Ernesto's+Biographical+Sketch+2020

__**Ernesto Villaseñor's Biographical Sketch, 2020**__

Ernesto Villaseñor, Jr. is a renowned and well-respected leader in the fields of Public Health, Education, and the Environment, having published and speaking on such topics throughout the world. He attained his Bachelor's in Sustainability Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, his MPH in Global Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, and his PhD in Education Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. His research primarily focuses on understanding the intersectionality within the societal disparities in public health, education, and the environment in low-income inner city communities, developing effective, efficient, innovative, and sustainable solutions in policy development. A Gates Millennium Scholar, Young People For (YP4) Social Justice Fellow, Fulbright Scholar, and having being born and raised in Compton, California, having firsthand experiences on social (environment, health, education, economic) injustices has provided him with a perspective and ability to understand such societal issues in ways that many researchers have not been able to. Many of his projects and publications include looking at how governing bodies address and understand health disparities in LA County; comprehending and looking at water quality and accessibility issues in Rwanda; addressing societal disparities in informal settlements (slums) in developing countries; looking at how money in politics has a negative influence on policy development associated with hydraulic fracturing and the environmental disparities that result from fracking; and addressing education disparities that are caused by health disparities among K-12 youth.

Research Interests: Education, Health, and Environmental Disparities; Social Justice; Health and Education Policy; Money in Politics; Global Health; Sustainable Development; Inner City Communities; Informal Settlements; Democratic Education; Public Policy