A Privileged Insight into Health and Climate: My Recent Journal Review Experience

In the course of my academic and professional journey, I have often found myself exploring intersections between engineering, the environment, and public health. Recently, I had the opportunity to contribute as a reviewer for the Journal of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, an experience that, while confidential in terms of content, has been profoundly enlightening.

On July 11, 2025, I reviewed an article titled “Assessment of bacterial contamination in indoor air of university classrooms in Federal University Wukari, Nigeria.” While I cannot disclose the details of the peer review process or the findings discussed in the article, I can say that the experience allowed me to deeply engage with public health issues,
especially those emerging from environmental and indoor air quality concerns.

This engagement has opened up a unique privilege for me: the opportunity to spend the next six months focusing on health-related issues tied to climate change. With growing global concern over how climate impacts human health — from vector-borne diseases to indoor pollution exacerbated by urban heat — this review experience serves as a perfect stepping stone for my studies.

I plan to dive deeper into:

• The health impacts of poor indoor air quality in urban institutions

• The vulnerability of communities in tropical regions to bacterial and fungal air contaminants

• How climate-induced changes like rising temperatures and humidity influence microbial growth in indoor environments

It’s a fascinating and urgent field. I’m grateful for the trust placed in me by the journal and for the perspective this has given me — not just as a reviewer, but as a learner.

Stay tuned. The journey continues.

—
Aditya Dev
Structural Engineer | Environmental Enthusiast | Research Explorer