Biography

Dr. Aminata Peter Kilungo is a distinguished environmental health scientist, professor, and global advocate dedicated to improving health outcomes in marginalized communities through research, education, and policy engagement. She is an Associate Professor and Program Director of Environmental Health Sciences at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at The University of Arizona. She is also the Co-Lead Faculty for One Health Educational Programs, where she integrates interdisciplinary approaches to address the complex interplay between environmental factors, climate change, and public health.

In addition to her academic and research contributions, Dr. Kilungo is a highly regarded expert in environmental policy. She served on the Federal National Advisory Committee (NAC) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for eight years, where she provided strategic guidance on implementing the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation to enhance environmental and health conditions across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. She is also the Lead of the Climate Change and Health Thematic Group for the Research and Independent Non-Governmental Organizations (RINGO) constituency within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), working to shape global health policies in response to climate change. Before her academic tenure, Dr. Kilungo was a Senior Environmental Scientist Contractor for the U.S. Army Garrison at Fort Huachuca, where she played a critical role in environmental management and pollution prevention. 

Dr. Kilungo holds a Ph.D. in Soil, Water, and Environmental Science with a minor in Microbiology from The University of Arizona, where she also earned her B.Sc. in Environmental Science. She has been recognized with multiple honors, including the Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award and fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering.

Research Synopsis

Dr. Kilungo 's research focuses on the intersection of environmental health, climate change, and water quality, particularly on vulnerable populations in Arizona, the Arizona-Sonora border, and Sub-Saharan Africa. She has led and collaborated on numerous research initiatives exploring climate resilience, water security, and infectious disease prevention, particularly in underserved regions. Her work has been instrumental in assessing the impact of environmental exposures on public health and developing community-based interventions to improve water sanitation, hygiene (WaSH), and climate adaptation strategies.

Recent Research Projects 

• Assessing Household Water Experiences along the Arizona Border colonias 
• Children’s Experience with Flooding in Ambos Nogales: Understanding climate change vulnerabilities, health risks, and resilience
• Climate Change and the Global Threat of Cholera Exploratory Grant in Tanzania.
• Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori, Arsenic, and Associated Health Outcomes in the Arizona-Mexico Border
• Development of One Health Program with Global Reach   
• Advancing Informal Environmental Health STEM Learning: Co-Created Citizen Science Rainwater Harvesting in Underserved Communities