Deena B. Thomas, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences; Public Health
Background
Deena B. Thomas is an assistant professor in Public Health Division at 海角乱伦社区's Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences. She joined the faculty in fall 2024.
Thomas is a researcher focused on environmental health, specifically on the intersection of toxicant exposure and health equity. Her work investigates the disproportionate effects of environmental hazards such as air pollution on vulnerable populations, including low-income communities and communities of color. She aims to understand the broader implications of these issues for public health policy and practice.
Thomas鈥檚 background is in environmental health, nutrition and epidemiology, and she is currently studying the effects of pollutants on diseases such as anemia, and the potential for nutrition to mitigate these effects. She collaborates internationally with universities and nongovernmental organizations to research and raise awareness about this area and to promote community-driven solutions.
Her work utilizes mixed methods such as advanced statistical analyses, qualitative methods and community-based participatory research to bridge the gap between scientific research and real-world interventions.
Education
- Postdoctoral fellowship, Cornell University
- PhD, University of Michigan School of Public Health
- MPH, University of Michigan School of Public Health
Research Interests
- Environmental health
- Health equity
- Nutrition
- Global health
- Chronic diseases
- Maternal and child health
- Indigenous peoples
- Mixed methods
Teaching Interests
- Environmental health
- Place and health
- Introduction to public health
- Research methods for global health