Rachel Morello-Frosch

Rachel Morello-Frosch is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research spans over two decades, focusing on the social determinants of environmental health, environmental justice, and health disparities linked to chemical exposures, air pollution, and climate change impacts.

• PhD in Environmental Health Sciences (UC Berkeley)
• MPH in Epidemiology & Biostatistics (UC Berkeley)
• BS in Development Studies (UC Berkeley)

Her work integrates community-based participatory research to address environmental health risks in marginalized populations, particularly examining how psychosocial stress and chemical exposures interact to affect fetal development and maternal health. She co-authored the book Contested Illness, highlighting community-scientific collaborations.

Recent publications emphasize climate change and health, wildfire smoke exposure, and PFAS contamination in vulnerable communities. Her research has secured grants from NIH, NSF, Cal-EPA, and the California Breast Cancer Research Program.

• Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence and Equity (CAAIEE)

She serves on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC), advocating for policies that integrate environmental justice and structural equity into climate resilience and regulatory frameworks.