Sharon Hartzell

Sharon Hartzell is a Research Scientist in the Environmental and Occupational Health Department at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, where she supports a diverse portfolio of climate and health initiatives, including work with the REACH Center and the Climate and Health Institute.

Prior to GW, Sharon spent over 9 years at the US Environmental Protection Agency in New York City and Washington, DC. From project and program management in the Superfund cleanup and redevelopment programs to building cross-agency initiatives on cumulative impacts, her work has emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration at the nexus of science, policy, and community engagement. In her previous academic and government research, Sharon has mapped contamination from coal transport and historic steel production in Virginia and Maryland, explored stabilization methods for PFAS in soil, investigated climate risks at hazardous waste sites, and examined the integration of qualitative information into government decisionmaking. She looks forward to future research addressing the upstream policy and land use drivers of disproportionate environmental impacts, including emerging climate threats.

Sharon holds BS degrees in Chemistry and Environmental Science & Policy from the College of William & Mary and an MS in Ecosystem Health & Natural Resource Management from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is currently completing her MPH in Environmental Health Science and Policy at GW.