Sheryl Magzamen’s first days in Montreal have been much like many newcomer’s: unpacking boxes, getting the kids ready for the first day of school.
But another transition is underway. The American researcher has arrived at Université de Montréal's School of Public Health, where she has been appointed to an Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair.
The prestigious program is designed to attract world-renowned scholars to Canada.
At the helm of the $8-million chair, titled “One Health and the Impact of Environmental Factors on Vulnerable Populations,” Magzamen intends to continue work she has pursued for nearly 25 years: investigating how the environment shapes health, especially among vulnerable communities.
Smoke knows no borders
One of the major research areas Magzamen brings with her from Colorado State University is wildfire smoke.
She calls smoke a “silent epidemic.” Unlike most other forms of air pollution—from vehicles, factories or industrial activity—wildfire smoke largely escapes conventional control measures.
“You can’t put a catalytic converter on a forest,” said Magzamen, who trained across the United States in biology, health management, urban health and epidemiology.
Smoke can travel hundreds, even thousands, of kilometres, affecting populations far from the flames. Magzamen's research explores the respiratory and cardiovascular effects of smoke, as well as ways to protect exposed communities.
The challenge is both scientific and behavioural.
“What should you do when the air quality index deteriorates?” said Magzamen. “Should you cancel your morning jog? Stay indoors? Close the windows? Use an air purifier? And most importantly, how can we come up with recommendations that are realistic for everyone?”
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, she said. A person in a well-insulated home with a good filtration system faces very different choices from someone living in substandard housing who can't afford any equipment.
A matter of environmental justice
Years of research with a variety of communities have taught Magzamen to be wary of simplistic solutions. She recalls a community in Alaska where wood stoves provide affordable—sometimes free—heat, but also contribute to indoor air pollution. To an outside researcher, replacing the stoves might seem obvious. To the people living there, the situation is more complicated.
“You have to be pragmatic,” Magzamen said. “What is possible and feasible, given the resources we have, and what are we willing to sacrifice? Health isn’t always the top priority when you’re dealing with finding a job, the cost of living, housing, cultural identity and such.”
Sensitivity to local realities is central to her approach to science. She wants to work with communities, not study them from the outside.
Focus on children
Elementary schools are among Magzamen’s primary interests.
“Children spend a large part of their time indoors, in buildings that were sometimes designed for a climate quite different from what we have today,” Magzamen observed. “Air quality, ventilation, heat, humidity, chemicals and infectious agents in the school environment can affect children's health and their ability to learn.”
Magzamen got a stark reminder of this just before leaving Colorado. The school year had barely begun, and her two children’s school had already dismissed students early several times because of heat. Schools built for cold climates must now contend with heat waves they weren't designed for.
Climate change complicates ventilation further. During a respiratory illness outbreak, it is advisable to bring in outside air to improve indoor air quality. But what if the outside air is filled with smoke?
“Obviously, you can’t take smoky air from outside and bring it into a classroom,” Magzamen said. Public buildings will have to be redesigned to be both healthier and more resilient—especially the spaces where people spend a lot of time, she argues.
One Health is key
This complexity ties into a core pillar of Magzamen’s new chair: the One Health concept, which holds that human health, animal health and ecosystem health are inseparable.
Forest fires again provide a good example. Humans aren’t the only ones exposed to smoke, heat or extreme weather events. Pets and livestock need protection too.
Magzamen’s research bridges epidemiology, public health, veterinary science, environmental science, engineering and behavioural science. For example, animals can serve as sentinels for environmental change, while ecosystem data can help scientists understand risks to human populations.
At Université de Montréal, Magzamen's research program will focus on four main areas: climate change and wildfire smoke; healthy and resilient public buildings; cumulative environmental exposure and environmental justice; and the integration of data on human, animal and ecosystem health.
She already has projects planned for eastern Montreal and Rouyn-Noranda.
Bringing science out of the lab
One of the things Magzamen finds most exciting about her new chair is the chance to combine research with action. She sees the Eddie Goldenberg program as a promising vehicle for this, with its connections to provincial, federal and international partners.
She hopes the knowledge generated can be transformed into practical tools, such as exposure maps, risk communication tools, recommendations on ventilation and air quality, and decision-support systems.
Magzamen also plans to continue her collaborations in the United States—including one with NASA—since issues such as air quality, wildfires and climate change don’t stop at borders.
A new playing field
At the same time, Montreal offers her the opportunity to engage with new communities and new disciplines.
She’s excited to join the School of Public Health, where she feels she will be at home. At Colorado State, she was based at the College of Veterinary Medicine, although she isn’t a veterinarian. That experience broadened her collaborations but also convinced her that she belongs in an environment where interdisciplinarity is at the heart of the approach.
“These issues are so vast that no single discipline—whether it’s epidemiology, sociology or chemistry—can solve them alone,” she said.
Despite the scale of the challenges, Magzamen is optimistic—not because the problems are going away, but because she’s where she wants to be: part of a network of researchers and partners working towards solutions.
Between unpacking boxes and taking French lessons—which she’s tackling with enthusiasm and humility—she is set to begin her new life in Montreal.
“It’s a wonderful city and we love it," she said. “And my favourite extracurricular activity is eating, so Montreal is great!”
