How can we shape society in a way that makes it easier to be healthy?
This is the question that drives Michigan alumna Natalie Sampson’s passion for public health.
“It’s not enough just to say that people need to eat better and exercise more to be happier and healthier,” Sampson says. “It’s often said that if public health is working, you don’t see it or know that it exists.”
Sampson, assistant professor of health and human services at UM-Dearborn, brings this passion to the intersection of climate change and public health in Detroit.
In an urban environment like Detroit, weather events like floods and extreme heat can have an especially negative impact on the health of city’s most vulnerable residents, Sampson says.
“There’s a high percentage of residents with chronic health issues in the city, so if we have other extreme weather events, will they be able to get to their normal health care? Many of these public health issues need to be addressed through policy and community changes.”
As chair of the public health work group in the Detroit Climate Action Collaborative, Sampson aims to influence decision-makers to realize how public health inequities and climate change in Detroit are connected.
The DCAC, which brings together voices from the community, academia, industry and government, was founded in 2011 by Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, the oldest urban environmental justice organization in Michigan.
The weekly Spotlight features faculty and staff members at the university. To nominate a candidate, email the Record staff at [email protected].
“Most major cities globally and in the U.S. have a climate action plan to say, how can we adapt to the fact that we’re going to have climate change in our city?” Sampson says.
She is involved in the DCAC’s process of developing a comprehensive climate action plan to help Detroit answer that very question.
As a ‘Reach the Decision Makers’ fellow (prhe.ucsf.edu/prhe/REACH.html), Sampson also is training to learn how to better influence decision-makers on environmental health issues like climate change. With a team of colleagues at the School of Public Health, she visits with Environmental Protection Agency leaders in Washington, D.C., to engage on rulemaking for National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
“The goal of this program is to try to understand how the EPA works,” Sampson says. “It can be a bit messy getting science and policy speak to each other. Even so, I can’t picture myself doing anything else, at the end of the day.”
Q & A
What moment in the classroom stands out as the most memorable?
There are lots of memorable moments outside of class, actually. A student may know they care about social justice, or they want to work with teens, for instance. Helping them find their place in public health is incredibly rewarding.
What can’t you live without?
My dog.
What is your favorite spot on campus?
I’m still learning Dearborn’s campus. There are some nice trails that I hope to explore.
What inspires you?
My academic colleagues and community partners. I am surrounded by people working day and night to study and address health inequities. Whenever I get disillusioned, they quickly re-energize me.
What are you currently reading?
“I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban,” by Malala Yousafzai.
Who had the greatest influence on your career path?
My sister. Right out of college, she started running a humanities program at a woman’s housing shelter, and for the last many years she’s been working as an ESL and GED adult education coordinator. She opened my eyes to the fact that life is better when you love what you do.
