UW Student Wins Award to Study Health of Women Maritime Workers

Dec 17, 2024 - When it comes to research on the health and safety of workers, women in the maritime industry are one of the most understudied groups. Ally Clonch aims to change that. Clonch recently won an award to support her research to survey mariners about mental health and harassment. “Oftentimes, a woman mariner will be the only woman on a ship of 100 people,” said Clonch, a PhD candidate in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS). Onboard, often for three months at a time, women in the industry can face gender-based discrimination, harassment and even violence. It may not be easy. There is still some stigma associated with addressing mental health in the industry, not to mention practical challenges. Read more about her research.