Associate Professor | Department of Geography and Planning | Appalachian State University
Human Vulnerability to Environmental Hazards: Climate and Human Health: Public Health: Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Climate Variability and Change
My research focuses on the spatiotemporal patterns of environmental illnesses and how these patterns relate to environmental, socioeconomic, and climatic determinants. This research is guided by the social-ecological approach of vulnerability theory, which investigates the complex interplay between the environmental and social or economic aspects of a community. Using this theory, my research provides insights into the etiology of environmental-health diseases, highlighting both at-risk populations and the environmental conditions that lead to adverse health outcomes. My current research is funded through a National Science of Foundation CAREER grant, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
