Jun Wu, Ph.D., M.S., Climate and Health Scholar

Jun Wu, Ph.D., M.S., is a Climate and Health Scholar at the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. She also is a Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health in the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health at the University of California, Irvine. Dedicated to advancing evidence-based research in environmental health and health equity, her work spans three primary areas: environmental exposure assessment, environmental epidemiology, and community-based participatory research focused on environmental injustice. She employs big data and advanced exposure assessment methods to characterize both individual and population-level exposures to various environmental stressors, such as air pollution, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, and green space. In the field of environmental epidemiology, Dr. Wu investigates the effects of complex environmental exposures, including those related to climate change and social vulnerability, on maternal health, pregnancy outcomes, and children's health. With extensive experience collaborating with local community partners, she works on issues raised by community members, including air pollution from industrial and other sources, soil contamination by lead and other metals, and extreme heat adaptation. Currently, Dr. Wu serves as Principal Investigator (PI) or Multiple PI on several federal and state grants. These projects study the individual and joint impacts of climate change-related exposures, environmental pollution, and social vulnerability on various health outcomes. Some also address environmental injustice issues and empower communities by providing them with the knowledge and tools to work toward health equity through actionable solutions derived from research. She received her M.S. in environmental engineering from Penn State University and her Ph.D. in environmental health sciences from the University of California, Los Angeles.