Devyn Ristau

Devyn Paige Ristau received the 2024 HHCF Scholarship, presented as a surprise at the MEHA (Missouri Environmental Health Association) conference lunch awards banquet on April 4, 2024. Dr. Teresa Boman, Program Director of Environmental Health and Safety at MSSU, selected Devyn for the award and coordinated with Tiffany Klassen to present it during the banquet.

In her essay, Devyn wrote about growing up with a reverence for the natural world — from Girl Scout camp to Ranger Rick magazines and the movie FernGully. She focused on the Tri-State Mining District’s heavy metal contaminated chat waste as a personal motivator, describing a legacy of decades of mining operations that threatens public health and environmental integrity in her community.

Her goals include developing policies and programs, conducting research on environmental health risks, advocating for environmental justice, and educating communities. She closed by honoring the ideals from her youth and striving for “a world where humanity and nature thrive in harmony.”

Congratulations, Devyn! Your deep personal connection to the environmental challenges facing the Tri-State Mining District gives your work real meaning and urgency. We look forward to seeing you champion environmental justice in your community and beyond, and are excited to watch you work toward that harmony between humanity and nature.