Reproductive Health and SGD: A Conversation with Mary Willis, Ph.D., MPH

To view the webinar, click here.

On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, Mary Willis, Ph.D., MPH, and EHP's Dr. Ned Ketyer discussed the results of Willis's two latest studies (linked below) while stressing the importance of epidemiological studies in examining environmental exposure and birth impacts. Dr. Ketyer, who has many years of experience as a pediatrician and extensive knowledge of the health impacts of shale gas development, led an audience discussion after Dr. Willis's presentation. 

Linked below are Dr. Willis' two most recent studies.

Associations between residential proximity to oil and gas extraction and hypertensive conditions during pregnancy: a difference-in-differences analysis in Texas, 1996–2009

Associations between Residential Proximity to Oil and Gas Drilling and Term Birth Weight and Small-for-Gestational-Age Infants in Texas: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis

Speaker & Moderator Bios:

Mary Willis, Ph.D., MPH

Dr. Mary Willis is an environmental epidemiologist who is currently a postdoctoral scholar at Oregon State University and a visiting researcher at Boston University. She focuses on how exposures from the energy sector (e.g., oil and gas development, traffic-related air pollution) and the built environment (e.g., green space, neighborhood deprivation, food access) influence the health of women, infants, and children. Dr. Willis’ work uses big data and data integration techniques to derive spatial exposures for environmental hazards. Her studies are designed with the goal of informing health-protective policy decisions. Outside of research, Dr. Willis serves as the chair of the steering committee for the Students and New Researchers Network in the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE).

Edward C. Ketyer, M.D., F.A.A.P.

AHN Pediatrics — Editor, The PediaBlog

AAP Council on Environmental Health and Climate Change

Environmental Health Project (Consultant)

President, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania

Climate Reality Project Leadership Corps. (PGH ’17) 

eketyer@environmentalhealthproject.org

Dr. Ned Ketyer is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-area pediatrician. Dr. Ketyer enjoyed 26 years in private practice before retiring from patient care in 2017, although he continues to write a daily blog for AHN Pediatrics called The PediaBlog (www.thepediablog.com). He remains a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health and Climate Change and is President of Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania. Dr. Ketyer is a consultant for the Environmental Health Project bringing attention to the health impacts of fracking in the Marcellus Shale gas patch.

Dr. Ketyer’s work connects the rapid expansion of shale gas extraction (fracking) and petrochemical/plastic development in the Ohio River Valley with the local and regional health impacts currently experienced by residents, and the global ecologic and public health catastrophes resulting from plastic pollution and climate change that threaten the health and well-being of all passengers on this shining ball of blue.