Jesse E. Bell

Jesse E. Bell, PhD, is the Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate, and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He directs the Water, Climate and Health Program at UNMC and the Water, Climate and Health initiative at the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. His research focuses on interdisciplinary solutions to public health challenges linked to environmental changes and climate variability. Dr. Bell holds affiliations with the Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health (UNMC) and the School of Natural Resources at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UNL).

Dr. Bell earned his PhD from the University of Oklahoma and a BS from Emporia State University. His professional interests emphasize understanding climate-human health connections, particularly extreme weather impacts, drought-related mortality, and the application of climate data in health research. He previously served in a NOAA-CDC joint role, pioneering climate-health data integration. He contributed as a lead author to the 2016 U.S. Global Change Research Program climate health assessment and the Fifth National Climate Assessment's Human Health chapter.

His research portfolio includes over 70 peer-reviewed articles and technical reports, with a focus on drought effects, heatwaves, wildfire health impacts, and environmental policy. Key projects involve developing drought preparedness frameworks, mapping heat vulnerability in Nebraska communities, and evaluating telehealth's role in reducing carbon emissions during pandemics.

Dr. Bell leads a program of 25+ faculty/students and collaborates across institutions to advance climate-resilient public health strategies. His work bridges geosciences, epidemiology, and policy to address global challenges like nitrate contamination, pesticide exposure, and agricultural health risks.