Lauren Ward is an impact scholar with the Center. Her global health focus is on the intersection between the environment and human health, with an emphasis on understanding the impacts of chemical contaminants—such as PFAS and pesticides—on immunity and overall health. Her interests in global health equity align with the Center’s themes of empowering women, strengthening systems for health, and addressing social and environmental determinants of health. Ward’s research involves studying environmental exposures and health outcomes in children, currently in collaboration with the Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS), to advance understanding of how chemical contaminants affect child and population health.