Gabriella Meltzer

Dr. Gabriella Meltzer is an Assistant Professor with joint appointments in the Departments of Environmental Science and Health Studies at American University. Her research focuses on the intersection of climate change, disasters, and health disparities across the life course, with an emphasis on environmental justice and community engagement.

Her educational background includes:

• Post-Doc, The Collaborative for Women's Environmental Health, Columbia University
• Post-Doc, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences T32 Combined Training Program, Columbia University
• PhD in Public Health from New York University's School of Global Public Health
• BA in Health and Societies from the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Meltzer's research interests span Climate Change and Health, Environmental Epidemiology, and Health Disparities across critical life stages. She employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate how environmental stressors, particularly from climate change and disasters, disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Her work is deeply rooted in environmental justice and emphasizes community engagement to ensure research addresses community needs and promotes equity.

Her recent publications (2021-2025) consistently address the health impacts of environmental disasters and climate change, with a focus on children, pregnant women, and older adults. Key themes include the effects of hurricanes on education, extreme heat on pregnancy, oil spills on child and family mental health, and the compounding effects of multiple disasters. Her work often employs longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches to capture the complexity of cumulative environmental stressors.

Dr. Meltzer directs the Climate Change, Health Inequities, and Life Course Lab (CHILL) at American University, fostering interdisciplinary research and mentoring the next generation of environmental health scientists. She is passionate about teaching and has developed courses such as ENVS-324 Environmental Health and Climate Justice.