Dr Rizsa Albarracin

Rizsa is a Senior Environmental Health Scientist in the Environmental Hazards Unit, Health Protection Branch, Queensland Health. The Environmental Hazards Unit is responsible for providing strategic and regulatory policy advice on public health risks from a range of complex and diverse environmental hazards, including asbestos, environmental lead, hazardous chemicals and waste, noise, etc.

Rizsa completed her PhD in Vision Neuroscience at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, where she explored the therapeutic potential of photobiomodulation using 670nm light in retinal degenerative diseases. She has published several journal articles and book chapters in this area of research.  

Prior to joining Queensland Health, Rizsa previously held positions at the Commonwealth Department of Health, Office of Chemical Safety and Office of Health Protection as a Senior Regulatory Scientist. In this capacity, she undertook human health risk assessment of over 1,000 industrial chemicals.

Rizsa also devotes her time to managing an international not-for-profit organisation with a primary focus on children’s health and welfare. She currently assists in managing a children’s shelter in the Philippines (Shepherds Arms Children’s Home) and has recently established a multipurpose medical clinic and several self-sustainable farming projects. She also sits on the Management Committee of the Humanitarian Projects International Inc., a Brisbane-based not-for-profit that exists to serve the underprivileged in parts of Africa and Asia by raising funds and sending volunteers to build schools, medical clinics, shelters, and livelihood infrastructure.

Rizsa values her relationship with QAEHS, because it allows her to get involved in relevant research projects as well as access to experts in environmental health science. The partnership also allows her to contribute to QAEHS by providing support and advice, and by sharing her technical expertise to postgraduate students.