Centralized water infrastructure is challenged by climate change, infrastructure degradation, underinvestment, and shifting water demands. In its place, scholars have argued for “Modular, Adaptive and Decentralized” (MAD) water systems. We critically interrogate the environmental injustices that produce, and may be reproduced through, MAD water systems. We focus on two key dynamics by which MAD systems emerge: “shoving-out” of, and “opting-out” from, centralized water systems. Using a justice-based framework, we synthesize…
New Article: Indoor and Personal PM2.5 Samples Differ in Chemical Composition and Alter Zebrafish Behavior Based on Primary Fuel Source
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure has been linked to diverse human health impacts. Little is known about the potential heterogeneous impacts of PM2.5 generated from different indoor fuel sources and how exposure differs between personal and indoor environments. Therefore, we used PM2.5 collected by one stationary sampler in a kitchen and personal samplers (female and male participants), in homes (n = 24) in Kheri, India, that used either biomass or liquified petroleum gas…
These 10 scientists are on the cusp of changing the world
Leaving a tangible mark on your scientific field is a staggering achievement at any stage of your career. Each year, Popular Science honors 10 early-career researchers who’ve gotten a head start: The Brilliant 10. These researchers already stand out as innovators and change makers in their fields. They are asking the unasked questions, adopting novel methods, and pursuing remedies where none exist. Whether they are driven by the desire to fill a…
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Invited Perspective: Important New Evidence for Glyphosate Hazard Assessment
Glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide in the world.1 It is also, arguably, the most controversial. Since being classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015,2 glyphosate has received close scrutiny from scientists and regulatory bodies. A new study in this issue of Environmental Health Perspectives by Chang et al.3 provides important new evidence to support glyphosate hazard assessment. The IARC conclusion was driven by the…
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New Book: Kneeling Before Corn | UAPress
In “Kneeling Before Corn,” JPB Fellow Mike Anastario and his co-authors explore relationships between humans and the ‘three sisters’—corn, beans, and squash—in rural El Salvador. The book develops the concept of “more-than-human intimacies,” referring to the unique relationships that form between people and plants. It illustrates how these intimacies travel away from the milpa and return to it through processes of “vicarious intimacy.” This book offers a discerning portrayal of…
A Glimpse of Fellows’ Recent Publications, Fall 2023
Max Aung’s latest research investigates the potential link between hormonally active cancers and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, specifically per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phenols, and parabens. Using cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), his study aims to assess associations with self-reported previous cancer diagnoses. Full article here. Lara Cushing’s latest publication investigates the potential risk of drinking water contamination in Los Angeles County, California, revealing that a…
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Damu Smith Environmental Achievement Award
JPB Fellow Na’Taki Osborne Jelks received the Damu Smith Environmental Achievement Award — This award recognizes cross-cutting collaborative work that has enhanced or increased understanding of economic security, ecological conservation, culture or health. Dr. Na’Taki Osborne Jelks is a nationally-recognized leader in engaging urban communities and youth of color in environmental stewardship through hands-on watershed and land restoration initiatives, environmental education, and training. In 2001, Jelks co-founded the Atlanta Earth Tomorrow® Program,…
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Black neighborhoods burdened by industrial air pollution will finally get answers
In a pocket of neighborhoods in Northwest Atlanta, Black residents live among a cluster of industrial and transportation facilities that researchers fear are silently deteriorating the communities’ health. Scattered amid the tree-lined streets of Collier Heights and nearby residential communities, there are wastewater treatment plants, a train yard, a power plant, a concrete facility, and an asphalt plant. Within the same 3-mile radius, more than 150 jets depart and arrive…
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Championing better health for vulnerable workers
As a young woman, Diana Ceballos spent Saturdays volunteering with impoverished children living in a neighborhood built on top of a garbage dump in her native Medellin, Colombia. “I could see how sick they were, the skin diseases, the coughing, the deplorable conditions,” Ceballos said. “It was evident to me how the environment plays a huge role in health. But back then, no one talked about how the environment could…
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Max Aung, Ph.D. – Tackling Environmental Exposures in Marginalized Communities
When Max Aung, Ph.D., was an undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Cruz, he was studying molecular biology. A pivotal experience in his junior year guided his path. He participated in a summer program at Stanford University focused on providing public health and medical training experiences for underrepresented, first-generation, and immigrant students. “I had the opportunity to learn from leading physicians and public health practitioners. As a first-generation college…
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