Cleanup efforts continue on a stretch of track in East Palestine, Ohio where a Norfolk Southern train derailed in 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Scientists Map Long-Term Water Contamination Risks at Ohio Train Derailment Site
Yale scientists are leading a research project on the long-term environmental effects of the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that released hazardous chemicals, including vinyl chloride, into the air and water.
Michelle Bell, the Mary E. Pinchot Professor of Environmental Health, James Saiers, the Clifton R. Musser Professor of Hydrology, and Nicole Deziel, associate professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, are simulating groundwater flow patterns to pinpoint the direction in which the contaminates are like to migrate. The information will be used to determine locations that should receive priority for drinking water quality testing.
“Water-related concerns were top of mind for many residents, and we hope that our project’s state-of-the-art hydrologic model can inform the situation in East Palestine as well as preparation and response for future issues,” said Bell.
The work is part of a collaboration with the University of Kentucky, and the University of Pittsburg, and is supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.
February 19, 2026
Michelle Bell
Senior Associate Dean of Research and Director of Doctoral Studies; Mary E. Pinchot Professor of Environmental Health
James Saiers
Clifton R. Musser Professor of Hydrology
Nicole Deziel
Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health
More News in Brief
YSE Doctoral Candidate Honored with ESA Policy Award
Jonathan Gewirtzman, a doctoral candidate in ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry, has received the 2026 Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award from the Ecological Society of America. He is one of 20 students from universities across the U.S. to be honored with the award.
Recipients of the award travel to Washington, D.C. for policy, communication and career training and they meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Gewirtzman, a National Science Foundation Research Fellow, investigates greenhouse gas cycling in forests and wetlands aimed at informing strategies for mitigating natural emissions and enhancing nature-based climate solutions.
“ESA has been an important community for me throughout my graduate career — a place to connect with ecologists across subfields and to build leadership experience as an officer of the Biogeosciences Section. I'm excited for the opportunity to learn firsthand from scientists and policymakers working at that interface,” Gewirtzman said.
February 19, 2026
Nyeema Harris Named to National Academies Leadership Program
Nyeema Harris, the Knobloch Family Associate Professor of Wildlife and Land Conservation, has been named a member of the 2026 cohort of New Voices in Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
The leadership program by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine aims to expand expertise in the functions of the National Academies while building a network of emerging U.S. leaders to address national and global challenges. New Voices members are competitively selected through a merit-based competition. Each cohort serves a two-year term before transitioning to alumni status.
“New Voices provides unique exposure to the National Academy of Sciences, enhancing my practical application of science diplomacy,” Harris said. "I am honored and elated by this growth opportunity and know my career trajectory will forever be changed as a result of the relationships built, data shared, and lessons learned."
Harris’ research explores carnivore behavior and movement and ecology and conservation in urban systems and national parks. She is director of the Applied Wildlife Ecology (AWE) lab at YSE.
February 19, 2026
Nyeema Harris
Knobloch Family Associate Professor of Wildlife and Land Conservation
YSE Urban Scientist Receives Franklin Institute Award
Karen Seto, the Frederick C. Hixon Professor of Geography and Urbanization Science, has received a 2026 Franklin Institute Award for her work on urban issues.
The Institute honored Seto for her “pioneering work integrating satellite imagery, modeling methods, and social sciences to analyze the consequences of urbanization, land use, and global environmental change.” The award is one of the oldest in the nation.
“The 2026 laureates embody the same remarkable spirit of curiosity, ingenuity, and discovery that defined our nation’s founding,” said Larry Dubinski, President and CEO of The Franklin Institute.
Seto, a world renown geographer, was coordinating lead author of two U.N. climate change reports and co-led chapters on how urban areas can mitigate climate change. Her research developed the first forecasts of urban land expansion globally.
Seto is one of eight recipients of the award, which will be given during a ceremony April 30, 2026, in Philadelphia.
"I’m deeply honored by the award, especially given past recipients in the category of earth and environmental science. I’m also grateful for all my students and postdocs in the lab. This award is a celebration of our collective work," Seto said.
February 19, 2026
Karen Seto
Frederick C. Hixon Professor of Geography and Urbanization Science; Director of the Hixon Center for Urban Sustainability; Co-Director of the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions