UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences

08/20/2026

Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences Carrie Nobles and her team of doctoral candidates, Gabrielle Johnson and Kaniz Rabeya, had a successful summer sharing their research at the Society for Epidemiologic Research and the Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research Annual Conferences. 🔬

Visit https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/news/nobles-lab-members-unveil-findings to learn all about their findings, the talks the trio led, and the posters they presented!

08/18/2026

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce has co-authored an article appearing in The Conversation examining teen smoking and va**ng rates. Both are in decline among middle school and high school students, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 2025 National Youth To***co Survey, released in July 2026. The survey found that smoking – the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the U.S. and worldwide – is at a historic low among U.S. youth, at just 1.4%. Meanwhile, the use of ni****ne vapes, or e-cigarettes, fell to 5.2% in 2025, the lowest it’s been since its peak in 2019.

"Just because to***co and ni****ne use is declining among young people in the U.S. and in some other populations, it doesn’t mean that these substances are no longer a public health problem," the authors write. "Adult usage is holding steady, and there’s no guarantee that young people will continue abstaining."

A new FDA survey finds some positive trends among young people in the US, though new forms of ni****ne use like pouches have become a bit more popular.

08/14/2026

Earlier this summer, Professor of Epidemiology Katherine Reeves traveled to Lyon, France, to join a working group for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization. The team looked at studies on the carcinogenicity of three chemicals: butyl benzyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate and diisononyl phthalate, substances common in everyday items ranging from PVC and cable coatings to dust and personal care products.

Reeves was a member of the working group of 23 scientists from 13 countries who met to finalize their evaluation for the latest IARC Monograph. Their findings, reported in The Lancet, indicated that these chemicals are “possibly carcinogenic,” based on “strong” mechanistic evidence in experimental systems, but more research is needed regarding their impact on humans.

“There is definitely support from these laboratory studies and these animal studies that these agents can act in ways that we know can be carcinogenic,” Reeves said. “However, the study in humans is insufficient. And so, there's an opportunity for future research to hopefully give more information within humans as to whether or not these agents are carcinogens.”

Katherine Reeves traveled to France in June to join a working group for the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the WHO's specialized cancer agency.

08/10/2026

Meg Grant, a 4+1 graduate student in the Department of Nutrition, is using her role as a Dietetic Intern to advance the work the UMass Food Pantry is doing for the university and Amherst communities! Although Meg didn’t know much about the pantry and the blossoming collaboration between UMass and The Amherst Survival Center, she jumped at the opportunity and hasn’t looked back.

Read more!
https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/stories/meg-grant-dietetics-internship

08/07/2026

Congratulations are in order for Katherine Reeves! She's been named senior vice provost for graduate education and dean of the UMass Amherst Graduate School, beginning that position on August 15th.

A professor of epidemiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Reeves has served as the school's associate dean for graduate and professional studies since 2020. In her new role, she will serve as the senior academic official responsible for the advancement and administration of graduate education at UMass Amherst. She will work to ensure an exceptional graduate student experience and enhance graduate student recruitment, support, and professional development opportunities as the campus drives the continuous improvement of more than 90 graduate programs.

A heartfelt thanks to Dr. Reeves as we wish her much success in her new office.

The Office of the Provost has announced that Katherine Reeves has been named senior vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School.

08/06/2026

Associate Professor of Epidemiology Cassandra Spracklen and her lab's investigation of the genetic keys to Type 2 diabetes is profiled in a new feature story appearing on the UMass website.

“Type 2 diabetes has a huge impact on public health and quality of life,” says Spracklen. “We’re working to better understand the genetics of type 2 diabetes and related cardiometabolic traits—like glucose, lipids, insulin, and BMI—and, ultimately, improve prevention and treatment of this disease.”

If you knew you were genetically predisposed to developing a disease like type 2 diabetes, would you live your life differently? See a doctor regularly, try to eat better, or exercise more? And if you did get sick, what if knowledge about your genetic makeup could inform better, more personalized th...

07/27/2026

Carolyn Velázquez became the first in her family to earn a graduate degree when she received her MPH in Public Health Practice online in 2025. She has made strides in her efforts to advance health access to underserved communities by developing an initiative to reduce missed appointments and presenting her findings at the New England Rural Health Association Conference. Read all about Carolyn's journey using the link below!

https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/stories/alumni-profile-carolyn-velazquez

07/24/2026

Nutrition doctoral candidate Cheng Wang has been named one of the six finalists for the American Society of Nutrition’s Three-Minute Thesis competition and will be recognized at the organization’s flagship meeting, NUTRITION 2026, that begins this weekend! Good luck, Cheng!

Cheng Wang has been named one of six finalists in the American Society for Nutrition’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition recognizing outstanding student research.

07/23/2026

Calling all SPHHS Alumni! Are you interested in being a mentor to a current student? Participate in the SPHHS Amplify Mentor Program (AMP)! Mentors help students learn about life after graduation, research potential careers, develop professional communication skills, and more. A one semester commitment can make a big impact!

More Information >> https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/career-planning/ocp-services/amplify-mentor-program-amp

07/20/2026

Smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed Hampshire County, bringing unhealthy air quality, orange skies and cancellations of outdoor activities. “What you see outside are pollutants that are coming from a number of forest fires, including some more than 1,500 miles away in Saskatchewan, Canada,” said Richard Peltier, a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences.

Exposure to wildfire smoke pollutants can have long-term health effects that may show up later in life. He noted the importance of staying inside during times like this, using a high-efficiency particulate air filter and wearing an N95 mask if spending time outside.

“Twenty years ago, conditions like this were unusual and rare. But when we generalize about climate impacts, they are often dismissed in vague terms like temperatures that might be warmer or more or less rainfall in a given location,” Peltier said. “These smoky conditions we face today are a direct result of climate change, it’s something we can see and smell and feel and people will suffer from it. And this new normal should not be, but here we are.”

Smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed Hampshire County on Wednesday, bringing unhealthy air quality, orange skies and cancellations of outdoor activities. “What you see outside are pollutants that are coming from a number of forest fires, including some more than 1,500 miles away in Saskatchewan...