Bijal Patel is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Epidemiology at the Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health Indianapolis. In April 2025, she was recognized as one of the Elite 50, an honor awarded to the top 50 graduate students at Indiana University Indianapolis for excellence in scholarly work, leadership, and service to both campus and community. Bijal’s research focuses on the intersection of environmental health and dermatologic cancer, specifically the relationship between wildfire-related exposures and melanoma. Her project investigates how particulate matter and carcinogenic compounds released during wildfires may influence melanoma risk, influence disease progression, and drive disparities in health outcomes across different populations. Through this work, she aims to identify environmental contributors to melanoma and help inform more equitable strategies for prevention and intervention, especially in communities disproportionately affected by climate-driven health threats.