Eye on Environmental Health

Avery Sands ’26, a Trinity College environmental science major with a minor in legal studies, has been awarded a National Environmental Leadership Fellowship by the Rachel Carson Council (RCC), one of the nation’s oldest environmental advocacy organizations. This honor—given to only 35 students across the country—supports her research and community outreach efforts focused on environmental health and justice in urban communities.

Sands, from Marshfield, Massachusetts, is conducting her fellowship research under the mentorship of Amber L. Pitt, associate professor of environmental science. Her research investigates mercury concentrations in urban pond sediments in and around Hartford, Connecticut, with a focus on identifying spatial patterns and understanding how these pollutants may vary in densely populated urban areas in relation to industries that historically emitted mercury.

Using standard sediment sampling and analysis methods developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sands aims to contribute new scientific data to the growing body of research on small urban freshwater ecosystems and their environmental challenges.

Her research aims to connect scientific data with environmental justice, combining fieldwork and lab work with community outreach on and off campus. Her efforts, conducted in collaboration with local organizations, are designed to engage residents across generations in discussions about urban environmentalism and public health. By bridging science and community, Sands hopes to elevate local voices and to advocate for policy attention in underserved urban areas.

“Urban areas are often left out of environmental monitoring and sustainability planning,” Sands said. “My goal is to highlight the environmental health of these ecosystems and ensure that urban communities are part of the conversation and the solutions.”