Agricultural Off-Road Equipment (ACRE) Pilot Study
Carly Hyland, Professor
School of Public Health
Applications for Spring 2024 are closed for this project.
This pilot study will describe previously uncharacterized worker exposures to work-related stress and constituents of diesel exhaust from off-road diesel equipment through a mixed methods approach. Farmworkers are uniquely vulnerable to job insecurity, low wages, few benefits, long hours, and/or lack of managerial oversight, and experience many health disparities. Accurate exposure data is necessary to better understand exposure risk and health disparities. Because farmworkers may experience cumulative impacts to multiple environmental hazards and chronic social stressors, this investigation utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods to assess these co-exposures in an integrated approach. This pilot study addresses data gaps among work-related stress, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, naphthalene, and phenanthrene exposures (components of diesel exhaust) among workers in this vulnerable worker population in the California. Exposure assessment results will be returned to participants who elect to receive them.
In addition, students will also have the opportunity to meet with Dr. Carly Hyland, one of the faculty supervisors on this project. Dr. Hyland is also leading similar projects with farmworker communities and the student will have the option to work on these projects as well in order to get a more holistic understanding of environmental and occupational health. In particular, Dr. Hyland is about to launch a study evaluating the Ag Pass program in Sonoma County, which allows farmworkers to re-enter mandatory fire evacuation zones for activities such as harvest of crops. The student will have the opportunity to work with Dr. Hyland to administer surveys to farmworkers evaluating factors such as their experiences working during wildfires and the resources they think should be available to farmworkers during wildfires.
Role: The role of a URAP student is to support our study procedures, with the following tasks:
• Assist researchers/supervisor with air monitoring and worksite observations (note-taking) at the study site
• Assist researchers/supervisor with organizing field samples and study documents
• Co-design study documents including recruitment flyers and results return documents
• Co-interview workers in Spanish
Student learning outcomes include:
• Describe the air sampling procedures
• Understand the importance of and the scientific reasoning behind air sampling protocols
• Explain the importance of ethical human subjects’ research protocols and cultural humility
• Evaluate how different type of tasks may affect the magnitude of exposures for farmers and farmworkers
• Apply concepts from current coursework in the context of this research project
• Develop documents that communicate accessible information for research participants
• Synthesize and communicate what was learned during this research project
• Opportunity to work with Dr. Hyland to administer surveys to farmworkers regarding their experiences working during wildfires and with the Ag Pass program in Sonoma County
Qualifications: • Reliability and strong communication skills for planning and implementing work schedule (required)
• Fluency in Spanish (required)
• Interest in Environmental Health Sciences, Engineering, Air Monitoring, Farmworker Health, or Agricultural Systems Research (desired but nor essential)
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Marley Zalay , Graduate Student
Hours: 9-11 hrs
Off-Campus Research Site: This project will include work on- and off-campus. Study site locations in agricultural areas in California will be selected in 2024. URAP student will be supervised by Marley Zalay while not on campus and will not be allowed to work alone at the study site. Student and supervisor will travel together to the study site location so that the student does not incur any travel costs.
Biological & Health Sciences Environmental Issues