Faculty labs

Environmental and Occupational Health

Our faculty conduct novel, impactful, interdisciplinary research locally, nationally and internationally. Below are links to Environmental and Occupational Health faculty labs that highlight ongoing projects and research opportunities.

Environmental Exposure and Biomarker Lab

The Environmental Exposure and Biomarker Lab measures metal concentrations in environmental and biological samples in order to determine personal exposure to contaminants. We also examine molecular biomarkers that may be generated by exposure to environmental contaminants.

Environmental Health Literacy and Translation Lab

The Environmental Health Literacy and Translation Lab evaluates the role of environmental health literacy in helping communities better frame and respond to environmental health hazards. Current projects incorporate disaster research, asthma and air pollution, and Indigenous environmental health.

Methylmercury Lab

The Methylmercury Lab carries out research related to methylmercury cycling and exposure. Their goal is to mitigate methylmercury exposure among vulnerable populations. They use a multidisciplinary framework, including environmental monitoring, risk assessment, and epidemiologic studies, to fully understand the dynamics of methylmercury exposure.

Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Laboratory

The Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Laboratory uses a variety of bioinstrumentation to characterize work-related physical exposures and investigate their relationships with adverse health outcomes with an ultimate goal of promoting health and well-being at workplaces. We conduct both laboratory and field-based research studies to investigate underlying musculoskeletal injury mechanism in various work environment from computer work to heavy equipment operation.

Occupational Safety and Health Laboratory

The Occupational Safety and Health Laboratory uses a variety of tools and methods to investigate workplace hazards and environmental pollutants on safety and health outcomes in working populations and communities. They conduct a broad range of research in the commercial fishing industry, masonry workers, and the timber industry.

Spatial Health Laboratory

The Spatial Health Laboratory carries out diverse research related to health and place.

Given the spatially correlated nature of environmental and social health determinants, we use a multidisciplinary framework to fully understand how place influences health. The goal of this research is to inform policies and practices to create healthy communities and individuals.

Recent publications

(This is not an exhaustive list. We are still rebuilding our database of faculty publications. Visit individual faculty profiles for more extensive lists of their publications.)

2025

Mowrer, C., Larkin, A., Roscoe, C., Grady, S. T., Peters, J. L., Haggerty, B., Hystad, P., Bozigar, M. (2025) Systematic measurement and machine learning-based profile characterization of community noise in a medium-large city in the United States Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology

Merculief, A., McClelland, M., Foster, S., Geldhof, J., Lipscomb, S., Anderson, K., Kile, M. L. (2025) Socioeconomic and racial-ethnic disparities in flame retardant exposure and executive function skills in preschool children Environmental Health 24

Yi, L., Hart, J.E., Wilt, G.E., Hu, C.R., Jimenez, M.P., Lin, P.I., Suel, E., Hystad, P., Hankey, S., Zhang, W., Chavarro, J.E., Laden, F., James, P. (2025) GPS-based street-view greenspace exposure and wearable assessed physical activity in a prospective cohort of US women The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 22

Larkin, A., Huang, T., Chen, L., Lin, P.D., Hart, J.E., Zhang, W., Coull, B.A., Yi, L., Suel, E., Hankey, S., James, P., Hystad, P. (2025) Developing Nationwide Estimates of Built Environment Quality Characteristics Using Street-View Imagery and Computer Vision Environmental Science & Technology

Rothenberg, S.E., Flores, A.C., Anderson, M.K. (2025) Recreational fishing downstream from the Black Butte Mine Superfund Site in Oregon, USA Scientific Reports 15

Lear, S.A., McKee, M., Hystad, P., Byron Walker, B., Murphy, A., Brauer, M., Walli-Attaei, M., Rosengren, A., Rangarajan, S., Chow, C., Yusuf, S. (2025) Social factors, health policy, and environment: implications for cardiovascular disease across the globe European Heart Journal

Salehi, M., Choi, S., Kia, K., Chan, A., Kincl, L., Kim, J.H. (2025) Effects of different sorting table heights on low back and shoulders biomechanical loads during dungeness crab sorting Applied Ergonomics 128

Yi, L., Hart, J.E., Roscoe, C., Mehta, U.V., Pescador Jimenez, M., Lin, P.D., Suel, E., Hystad, P., Hankey, S., Zhang, W., Okereke, O.I., Laden, F, James, P. (2025) Greenspace and depression incidence in the US-based nationwide Nurses' Health Study II: A deep learning analysis of street-view imagery Environment International 198

Roome, A.B., Gertz, K., Pain, M., Sulman, H.B., Graham, J., Quinn, B., Weil, R., Kincl, L., Dzugan, J., McCue-Weil, L., Jenkins, P., Sorensen, J. (2025) Beneath the Surface: Mental Health in Commercial Fisheries Journal of Agromedicine

Oje, O., Amram, O., Hystad, P., Gebremedhin, A.H., Monsivais, P. (2025) Use of individual Google Location History data to identify consumer encounters with food outlets International Journal of Health Geographics 24(1)