Jesse Berman, PhD
Assistant Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences

Contact Info
Assistant Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences
PhD, Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
MHS, Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
BA, Environmental Biology/English Literature, Colgate University
Post-Doctorate, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
Post-Doctorate, Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Summary
I'm an environmental epidemiologist, whose mission is to understand the relationship between human health and complex environmental exposures. I have a particular interest in evaluating how extreme weather (notably drought, heat, and precipitation), climate, and air pollution influence population-level health. I frequently use spatial analysis and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to improve exposure assessment and better understand the role of environment with disease outcomes. Most of my research involves secondary analysis of large data sources (e.g. hospital records, Medicare), but more recent work has focused on collecting personal exposure data. My work emphasizes policy relevant findings that can inform decision making to better protect public health.
Expertise
Air pollution, environmental epidemiology, exposure assessment, GIS, interpolation, spatial analysis, weather
Awards & Recognition
Professional Associations
Research
Research Funding Grants
- 2020-2022, NOAA CPC, "Evaluation of Drought Indicators for Improved Decision-Making in Public Health and Emergency Preparedness: Reducing Drought's Burden on Health," Co-Investigator
- 2019-2021, Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, “Impact of drought conditions on occupational psychosocial stress among a Midwest farmers cohort,” Principal Investigator
Publications
Jesse Berman's Bibliography - NIH
Selected Publications
Berman JD, Ebisu K. Changes in U.S. Air Pollution During the COVID-19 Pandemic. 2020. Science of the Total Environment 739: 139864
Rau A, Munoz-Zanzi C, Schotthoefer AM, Oliver J, Berman JD. 2020. Spatio-temporal dynamics of tick-borne diseases in north-central Wisconsin from 2000-2016. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(14): 5105
Berman JD, Burkhardt J, Bayham J, Carter EM, Wilson A. 2019. Acute Air Pollution and Risk of Violent Behavior in the United States, 2000-2013. Epidemiology 30(6): 799-806.
Jin L, Berman JD, Warren JL, Levy JI, Thurston G, Zhang Y, Xu X, Wang S, Zhang Y, Bell ML. 2019. A land use regression model of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter in a complex urban core in Lanzhou, China. Environmental Research 177: 108597
Berman JD, McCormack MC, Koehler KA, Connolly F, Clemons-Erby D, Davis MF, Gummerson C, Leaf PJ, Curriero FC. 2018. School Environmental Conditions and Links to Academic Performance and Absenteeism in Urban, Mid-Atlantic Public Schools. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 221(5):800-808.
Berman JD, Ebisu K, Peng RD, Dominici F, Bell ML. 2017. Drought and the Risk of Hospital Admissions and Mortality in Western U.S. Older Adults from 2000 to 2013: a retrospective study. The Lancet Planetary Health 1(1):17-25.
Berman JD, Fann N, Hollingsworth JW, Pinkerton KE, Rom WN, Szema AM, Breysse PN, White RH, Curriero FC. 2012. Health benefits from large scale ozone reduction in the United States. Environmental Health Perspectives 120(10): 1404-1410.
Teaching
Teaching Areas
I take an active role in the training of public health professionals, including teaching within the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, and mentoring graduate students across the University of Minnesota. I teach a 3-credit course in the use of GIS and spatial analysis for public health research and the 1-credit doctoral research seminar in Environmental Health Sciences.
Courses
PubH6141: GIS and Spatial Analysis for Public Health
PubH8120: Occupational Health and Safety Research Seminar
Media
In The News
- Exposure to air pollution is linked to an increase in violent crime (The Economist)
- Air pollution linked to violent behavior, says University of Minnesota Study (Fox 9 - KMSP)
- New Delhi Shut Down Schools in Response to Severe Air Pollution (Global Citizen)
- Air pollution and violence linked (Duluth News Tribune)
- Everyday choices can affect carbon emissions (Grand Forks Herald)
- Minnesota air quality good but be alert for high pollution events (Kanabec County Times)