Lauren Prox came to Duke after earning a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science. During her undergraduate studies, Lauren worked on environmental conservation and education projects in places such as Australia, Dominica, and Hawai‘i. Hands-on experience learning about the interconnectedness of degrading environmental health and human health disparities led her to pursue graduate studies in the Nicholas School of the Environment. She was drawn to the Planet Lab due to its emphasis on planetary health, which is inherently centered on transdisciplinary collaboration and our relationship with Earth.
As a PhD student in Duke’s Earth and Ocean Science program, Lauren’s current research projects combine topics in atmospheric science and planetary health. Additionally, Lauren is enrolled in the Global Health certificate program, which has equipped her with skills needed to identify environmental health stressors, social determinants of health, and potential interventions. Lauren also has interests in health and science policy as well as environmental values systems. She intends to use these fields as tools to generate actionable research and inspire additional research questions. In her free time, she enjoys growing herbs, walking through Duke Gardens, and spending time with family.