Humans in Public Health

RERUN: Measles: The Return of a Preventable Disease

With the U.S. experiencing its worst measles outbreak in 25 years, the threat of preventable infectious disease is back at our doorstep. In this rerun episode of Humans i

Growing a Healthier Climate

In this episode, we sit down with Professor Meredith Niles to explore how climate-friendly agriculture—from methane-reducing rice irrigation to no-till farming—is actuall

Mapping the World Cup

More than 6.5 million people are expected to attend the World Cup this summer at stadiums across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. One of the largest sporting events in world

The 2026 Cohort: Two MPH Students on What’s Next

In this special commencement-season episode of Humans in Public Health, host Megan Hall welcomes Campbell Loi and Graham Huntington, two freshly minted graduates of Brown

The Great Upside-Down Food Pyramid

Meat is on the top, grains are at the bottom, scientists are concerned. Nutrition expert Jennifer Sacheck deconstructs the controversial new food pyramid, what it means f

More Than a Forecast

When you check the weather on your phone, you're getting a "best guess" based on the nearest airport—but your actual neighborhood could be much hotter. And in high-risk c

Student, Scholar, Dean: Francesca Beaudoin on 20 Years at Brown

What does it take to lead a top-tier School of Public Health? For Dr. Francesca Beaudoin, the journey started in the chaos of the ER. In this episode of Humans in Publi

Navigating the Post-Dobbs Landscape

In this episode, host Megan Hall sits down with the co-directors of Brown University’s new AIM Lab, emergency physician Dara Kass and legal expert Liz Tobin-Tyler, to dis

The AI Therapist Will See You Now

A quarter of young adults are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for mental health advice, highlighting a massive shift in how people seek support. Dr. Ateev Mehrotra di

Messy Data, Real Answers

In a world teeming with health data—from smart watch accelerometry to millions of hospital system electronic records—how do researchers find out which medical treatments

The Return of a Preventable Disease: Measles, misinformation and the crisis at the CDC

Measles has been declared eliminated in the U.S. for 25 years, but a surge in cases is threatening that status. Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown U

The Power to Transport

We all understand the power a song can have to recall vivid memories, seemingly sending us back in time. Professor Ellen McCreedy is a musician whose gerontology research

A Revolutionary Approach to Health Care Pricing

Since the 1980s, the U.S. has experimented with various forms of managed health care. But none of them has managed to control costs or improve health outcomes, argues Sen

LIVE RECORDING: How Do Urban Landscapes Shape Our Health?

A special live Commencement & Reunion Weekend episode of Humans in Public Health brings experts from epidemiology together with the director of Urban Studies at Brown for

Rhode Island's Response to the Overdose Crisis

This episode of Humans in Public Health features Professor Alex Macmadu, an epidemiologist who has spent her career studying the opioid and overdose crisis. She shares in

Who Employs Your Doctor?

What happens when private equity firms buy hospitals and doctor’s offices? In this episode of Humans in Public Health, host Megan Hall sits down with health care economis

The Moment Everything Changed: Voices from the Start of the Pandemic

March 2020—life as we knew it changed overnight. In this special episode of Humans in Public Health, we take you back to the early days of the pandemic, when uncertainty

Forever Chemicals: Hidden Dangers in Everyday Beauty

They’re not just in your nail polish. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals are everywhere—in our homes, clothing, the personal care products we use, and in our bodies. Post

How Research Shapes Health Policy on Capitol Hill

Host Megan Hall sits down with Jared Perkins, director of health policy strategy at Brown University's Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research. They discuss h

Harnessing AI for Smarter Health Policy Research

Professor Alyssa Bilinski set out to answer a seemingly simple question: how often are pregnant people included in medical trials? Finding the answer, however, was anythi