Exploring the racist and colonial roots of nature and “wilderness,” from forced land labor to green space gaps. This contributed piece is a part of our Featured Voices series, which invites writers, poets, artists, and creators to explore the various intersections of Blackness and Greenness. This personal essay is by Dr. Jennifer D. Roberts, a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health at the University…
New echo study investigates the relationship between a mother’s oxidative stress levels and preterm birth
A collaborative research study led by Stephanie Eick, PhD, MPH of Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and Rachel Morello-Frosch PhD, MPH of the University of California, Berkeley found an association between elevated levels of oxidative stress and higher risk of preterm birth. This study examined data from 1,916 racially, ethnically, and demographically diverse pregnant people from four ECHO cohorts across the United States and Puerto Rico. This research…
New Article: Maternal per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances exposures associated with higher depressive symptom scores among immigrant women in the Chemicals in Our Bodies cohort in San Francisco
Exposure to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remains an important public health issue due to widespread detection and persistence in environmental media, slow metabolism in humans, and influences on physiological processes such as neurological signaling. Maternal depression is highly prevalent during pregnancy and postpartum and is potentially sensitive to PFAS. The health risks associated with PFAS may be further amplified in historically marginalized communities, including immigrants. Read more.
Four JPB Fellows Represent Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers
Four researchers affiliated with NIEHS Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Core Centers have been selected to join the JPB Environmental Health Fellowship Program, administered by the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. The competitive program supports junior faculty from U.S. institutions who study how social and environmental factors influence health disparities in under-resourced communities. The new fellowship class includes Max Aung, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California;…
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Podcast: Houselessness and the environment: a roundtable
People experiencing houselessness are amongst those most affected by extreme cold, extreme heat, wildfires, and other weather exacerbated by climate change. The Water We Swim In team wanted to learn more about houselessness and its ties to the environment – especially because Wisconsin’s already frigid winters and hot summers might become more erratic. We sat down with 7 community leaders and researchers from Boston to Portland to talk about the…
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EPA Appoints Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee
JPB Fellow Dr. Jennifer Roberts has been appointed to the Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC). CHPAC is a body of external representatives from a cross-section of stakeholder perspectives including research, academia, healthcare, legal, state, environmental organizations, and local and tribal governments. CHPAC advises EPA on regulations, research, and communications related to children’s environmental health. Members of the committee are appointed by EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. Learn more.
U.S. Department of Energy’s Hosted Its First Ever Justice Week
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Economic Impact and Diversity hosted its first ever Justice Week from Monday, September 12, 2022 through Friday, September 16, 2022. The five-day event convened external and internal stakeholders to discuss the Department’s justice and equity efforts and the best path toward a new energy system. Read more.
The impacts of wildfire smoke on human health with Dr. Colleen Reid
In this discussion, Dr. Colleen Reid discusses her field of Health Geography, or how environmental exposures impact population health. A detailed breakdown of the pollutant composition of wildfires, how they impact health outcomes, and which populations have been affected. Learn more. Reid, C., Seifert, M. (2022). The impacts of wildfire smoke on human health with Dr. Colleen Reid. Headwaters Science Institute, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/W5J7-BC86
Tony Reames, Senior Advisor, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
DOE Welcomes New Biden-Harris Appointees Tony G. Reames was most recently a professor of environment and sustainability at the University of Michigan, where he established the Urban Energy Justice Lab to conduct research and develop solutions on the production and persistence of racial, income, and geographic disparities in energy access, affordability, decision making, and participation. Reames served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and worked…
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New Article: Exploring Residential Rooftop Solar Potential in the United States by Race and Ethnicity
Over the last decade, the United States has experienced continued growth in residential rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption. However, solar adoption disparities have been shown across household income, homeownership status, and more recently racial and ethnic demographics. A key component to ensuring a just clean energy transition is understanding the existing landscape to establish realistic goals. Motivated by studies on solar adoption disparities, this descriptive study aims to evaluate the…