Gregory Wellenius, ScD Hear my name
Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Environmental Health

ScD, Harvard School of Public Health
MSc, McGill University
BSc, McGill University



Gregory Wellenius is a Professor on Environmental Health at the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and Director of the new BUSPH Center for Climate and Health. He is an environmental epidemiologist committed to reducing the adverse health impacts of continued climate change through research, training, and engagement. Dr. Wellenius also teaches an introductory graduate-level class on quantitative methods and serves on the Research Committee of the Health Effects Institute, as a visiting scientist with Google, and on the executive committee of the Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance.

In partnership with a faculty, staff, and students from diverse disciplines, Dr. Wellenius’s research seeks to generate the actionable scientific evidence needed to ensure that our communities are as resilient, sustainable, and healthy as possible. Specifically, his group seeks to: 1) understand the adverse health impacts of extreme weather events, air pollution, and other climate-relevant hazards, 2) assess the effectiveness of strategies to reduce these adverse health impacts, and 3) leverage novel signals to provide timely and actionable insights to public health officials and other key stakeholders. For example, his recent publications highlight the risks posed by extreme heat to our physical and mental health, the limited health benefits of heat warnings and advisories, and the potential utility of data on internet search patterns and population mobility to inform public health.

Prior to joining the faculty at BU in 2020, Dr. Wellenius served as Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health and Director of Brown’s Center for Environmental Health and Technology. Prior to that, he earned dual doctorate degrees from the Departments of Environmental Health and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Cardiovascular Division of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital), and served as Instructor in Medicine at BIDMC and Harvard Medical School. He has published extensively on the cardiovascular effects of ambient air pollution, contributed to the US EPA’s 2009 Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter, provided invited expert testimony on this topic before the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, and served as a co-author of the 4th National Climate Assessment of the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). He is the 2019 winner of the ISEE Tony McMichael Mid-Term Career Award.

Director
Boston University School of Public Health
Center for Climate & Health




GeoCAFE - An RCN to Convene, Accelerate, Foster, and Expand Geosciences Research Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Human Health (C2H2)
05/15/2024 - 04/30/2029 (Multi-PI)
PI: Gregory Wellenius, ScD
National Science Foundation
RISE-2427815

CAFÉ: a Research Coordinating Center to Convene, Accelerate, Foster, and Expand the Climate Change and Health Community of Practice
05/10/2023 - 04/30/2026 (Multi-PI)
PI: Gregory Wellenius, ScD
NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
1U24ES035309-01

Longitudinal effects of Air Pollution Exposures on Lung growth and development of biomarker of lung function deficit in Urban Children
10/01/2020 - 09/30/2025 (Subcontract PI)
JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research DBT/Well. Tr India A


Evaluation of Municipal Heat Action Plans (HAPs) in the United States
04/01/2020 - 04/01/2024 (PI)
Wellcome Trust


Contributions of Prescribed Fire and Agricultural Burning to Air Quality and Health
12/01/2022 - 11/30/2023 (Subcontract PI)
Georgia Institute of Technology Health Effects Inst


Contributions of Prescribed Fire and Agricultural Burning to Air Quality and Health
12/01/2021 - 11/30/2023 (Subcontract PI)
Georgia Institute of Technology Health Effects Inst


Preparing Cities for Heat Resilience
08/01/2022 - 10/31/2023 (Subcontract PI)
Atlantic Council The Rockefeller Fdn


Evidence to improve heat warning effectiveness in reducing morbidity and mortality
05/14/2020 - 10/31/2023 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
5R01ES029950-05

Impact of Open Burn Pit Exposure on Respiratory and Cardiovascular Health among Military Veterans
01/01/2020 - 09/14/2022 (Subcontract PI)
Brown University Dept of Defense


Environmental Determinants of Pathological Brain Aging in WHI Memory Studies
01/01/2020 - 07/31/2021 (Subcontract PI)
University of Southern California NIH NIEHS
5R01ES025888-05



Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Lin Z, Weinberger E, Nori-Sarma A, Chinchilla M, Wellenius GA, Jay J. Daily heat and mortality among people experiencing homelessness in 2 urban US counties, 2015-2022. Am J Epidemiol. 2024 Nov 04; 193(11):1576-1582.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38844692
     
  2. Milando CW, Sun Y, Romitti Y, Nori-Sarma A, Gause EL, Spangler KR, Sue Wing I, Wellenius GA. Generalizability of heat-related health risk associations observed in a large healthcare claims database of patients with commercial health insurance. Epidemiology. 2024 Aug 09; 35(6):844-52.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39120949; PMCID: PMC7616519; DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001781;
     
  3. Young MT, Vispute S, Serghiou S, Kumok A, Shah Y, Lane KJ, Black-Ingersoll F, Brochu P, Bharel M, Skenazy S, Karthikesalingam A, Bavadekar S, Kansal M, Shekel T, Gabrilovich E, Wellenius GA. Quantifying urban park use in the USA at scale: empirical estimates of realised park usage using smartphone location data. Lancet Planet Health. 2024 Aug; 8(8):e564-e573.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39122325
     
  4. Wesselink AK, Gause EL, Spangler KD, Hystad P, Kirwa K, Willis MD, Wellenius GA, Wise LA. EXPOSURE TO AMBIENT HEAT AND RISK OF SPONTANEOUS ABORTION: A CASE-CROSSOVER STUDY. Epidemiology. 2024 Jul 26.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39058555
     
  5. Fruh V, Babalola T, Sears C, Wellenius GA, Webster TF, Mann KK, Harrington J, Tjønneland A, Raaschou-Nielsen O, Claus Henn B, Meliker JR. Dietary Minerals and Incident Cardiovascular Outcomes among Never-Smokers in a Danish Case-Cohort Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Jul 17; 21(7).View Related Profiles. PMID: 39063508; PMCID: PMC11277515; DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21070932;
     
  6. de Bont J, Krishna B, Stafoggia M, Banerjee T, Dholakia H, Garg A, Ingole V, Jaganathan S, Kloog I, Lane K, Mall RK, Mandal S, Nori-Sarma A, Prabhakaran D, Rajiva A, Tiwari AS, Wei Y, Wellenius GA, Schwartz J, Prabhakaran P, Ljungman P. Ambient air pollution and daily mortality in ten cities of India: a causal modelling study. Lancet Planet Health. 2024 Jul; 8(7):e433-e440.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38969471
     
  7. Bernstein AS, Malits JR, Wellenius GA. The Untapped Potential of Precision Health to Improve Heat Resilience for Those Who Need It Most. Am J Public Health. 2024 Jul; 114(7):682-684. PMID: 38838293; PMCID: PMC11153958; DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2024.307688;
     
  8. Maji KJ, Li Z, Vaidyanathan A, Hu Y, Stowell JD, Milando C, Wellenius G, Kinney PL, Russell AG, Odman MT. Estimated Impacts of Prescribed Fires on Air Quality and Premature Deaths in Georgia and Surrounding Areas in the US, 2015-2020. Environ Sci Technol. 2024 Jul 16; 58(28):12343-12355.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38943591; PMCID: PMC11256750; DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00890;
     
  9. Haley BM, Sun Y, Jagai JS, Leibler JH, Fulweiler R, Ashmore J, Wellenius GA, Heiger-Bernays W. Association between Combined Sewer Overflow Events and Gastrointestinal Illness in Massachusetts Municipalities with and without River-Sourced Drinking Water, 2014-2019. Environ Health Perspect. 2024 May; 132(5):57008.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38775485; PMCID: PMC11110654; DOI: 10.1289/EHP14213;
     
  10. Metzger A, Baharav Y, Nichols L, Finke M, Saunders B, Mitchell P, Wellenius GA, Baughman McLeod K, Shickman K. Beliefs and behaviors associated with the first named heat wave in Seville Spain 2022. Sci Rep. 2024 Apr 20; 14(1):9055. PMID: 38643234; PMCID: PMC11032320; DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59430-8;
     
Showing 10 of 235 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 235 publications over 24 distinct years, with a maximum of 24 publications in 2019

YearPublications
20001
20021
20032
20041
20054
20064
20072
20087
20098
20102
20116
201212
20137
201412
201514
20165
201711
201819
201924
202016
202121
202221
202317
202418

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Recent (within 3 months)

Heat kills thousands in the U.S. every year. Why are the deaths so hard to track?

Seattle Times 8/27/2024

Heat Kills Thousands in the U.S. Every Year. Why Are the Deaths So Hard to Track?

New York Times 8/23/2024

Older

Heat-related Texas deaths climb after Beryl left millions without power for days or longer

Associated Press 7/21/2024

How to stay safe in the Texas heat

Texas Tribune 7/2/2024

Car crashes rise, test scores plummet: The hidden ways extreme heat affects our bodies and our minds

Fast Company 6/26/2024

Here's why an Arizona medical examiner is working to track heat-related deaths

NPR 6/11/2024

We Are Underestimating the Health Harms of Climate Disasters

The Brink 4/22/2024

The human cost of climate-related disasters is acutely undercounted, new study says

NPR 2/29/2024

‘Safe’ air-quality levels in US, UK and EU still harmful for health, study says

The Guardian 2/21/2024

Climate change is impacting babies’ birth weight

Thred 1/11/2024

Most New England states don’t track ‘heat-related’ deaths. Experts say that’s a problem

WBUR 8/31/2023

Return of El Niño raises risk of hunger, drought and malaria, scientists warn

The Guardian 8/10/2023

‘Silent killer’: experts warn of record US deaths from extreme heat

The Guardian 8/1/2023

The climate change-health nexus

Politico 5/19/2023

Warm days are contributing to gun violence surge across the US, says study of 100 cities

Medical Xpress 12/16/2022

Air pollution linked to almost a million stillbirths a year

The Guardian 11/29/2022

A Different Heatwave Warning: Online Hate—Like Violent Crime—Soars With High Temperatures, Study Suggests

Forbes 9/7/2022

Climate change is turning air conditioning into a matter of life and death. But government help is lacking

Medical Xpress 8/11/2022

Deaths of 3 women in early heat wave raise questions, fears

Associated Press 5/28/2022

Summer Heat Can Drain Mental Health

BU Today 3/11/2022

Science News | Study Says Extreme Heat is Linked to Rise in Mental Health Emergency Care

Latestly 2/27/2022

Extreme Heat Linked to Increase in Mental Health Emergency Care

Neuroscience News 2/27/2022

Hot days lead to more mental health emergencies, study finds

The Guardian 2/23/2022

Extreme heat raises risk for mental health crises in U.S., study finds

United Press International 2/23/2022

Global heating linked to early birth and damage to babies’ health, scientists find

The Guardian 1/15/2022

Climate crisis increasing risk of premature birth and childhood illness

The Independent 1/15/2022

Extreme Heat Could Impact Young and Middle-Aged Adults More than Older Adults

BU Today 1/11/2022

Which population does extreme heat affect the most?

News Medical 12/16/2021

Hot Days Can Send Even Younger Folks to the ER

US News & World Report 11/29/2021

Extreme heat may impact younger people more than elderly - study

Jerusalem Post 11/27/2021

This Squad of Researchers Is a Real-Life Justice League

BU Today 10/27/2021

Campus Reacts to BU’s Commitment to Divest from Fossil Fuels

BU Today 9/24/2021

Hidden Toll of the Northwest Heat Wave: Hundreds of Extra Deaths

The New York Times 8/11/2021

Cooling Aid Shifts From Luxury To Necessity For Some In Mass.

WBUR 7/23/2021

As Temperatures Set Records, Heat Exposure Hits Some Neighborhoods Harder than Others

BU Today 6/25/2021

Ticks and Mosquitoes, Infectious Disease Carriers, Are Expanding Their Range

BU Today 6/16/2020

2019 International Society for Environmental Epidemiology: Tony McMichael Mid-Term Career Award
2018 Brown University School of Public Health: Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching
2004 Harvard School of Public Health: Edgar Haber Award in Biological Sciences
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Climate Change
Epidemiology
Environmental Health
Extreme Heat
Hurricanes
Claims, Healthcare Administrative
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