Nelson Roque awarded fellowship to connect with environmental health research community

Nelson Roque, assistant professor of human development and family studies at Penn State, was recently awarded a Neurobiology and Changing Ecosystems Fellowship from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement.

“Receiving this fellowship is an incredible honor,” Roque said. “It’s both a recognition of the work I’ve done and a powerful investment in the work still to come. I’m grateful for the support and community it has provided – connecting with other scholars and mentors who are equally passionate about environmental health has been especially meaningful.”

The fellowship supported Roque’s attendance at Scialog 2025, a three-day retreat in Tuscon, Arizona, this spring, which was the start of the fellowship’s two-year appointment. At the conference, Roque gathered with other environmental health scientists across various disciplines to spark creative and novel ideas for transformative research.

In addition to the conference, Roque is part of a cohort of fellows and mentors, who during the appointment, will have the opportunity to pursue collaborations, participate in additional knowledge-sharing events and foster unique connections and partnerships.

“It is inspiring to engage with such a dedicated community of researchers and professionals, all driven by a shared commitment to advancing environmental health across species,” Roque said. “A particularly meaningful realization from the conference was recognizing that, whether we study bees, fish, C. elegans – a small, soil-dwelling roundworm – or humans, environmental changes must be explored through a lens that identifies shared effects and universal principles. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of this work and the tangible impact it can have in the real world.”

Roque’s research focuses on how exposure to environmental pollutants, especially air pollution, impacts cognitive function in humans. He is particularly interested in how structural inequalities, including socioeconomic disadvantage or geographic location, shape environmental risk and health outcomes. By combining these factors, Roque works to understand how social and environmental stressors jointly contribute to disparities in brain health and aging.

“Environmental health research is more critical than ever,” Roque said. “We’re facing complex, interconnected challenges, including climate change, pollution, inequitable resource access, and systemic injustices, that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. This research not only helps us understand how environmental exposures impact health but informs policies and interventions that can reduce harm and promote equity. In our current moment, it’s a vital tool for safeguarding public health.”

Originally published in May 2025.