EP185 Investigating Chemical Exposures in Nail Salons with Brooke Rezvani and Annabelle Swigert

In this episode, we speak with Brooke Rezvani (BS '26) and Annabelle Swigert (BS '26) about their interdisciplinary research project, "Chemical Exposures in Nail Salon Workers in the US". Brooke and Annabelle detail their fieldwork investigating the occupational hazards faced by salon workers across local New York City neighborhoods, focusing on volatile organic compound (VOC) exposures, and examine the long-term health outcomes of these exposures, ranging from respiratory irritation to reproductive health risks and miscarriages. Their research also highlights the systemic barriers that leave this vulnerable workforce unprotected. Brooke and Annabelle demonstrate how classroom training in epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and social science translates into hands-on field experience in downtown Manhattan. Brooke shares insights from her internships with March of Dimes, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, and NYU Langone Health that shaped her trajectory toward maternal-fetal health, while Annabelle details her background with health tech startups, European health innovation through EIT Health, and her upcoming graduate studies at Sciences Po. This conversation highlights how GPH's faculty mentorship, teaching excellence, and location in NYC empower undergraduate students to look beyond "band-aid solutions" and investigate root-cause public health challenges on both local and global scales.