Federico Andrade-Rivas

Federico Andrade-Rivas is an Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Colorado Boulder and holds a Partner Assistant Professor appointment at the Environmental Health Institute, Universidad El Bosque. His work bridges planetary health, environmental health, and social justice through interdisciplinary research.

• PhD in Geography (2023) from the University of Victoria
• Postdoctoral Fellow at Matthew Little's Lab, Northern Contaminants Program

His research focuses on:

• Planetary Health: Analyzing globalized food system contamination and its health impacts
• Infectious Diseases: Investigating malaria in gold mining regions and Dengue transmission dynamics
• Environmental Justice: Addressing pollution-related health disparities in Indigenous and marginalized communities
• Biocultural Diversity: Developing frameworks linking biodiversity and cultural values

Recent publications span geospatial analysis of pesticide exposures, mercury contamination in Amazonian communities, and the intersection of urbanization and tropical disease patterns. His work emphasizes solutions-oriented, community-centred approaches grounded in systems thinking.

• Awards: Valedictorian at UVIC PhD graduation (2023), Research Seed Funding from PHEN (2023), Collegium Ramazzini membership (2023)

He mentors graduate students in planetary health research, provides methodological guidance for external funding applications, and collaborates on community projects like La Comarca Civil Society Reserve in Colombia. His teaching philosophy integrates environmental justice, decolonial approaches, and field-based skill development.