Maryam Karimi

Maryam Karimi, PhD, MPA, MS, is the Director of Research and an Associate Professor at the University of Memphis School of Public Health. Previously, she held roles as an Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), including a joint appointment in the School of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. She also served as Associate Director of Public Health and Environmental Sustainability at UAB’s Sustainable Smart Cities Research Center. Dr. Karimi’s expertise bridges environmental science, public health, and urban resilience, with a focus on mitigating urban environmental challenges like air quality, urban heat islands, and flooding. Her research is supported by NIH, EPA, USDA, NSF, NASA, and NOAA.

Education highlights include a PhD and MS in Earth and Environmental Science from the City University of New York (CUNY), a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and an MPA from Baruch College (CUNY). Her work emphasizes innovative solutions such as CanAiry, a wearable device for respiratory health monitoring, and leverages big data and predictive modeling to design resilient cities.

Key research interests include urban resiliency, climate adaptation, and health equity, with a focus on underserved communities. Her publications explore geospatial analysis of environmental health risks, flood modeling, and urban heat mitigation strategies. Dr. Karimi collaborates across disciplines to advance sustainable urban policies and infrastructure.

Advising and grants: She mentors students in environmental health and urban resilience, supported by major grants. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates engineering, public health, and environmental science to address complex urban challenges.

Labs and teams: Leads projects at the Sustainable Smart Cities Research Center, focusing on CanAiry development and urban climate resilience initiatives.