CWRU undergraduate student Ankita Achanta awarded prestigious Udall Scholarship

Ankita Achanta spent much of her childhood playing and exploring nature freely. Living in Richboro, Pennsylvania, she didn’t have to think about the air she breathed while doing so—until she visited family in India. There, she saw her young cousins struggle with asthma and respiratory irritation due to the polluted air they breathed every day. 

Since that experience, Achanta, now a rising fourth-year student majoring in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism at Case Western Reserve University, has been passionate about the impact of air quality on human wellness among low- and middle-income countries and underserved populations in the United States.

“Those experiences made me question why something as fundamental as the air we breathe can vary so dramatically based on location and zip code,” she said. “Air pollution contributes to respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and premature death, yet its burden is not distributed equally. Understanding and addressing these environmental health inequities motivates my work.”

She got to work right away by teaching herself coding and epidemiologic methods. Achanta also recognized the opportunity COVID-19 presented to study air quality as industrial and transportation activity slowed. She ran models of the health impacts of air pollution changes, demonstrating how cleaner air could prevent premature deaths in major Indian cities.

Achanta penned an invited editorial in the for the World Health Organization Bulletin advocating for environmental health data transparency.

She’s gone on to work with Ther W. Aung, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at CWRU School of Medicine and an environmental health scientist at The MetroHealth System, to explore how air quality issues persist in other areas of the world. In October 2024, Achanta gave an oral presentation at the International Society of Exposure Science conference in Montreal on her research into air quality issues in informal settlements in Myanmar.

“My experiences reinforced my commitment to using research and public policy to address environmental health inequities worldwide,” she said. 

Now, in response to her dedication to environmental health, Achanta has been named an Udall Scholar. The program recognizes promising students making a positive impact on environmental public policy. Achanta is one of 65 university students nationwide to receive the honor in 2026—which includes a $7,500 scholarship—out of 383 candidates.

Nomination for this competitive scholarship requires institutional endorsement. Learn more about CWRU’s application process for the Udall Scholarship. 

Read more about Achanta and her experiences.

Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

1. What drew you to CWRU?

When I first visited CWRU, I was excited by the passion of the students and the many opportunities CWRU provided to explore unique combinations of academic interests. I noticed that CWRU students often pursue multiple majors and minors across different fields, and their interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving resonated with me. I have always loved learning, and was excited by the opportunity to explore diverse interests while pursuing research. The distinctly unique academic/research ecosystem at CWRU and its close knit relations with institutes like the Cleveland Clinic and the diverse sociocultural environment of Cleveland made CWRU a natural choice for me!

2. What interested you in the Udall Scholar program?

I was drawn to the enduring relevance of the Udall Foundation and its mission to promote leadership, education, collaboration and conflict resolution in the areas of environment. While reading Rep. Stewart Udall's essay "The Last Traffic Jam," I was struck by how he identified the health and environmental consequences of traffic-related air pollution more than 50 years ago.

As someone passionate about environmental health, I was surprised by how many of the challenges he described remain unresolved today, more than five decades later. Udall’s work demonstrated how research, public service and policy can work together to address complex environmental problems. The emphasis on problem solving through civility and interdisciplinary collaboration drew me to their program the most. 

3. How does the work of this program align with your studies?

Through my studies, I seek to understand how environmental conditions shape outcomes of human wellness. As a nutritional biochemistry major, I firmly believe that wellness is a holistic state that begins well before a patient enters a clinic. I consider wellness to encompass varying social, economic, geographic, physiological and genetic factors. To me, oxygen is the most essential nutrient to all humans, so, universal access to clean air and nutritious food are fundamental human rights and essential foundations of all well-being. The Udall Foundation's focus on environmental stewardship and public service closely aligns with my holistic approach to human wellness.

4. Are you involved on campus in any other ways?

I have served on the Student Presidents' Roundtable for the past three years, including as chair this past school year and as secretary during my first two years at CWRU. In this role, I collaborated with student leaders across campus to improve student life and support the broader CWRU community. 

I am a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and previously served as philanthropy director, where I organized fundraising and service initiatives benefiting various charities. This role was an absolute joy for me and allowed me to combine leadership with my passion for public service, making direct impacts on the Labre Center, Laura’s Home (Lakewood), Cuyahoga Court Appointed Special Advocates and local families. 

Outside of campus leadership, I work in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Cleveland Clinic, where I have the privilege of caring for critically ill children and supporting their families during some of their most difficult moments.

5. What are your future career goals?

After graduation, I hope to continue exploring environmental health challenges around the world and learning from communities facing different air quality issues. I aim to travel directly to low and middle-income countries to understand how to best advocate for healthier environments. Through this work, I hope to translate scientific findings into meaningful improvements in people's lives. My goal is to help create a future where no child has to suffer from preventable respiratory illness because of the air they breathe.

6. Anything else you’d like to share?

I am incredibly blessed to have received amazing mentorship throughout my time at CWRU. Working closely with Dean Rajlakshmi Ghosh to edit my essays, with Dr. Ther Aung on my environmental health pursuits, Dr. Megan Holmes in my social work studies, Christine Scherer in my service and philanthropy passions, and Dr. Abigail Raffner and Dr. David Cavallo in my nutrition interests has shown me the values of curiosity and perseverance. My mentors have encouraged me to pursue opportunities that I never imagined for myself, leading to both academic and personal growth in my life. I am grateful for their dedication to me, and hope to provide the same support for others in the future.