Justin Reid Ehrenwerth Award Empowers Pittsburgh Youth

Administered by JHF and the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, the award is part of the larger Justin Reid Ehrenwerth Community Impact Award initiative, which supports community-based projects aligned with Ehrenwerth’s lifelong commitment to equity, sustainability, and public service.

This year’s Emerging Scholar Award recipients, participants in Pitt Public Health’s Public Health Science Academy, have turned personal insight into purpose-driven inquiry. Milo Rent and Hritika Basu, both rising juniors at Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy, will share the Justin Reid Ehrenwerth Emerging Scholar Award, a $15,000 award funded through JHF and offered for the first time during the 2025 summer session.

As Academy participants, the pair studied the negative health impacts of flooding, outdated sewer systems, and antiquated lead-lined pipes prevalent in Pittsburgh’s low-lying and predominantly low-income older neighborhoods.

Through the program, 10th and 11th grade students from under-resourced high schools in Pittsburgh gained access to intensive research opportunities, faculty mentorship, and platforms to present their findings at professional conferences.

“Receiving this award is a great honor. The sheer excitement of the opportunity is a stimulus in and of itself! Additionally, the work we began has already invoked a feeling of determination to challenge the systems in place and welcome innovation. This project is personal to me because I live in the Hazelwood neighborhood. The proximity of my community to the river line is alarming, considering the increase of flooding in Pittsburgh. I am eager to explore and advocate for resources and initiatives to handle flooding issues within the city for all communities. I believe our work can and will contribute to the impetus for proper and equitable flood mitigation in the city of Pittsburgh,” Basu said.

Established in late 2023, the first Justin Reid Ehrenwerth Community Impact Award was given in 2024 to the Anti-Defamation League's Cleveland Chapter, an homage to the great dedication and appreciation Ehrenwerth held for the chapter’s work.

“This project, in my opinion, embodies the values of Justin Reid Ehrenwerth because the water crisis does not affect everyone equally. For example…I live further from the river so in my life the water crisis isn't as big an issue as it would be for people in flood zones, who are often impoverished. This really connects to social justice as well as environmental leadership due to the lack of urgency on this increasingly dangerous crisis here in Pittsburgh,” Rent said. “I feel that through our continuing advocacy on this matter I feel that me and Hritika could make a change and educate people on this matter, bringing light and action to preventing further damages to our water.”