Natalie R. Sampson

Dr. Natalie R. Sampson is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn within the College of Education, Health and Human Services, affiliated with the Health Behavior and Health Equity department. She specializes in cross-sector environmental justice research focusing on land use planning, infrastructure impacts, and community capacity building. Dr. Sampson employs mixed methods including photovoice and health impact assessment.

• PhD in Environmental Health (University of Michigan, 2013)
• MPH in Public Health (Portland State University, 2007)
• BS in Environmental Health (University of Michigan, 2003)

Research Themes: Her work bridges environmental health and social justice, emphasizing structural inequities in decision-making processes and the role of plain language communication in democratizing health information. Current projects focus on youth capacity building in Dearborn, Detroit flooding impacts, and cross-border infrastructure health assessments.

Publication Trends: Analysis of recent articles reveals consistent focus areas including environmental justice frameworks (5/9), community-based methods (7/9), health equity metrics (8/9), climate adaptation strategies (4/9), and policy implementation challenges (6/9). Key methodologies include mixed-methods analysis (6/9), health impact assessment (4/9), and community engagement frameworks (5/9).

Professional Roles: Dr. Sampson serves as Chair of the American Public Health Association Environment Section and Co-director of Environmental Health Research to Action. She contributes to national environmental health policy through the National Environmental Health Partnership Council.

Contact: Email: nsampson@umich.edu | Office: 313-593-4889 | Location: D9 Fairlane Center South, Dearborn, MI 48126