日益明显的是，人类活动和人为系统向其当前形式的演变正在使社会迅速迈向许多可能威胁到公共卫生和生态系统的全球危机。在气候变化的时代，人们认识到，我们的共同资源可能无法以允许我们以目前的速度利用它们的方式加以保存。
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree program is a full-time degree program that offers a unique interdisciplinary learning experience where the course of study is individually tailored based on the student's interest in understanding and finding solutions to pressing problems in environmental health and engineering. The goal of PhD training in EHE is to prepare graduates to engage in scholarship and professional practice that creates new knowledge, use research to transform practice and improve the health of the environment and the public, and effectively communicate research findings to the public. The program requires didactic coursework followed by an average of four to five years of research towards a doctoral dissertation (also referred to as a thesis on official forms and committees).<br>The Environmental Sustainability, Resilience and Health (ESRH) track cultivates innovative public health scientists and engineers who address urgent challenges at the intersection of climate, sustainability, resilience, and equity. ESRH students will be prepared for diverse careers, including work in academic institutions, government agencies, intergovernmental bodies, nongovernmental organizations, and private businesses.