Safe Water Project
Following the success of our pilot study and the valuable feedback we received; we are expanding our efforts to tackle the pressing environmental health challenges in South Texas colonias. Unsafe drinking water, soil contamination, and limited infrastructure continue to affect the health and well-being of thousands. In partnership with Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., our initiative combines cutting-edge research with deep community engagement to create lasting solutions.
What We’re Doing:
• Water & Soil Testing: We will analyze water and soil samples for harmful contaminants, such as arsenic and pesticides, to identify and address exposure risks.
• Biomarker Analysis: Using innovative testing methods, we hope to detect early signs of health impacts from environmental hazards.
• Community Health Surveys: We will gather feedback from residents to understand their experiences and inform targeted interventions.
• Community Science Program: We aim to empower local youth and families with scientific tools to monitor environmental health and advocate for change.
• Engagement & Solutions: Through workshops and a multi-day symposium, we will bring together researchers, officials, and community members to develop actionable solutions.
• Community Outreach & Engagement: We will actively give back to our communities by fostering public health awareness, facilitating access to essential resources, and building lasting partnerships that promote holistic well-being, including continuing our Community Advisory Board (CAB) efforts.
Why It Matters:
Following the success of our pilot study and the invaluable feedback we received, we're expanding our efforts to confront the environmental health challenges in South Texas colonias. Unsafe drinking water, contaminated soil, and limited infrastructure continue to jeopardize the well-being of thousands. In partnership with Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., our initiative harnesses cutting-edge research and deep community engagement to create lasting solutions. By conducting water and soil testing, pioneering biomarker analysis, and gathering community health insights, we empower residents—especially our youth and families—through science and advocacy. Through interactive workshops, symposiums, and sustained community outreach, we're not just identifying risks; we're building resilience and ensuring every voice is heard as we work together for a healthier, more equitable tomorrow.
A Right to Be Counted Project
Our project, A Right to Be Counted, is a two-year initiative funded by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). It aims to improve public health systems to better capture the needs and concerns of communities. We believe every community deserves to be heard and represented when it comes to public health.
Right now, public health systems like the National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) collect basic information about health symptoms and diseases from emergency rooms. However, these systems often miss out on crucial factors that impact health, such as access to healthcare, education, food, transportation, and other social determinants of health (SDH). Our goal is to find ways to include these SDHs in public health data, helping to create a more comprehensive understanding of community health.
Our team will focus on gathering community input to understand health, wellness, and environmental concerns. We are working with communities in South Texas (Progreso and San Carlos/Alamo) and Houston (Manchester and Galena Park) to ensure their voices are included in shaping better public health policies.
Our Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach involves community members directly in the research process. By doing this, we aim to create solutions that truly reflect the needs of the people.
What We’re Doing:
1. Community Advisory Boards (CABs): We will continue working with existing Community Advisory Boards in South Texas and create a new board in Houston. These groups of community leaders help guide the project and provide valuable insights about local needs.
2. Data Collection: We will be conducting surveys with community members to gather information about health, well-being, and the environment. This will help us better understand the challenges people face and how to address them. 3. Discussions and Collaboration: In addition to surveys, we will host interactive community discussions and work closely with other local organizations like Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (T.E.J.A.S.), which advocates for environmental issues in vulnerable communities.
4. Community Outreach & Engagement: We will actively give back to our communities by fostering public health awareness, facilitating access to essential resources, and building lasting partnerships that promote holistic well-being.
Why It Matters:
In today's public health landscape, capturing the full spectrum of community needs is essential. Traditional systems often overlook key factors like access to healthcare, education, and transportation—elements that profoundly influence well-being. "A Right to Be Counted" bridges this gap by integrating community voices and social determinants into public health data, ensuring every concern is heard. By empowering residents to contribute directly to policy-making, we pave the way for targeted, equitable solutions that build healthier, more resilient communities for all.
Kerrville project
Flood Resilience & Recovery Project
Following the devastating July 2025 flash floods in Kerr County, Texas—where the Guadalupe River surged to record levels, causing over 100 deaths and more than $1 billion in damages, there is a pressing need to better understand the role of resilience, cohesion, and recovery in flash-flood-prone regions like the Texas Hill Country. This NIEHS-funded project, conducted through Together for a Better Tomorrow (TBT) and the Texas A&M Superfund Research Center, will pioneer new approaches to disaster research and community engagement.
What We’re Doing:
- Rapid Community Assessment (CASPER): We will deploy a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) to collect primary data on preparedness, response, and recovery directly from Kerr County residents.
- Longitudinal Cohort Study: A subset of participants will be recruited into a long-term follow-up study, allowing us to track their recovery experiences, health concerns, and evolving community needs over time.
- AI-Enabled Data Collection: For the first time in this context, an AI chatbot will be used to engage participants in conversational surveys. This innovative method will capture real-time experiences and provide a scalable model for rapid, participant-driven reporting in future disasters.
- Community-Grounded Insights: Data collection will emphasize local voices, capturing on-the-ground perspectives to inform both immediate recovery efforts and long-term hazard preparedness strategies.
- Collaborative Solutions: Findings will be shared through workshops and community meetings, ensuring that local residents, researchers, and officials co-develop actionable solutions.
Why It Matters:
The July 2025 floods were a stark reminder that flash-flood risks in the Texas Hill Country are not only real but intensifying. By combining rapid field surveys, sustained longitudinal tracking, and novel AI-assisted methods, this project will provide an unprecedented look at how communities respond to and recover from such catastrophic events.
Our research will shed light on the social cohesion and resilience factors that shape recovery, while also identifying barriers to public health, infrastructure rebuilding, and mental well-being. Most importantly, the project directly involves affected residents in the research process, ensuring their lived experiences guide both science and policy.