Columbia University - Index

Columbia University - Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health - Index

" One of the most
rewarding aspects
of a Mailman School education is
the invaluable learning that takes
place outside the classroom.?
12
JOSEPH GRAZIANO, PHD
Professor of Environmental Health Sciences and Associate Dean for Research
Soon after The New York Times published a story in 1998 about well water in
Bangladesh contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic in the soil, Dr. Joseph
Graziano's phone started ringing with calls from colleagues across the University.
The plea was mutual: each caller wanted Dr. Graziano to focus his attention on
this very serious public health crisis. Several weeks later, he and a group of four
colleagues were on a plane to Bangladesh.
What began as "The Bangladesh Project? continues to this day as a part of the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' (NIEHS) Superfund Basic
Research Program, a project that has expanded to several U.S. sites where arsenic
and manganese are present in water.
Says Dr. Graziano, "It was the multidisciplinary approach to addressing the
impact of contaminated well water on the health of millions that spurred the program's
growth.?
Dr. Graziano breathes life into the classroom experience by infusing his teaching
with lessons from the fi eld. He also provides students with practica and other
research opportunities in Bangladesh collecting biological samples, while others
work closely with him in the lab.
Says Dr. Graziano, "Those who come away with life-changing experiences are
the ones who not only delve into their coursework, but who also seek out opportunities
to study in the fi eld.?