Dr. Eri Saikawa

     In my lab, we conduct interdisciplinary research on the environment. We have worked on diverse projects that cover: 1) reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change at a local level; 2) estimating air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from garbage burning, including plastic burning, and to estimate human health impacts; 3) heavy metal and metalloid contamination in urban soils in the Westside of Atlanta; 4) understand the cumulative health impact of chemical and non-chemical exposures exacerbated by climate change among the vulnerable communities; 5) environmental education to raise awareness of air quality, soil contamination and climate change to 6-12th graders; and 6) quantifying the potential to reduce greenhouse gases by climate-smart agriculture. 

           

     Our main research questions are related to the source and the magnitude of emissions linked to air pollution, ozone depletion and global warming, as well as the impacts of these emissions on humans and on the society. I am also interested in what policy measures are available to reduce these emissions, and how politics play a role in policymaking process. Our current projects are: 1) Community-Engaged Children’s Health Study (CECHS) in the Westside of Atlanta; 2) Resilience, Equity, and Adaptation for Climate and Health in Atlanta (REACH-Atlanta); 3) ECOLECTIVOS; 4) Southern Piedmont Climate-Smart Project; 5) Metro-Atlanta Clean Air Initiative (MACAI); 6) Climate and Health Actionable Research and Translation Center; 7) Community-Soil-Air-Water (CSAW); 8) creating a prototype of an anaerobic digester on campus; 9) environmental education for middle and high school students.

 

     Our research is currently funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).