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.
Homes that survived the Marshall Fire 1 year ago harbored another disaster inside – here’s what we’ve learned about this insidious urban wildfire risk
On Dec. 30, 2021, one of the most destructive wildfires on record in Colorado swept through neighborhoods just a few miles from our offices at the University of Colorado Boulder. The flames destroyed over 1,000 buildings, yet when we drove through the affected neighborhoods, some houses were still completely intact right next to homes where nothing was left to burn. Although the people who lived in these still-standing homes were spared the loss…
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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UAlbany Researchers Awarded $3 Million to Study Disparities in Black Maternal and Infant Health
ALBANY, N.Y. (Dec. 15, 2022) — In the United States, Black mothers and their infants disproportionately experience negative health outcomes in the first postpartum year, compared to non-Black families. University at Albany researchers recently received $3 million from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to investigate social and environmental causes of these disparities. Findings from the five-year study will inform strategies aimed at improving Black maternal-infant health. “Discrepancies in postpartum…
Daylight Saving Time sheds light on lack of sleep’s disproportionate impact in communities of color
As the United States rolled back the clocks one hour this month to observe the end of Daylight Saving Time, many people got a bit more sleep than usual – but some not as much as others. Growing evidence shows that lack of sleep and sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, remain more prevalent in Black, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino communities, and these inequities can have long-term detrimental implications…
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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ASU recycles research-supporting helium amid global shortage
Sorry to burst your bubble, but helium is in short supply worldwide. This lighter-than-air gas is known for making party balloons float, but it has many other important uses, including medical imaging, making microchips and testing rockets. To make the most of its supply, Arizona State University has equipped its Magnetic Resonance Research Center with a sustainable system that recycles the helium it uses for research. There, scientists are working to…
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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.
Assessing the Impact of Harmful Algal Blooms on Fishing Communities in a Changing Climate
11TH U.S. SYMPOSIUM ON HARMFUL ALGAE EXPLORING THE DUMAN DIMENSIONS OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS THROUGH A WELL-BEING FRAMEWORK TO INCREASE RESILIENCE IN A CHANGING WORLD Climate change is expected to alter harmful algal bloom (HAB) dynamics in marine and freshwater systems around the world, with some regions already experiencing significant increases in HAB events. There has been considerable investment of effort to identify, characterize, track, and predict the direction and…