a close friend.