Summer offers more than just pleasant weather and longer days. School is out, and family and friends are creating memories while enjoying our state’s natural beauty outdoors. Among these students are fresh graduates, newly educated and trained, eager to make their mark in the workforce.
These graduates must now decide where to start the next chapter of their life. Will they choose to stay and build their careers locally, or will they prioritize seeking opportunities outside of Utah? As a biomedical Ph.D.
candidate in the final years of my training, I have deeply considered these questions. Originally from Wisconsin, I was drawn to pursue grad school in Salt Lake City by the state’s abundant outdoor recreation opportunities and impressive growth of the biotech sector . However, due to growing environmental quality concerns, I have seriously contemplated moving elsewhere after graduation.
From toxic dust storms to the harsh winter inversion smog, it’s well known that Salt Lake has some of the worst air quality in the nation . Just last December, our capital city ranked 26th in the world for worst air quality. But the visible “haze” of air pollution is only the beginning.
The health consequences of Utah’s polluted air are especially alarming, putting both new and long-time residents at risk for severe health complications, including asthma, cardiovascular disease and lung cancer . A recent study from Brigham Young University reports that Utah residents lose between 1.