Stillo to investigate communicating health risk to private well owners
July 17, 2017
Frank Stillo
Frank Stillo, a graduate student of environmental sciences and engineering at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, has received a prestigious student grant award to research public health communications related to clean water access in North Carolina.
Stillo, who also is an environmental specialist in UNC’s Department of Environment, Health and Safety, was selected for funding through the North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute–Sea Grant North Carolina Joint Diversity Graduate Student Research Funding Opportunity.
His proposal is titled, “Racial Disparities in Access to Clean Water in North Carolina: Communicating Health Risk to Private Well Owners.”
“We look to further our research to help private well owners in African-American communities in our state ensure that they have access to safe drinking water,” Stillo said.
The funding, which is in the amount of $10,000, will begin July 17. Stillo will use the award to continue previous work on water equity that he conducted with Jacqueline Macdonald Gibson, PhD, associate professor of environmental sciences and engineering in the Gillings School.
“Frank’s research has led the way in understanding challenges to drinking water safety in local African-American communities that have long been excluded from municipal services,” said MacDonald Gibson. “This funding is vital in supporting his outreach efforts to these communities to help affected households ensure the safety of their drinking water.”
Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: David Pesci, director of communications, (919) 962-2600 or dpesci@unc.edu
