Assistant Professor School of Health Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana aspecht@purdue.edu Fellowship Project: Testing efficiency and accessibility using a novel bone lead test Dr. Aaron Specht is an Assistant Professor in the School of Health Sciences at Purdue University. His research focuses on the development, application, and understanding of exposure assessment for elemental and radiation exposures. His work focuses on increasing accessibility and cost effectiveness of exposure assessment techniques —…
New Article: Transit justice: community perceptions and anticipations of a new light rail transit line in Prince George’s County, Maryland, United States
Transit-oriented developments are increasingly important as they address many modern urban environment problems such as urban sprawl, pollution, and rising rates of non-communicable diseases. However, their implementation is difficult as cities are complex systems. Urban health improvements is a labyrinthian process as enhancements in one area often leads to several unintended side effects, such as transit-induced gentrification or injustice. The Purple Line Impact on Neighborhood, Health and Transit (PLIGHT) study…
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…
When it comes to their hair, Black women face a difficult choice
Eris Eady was scrolling through social media this week when she saw a news headline linking hair-straightening chemical products to an increased risk for uterine cancer. She paused. In the early 2000s, she worked as a cosmetologist and frequently used the products to straighten her hair and other women’s as well. Back then, she says, cosmetology schools rarely offered lessons in how to take care of Black women’s natural hair…
Continue reading “When it comes to their hair, Black women face a difficult choice”
Flint, Jackson, and Beyond: Infrastructure Failures in U.S. Cities
The disastrous water infrastructure issues in Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi are not outliers. Looming failures across water, energy, and transportation systems are threatening dozens of cities. JPB Fellow Dr. Marccus Hendricks, director of the Stormwater Infrastructure Resilience and Justice Lab at the University of Maryland, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these emerging challenges. Listen here.
Hair Straightening Chemicals Associated With Higher Uterine Cancer Risk
Women who used chemical hair straightening products were at higher risk for uterine cancer compared to women who did not report using these products, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health. The researchers found no associations with uterine cancer for other hair products that the women reported using, including hair dyes, bleach, highlights, or perms. The study data includes 33,497 U.S. women ages 35-74 participating in…
Continue reading “Hair Straightening Chemicals Associated With Higher Uterine Cancer Risk”
Hair-straightening chemical products linked to increased uterine cancer risk in new study
Scientists are uncovering new details in the connection between using certain hair straightening products, such as chemical relaxers and pressing products, and an increased risk of cancer in women. Ongoing research previously suggested that hair straightening chemicals are associated with an increased risk of certain hormone-related cancers, including breast and ovarian cancers, and now, a new study links use of hair straightening products with an increased risk of uterine cancer.…
LISTEN: Annie Belcourt on Indigenous health and healing
“Why on Earth would we not want to invest in ways to help people live hopeful, and longer lives?” JPB Fellows Dr. Annie Belcourt joins the Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast to discuss using psychology to address the unique mental health challenges and issues in U.S. Indigenous communities. Belcourt is an American Indian Professor in the College of Health at the University of Montana’s Pharmacy Practice and School…
Continue reading “LISTEN: Annie Belcourt on Indigenous health and healing”
Northeastern Professor Sara Wylie Appointed to US Department of Energy
Sara Wylie has been working to increase equity in climate change response for years through her work as an associate professor of sociology and health sciences at Northeastern University. Now, with a year-long fellowship in the U.S. Department of Energy’s new Office of Energy Justice Policy and Analysis, she has the opportunity to help shape the future of U.S. climate policy in a meaningful way. Working under the broader banner of…
Continue reading “Northeastern Professor Sara Wylie Appointed to US Department of Energy”