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Rachel Morello-Frosch
Rachel Morello-Frosch, Ph.D., M.P.H. is an associate professor of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and the School of Public Health at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Morello-Frosch’s research examines race and class determinants of environmental health among diverse communities in the United States. A focus of her current work is on the relationship between segregation and environmental health inequalities, community-based health research, children’s environmental health, and the intersection between economic restructuring and community environmental health. Dr. Morello-Frosch has published articles on the theoretical and methodological issues for elucidating links between community and individual level stressors and environmental health disparities. She also conducted the first study to examine the relationship between racial residential segregation and the estimated cancer risks associated with ambient air toxics exposures in the United States. Dr. Morello-Frosch is also a co-principal Investigator, with the Silent Spring Institute in Newton Massachusetts and Communities for a Better Environment in Northern California, on a household exposure study in Richmond California that examines indoor and outdoor sources of exposure to probable endocrine-disrupting chemicals and particulates. As part of this work, Dr. Morello-Frosch is examining the scientific challenges and bioethical considerations associated with exposure assessment and chemical biomonitoring research in economically and racially marginalized communities. This work is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Science Foundation.
Currently, Dr. Morello-Frosch is working with colleagues and environmental justice organizations to research and address climate justice issues, including: : (1) environmental justice and social equity implications of proposed greenhouse gas reduction strategies in California associated with the AB32 Scoping Plan; and (2) disparities in community capacity to adapt to environmental impacts of climate change.