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Hi, My Name is Ally Barry.

(they/them/theirs)

Environment, Climate and Health Graduate Student (MPH) at the Gillings School of Global Public Health

About Me

Growing up in Nebraska, I remember digging for worms in the backyard, spending summers swimming in lakes, and running around the open fields of Pioneers Park. Throughout my life, there has been one constant: nature. It's easy to dismiss the plains of Nebraska as corn fields, but, with a new perspective, those plains reflect a story of resistance and resilience. Nature is my constant, but nature is constantly changing. While our planet is skilled at adaptation and evolution, it is in crisis. 

Guided by the belief that climate is personal, I hope to empower individuals to establish their connection with nature, identify themselves as part of the solution to climate change, and mobilize their communities toward a cleaner and more equitable future. 

 

What feels so distant is right at home, and we have the opportunity to give back to our planet.

Research Interests

During my undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, my research engagements focused on water quality, precipitation changes, and environmental justice related to human and environmental health. Methods included regional, high-resolution Earth systems modeling, cross-sectional analysis of U.S. census tract data, and stakeholder analysis via informational interviews.

In the future, I hope to study the role of waterborne pathogen exposure in crises, including tropical storms, flooding, violence, and displacement. I also seek to investigate the role of equity in natural disaster response, particularly for sexual and gender minorities. Ultimately, my goal is to design and implement climate resiliency plans from risk assessment to natural disaster response while centralizing the health and safety of all individuals.

Advocacy in Action

Click on the images below to view a variety of my projects and deliverables from video presentations to blogs

Relevant Experience and Skills

Let's Connect

Send me an email at ambarry@unc.edu

© 2022 by Ally Barry. Created with Wix.com

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