Socio-Environmental Health Research
The Socio-Environmental Health Research Special Interest Group (SIG) brings together ISEE members who study—or want to study—the ways in which environmental exposures and social conditions interact to influence population health. Our goal is to build a collaborative, interdisciplinary community that advances conceptual, methodological, and translational work at the intersection of environment, society, and health equity.
About the Socio-Environmental Health Research SIG
Environmental health impacts do not occur in a vacuum. Social and structural conditions—from neighborhood socio-economic deprivation to structural racism, exclusion, or resource access—interact with environmental exposures in complex ways. Understanding these joint, layered, and contextual effects is essential for generating evidence that meaningfully informs public health action, policy, and equitable solutions for environmental challenges.
This SIG was formed to create a home within ISEE for members who work at the intersection of environmental epidemiology, social epidemiology, exposure science, health equity, and climate-related health research. The group officially launched at the 2025 ISEE/ISES Meeting in Atlanta, after strong member interest and engagement.
Membership is open to all ISEE members at no cost—students, trainees, academics, practitioners, data scientists, policy researchers, community-engaged scholars, and anyone working across the socio-environmental spectrum. The SIG embraces the full range of disciplinary perspectives needed to understand socio-environmental processes, including theory-driven social sciences such as sociology, geography, anthropology, political science, urban studies, and related qualitative and mixed-methods traditions. Whether you are new to this area or deeply immersed in it, your perspective adds to a growing and collaborative community.
What We Do
This SIG focuses on building networks, sharing knowledge, and advancing integrative socio-environmental health research by:
Community & Collaboration
- Creating a vibrant network for connecting researchers, practitioners, and students working across environment–society–health intersections.
- Facilitating mentorship (peer and senior) around theory, methods, and practice.
Advancing Concepts & Methods
- Supporting discussions on causal frameworks, multilevel approaches, exposomics, neighborhood and structural determinants, climate-health equity interactions, and mixed-method designs.
- Encouraging shared learning around emerging analytical and translational approaches.
Knowledge-sharing & Engagement
- Hosting informal discussions, journal clubs, and thematic conversations.
- Sharing readings, methodological resources, funding opportunities, job postings, and upcoming events relevant to socio-environmental health research.
Translational & Policy-Relevant Science
- Promoting research that bridges epidemiology, community partnership, communication, and decision-making.
- Highlighting opportunities to translate socio-environmental evidence into interventions, programs, and policy.
Annual Meeting Activities
- Organizing sessions, creative workshops, and networking events at ISEE Annual Meetings.
- Convening in-person meetups to build connections and shape future priorities.
Resources & Activities
Because this SIG is newly established, our resources are just beginning to grow. Over the coming months, we plan to expand this section to include:
- Curated readings on socio-environmental frameworks
- Methodological guides and tutorials
- Member-generated resource lists (e.g., grants, fellowships, datasets, training opportunities)
- Recordings or slides from upcoming virtual events
- A shared document library Stay tuned for updates as the SIG continues to develop.
Get Involved
Whether you’re deeply experienced or just beginning to explore socio-environmental health research, we welcome your participation.
How to Join / Stay Connected:
If you are an ISEE member and would like to join the Socio-Environmental Health Research SIG, please contact the SIG’s co-chair directly at rachitsharma[at]berkeley.edu.