Carolyn Stephens MA MSc PhD FFPHM

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Background

My first degree, from Cambridge University, was in English Literature; followed by an MSc in Health Policy and Planning (LSHTM/LSE) and a Ph.D. in Environmental Epidemiology (University of London).

I am a Reader in International Environmental Health at LSHTM and a Full Visiting Professor of Indigenous Health in the Faculty of Exact Sciences of the National University of Tucumán (UNT), and the Faculty of Psychology in the National University of Cordoba (UNC), in Argentina. From May 2009 to May 2011 I am based fulltime in Argentina working with the UNT and UNC. I am living in the Reserva Experimental de Horco Molle of the UNT in Tucumán, and working with the indigenous communities of Diaguita Calchaqui in Tucumán, and the Mbya Guaraní of Misiones.

I am a Fellow (by distinction) of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians and an International Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.

My longterm interest is in equity and sustainable development, and my research focuses on health and environmental inequalities internationally. For over 20 years, I have lived and worked longterm in India, Africa (Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania) and most recently Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Peru).   I have always been interested in engaging people in science, and have worked in "participatory epidemiology" for the last 10 years.  I am routinely asked to advise and undertake studies for indigenous communities and low income communities.  In 2007 I won the Royal Society Kohn Award for excellence in science communication, and the London Education Partnership Award for individual academic excellence, for the LSHTM's science engagement work.  

I am on the executive board of the interdisciplinary scientific network International Association of Ecology and Health (IAEH).   I am Chair of Ecohealth2010 - the biennial international conference of the IAEH.  Until 2009, I  was the scientific member of the executive board of the 60 member NGO network, the Health and Environment Alliance.

Teaching

At LSHTM, I am co-organiser of our teaching module on Ethics, Human Rights and Public Health. I also teach on urban health; sustainable agriculture and health and on science engagement. I also teach at the National Universities of Tucumán and Córdoba in Argentina teaching biologists, chemists, architects, and agronomists on their role in health. I also teach in other post-graduate schools of engineering, planning, agriculture and architecture on the links between sectors and the ways we can all work together to improve health internationally.

Research

Most of my research focuses on environmental and social inequalities and their impacts on health. I work on both epidemiological and qualitative studies. Most recently I have also moved to work on participatory ways of using epidemiology supporting people to analyse their own health and environmental issues. This leads me to work with environmental justice and human rights lawyers and with farming communities, indigenous peoples, local urban groups and marginalised people in North and South. Alongside this, I run the LSHTM's programme on engaging young people in science.

My research also supports NGO groups across the world, for example in India, Nigeria, and Argentina. I am on the editorial board of the following international journals, and I particularly support interdisciplinary, open access journals: Environment and Urbanisation; Environmental Research; International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health; Ecohealth; Environmental Research Letters, and Open Urban Studies.

Selected publications

• Stephens, C.; Willis, R.; Church, C. Environmental Justice and Health in 'International Encyclopaedia of Public Health' Heggenhougen, Kris; Quah, Stella(2008) Elsevier (Oxford) 3:373-382
• Stephens, C.; Satterthwaite, D. Urban Health in Developing Countries in 'International Encyclopaedia of Public Health' Heggenhougen, Kris; Quah, Stella(2008) Elsevier (Oxford) 1:452-463
• Stephens, C.; Stair, P.; Tazzara, C. Charting a Course towards healthier cities in 'State of the World 2007' Starke, L(Ed)(2007) Worldwatch Institute/Norton (New York) :134-147
• Nettleton, C.; Stephens, C.; Bristow, F.; Claro, S.; Hart, T.; McCausland, C.; Mijlof, I. Utz Wachil: Findings from an international study of Indigenous perspectives on health and environment Ecohealth, 2007; 4(4):461-471
• Montenegro, R. A.; Stephens, C. Indigenous health 2 - Indigenous health in Latin America and the Caribbean Lancet, 2006; 367(9525):1859-1869
• Stephens, C.; Porter, J.; Nettleton, C.; Willis, R.; Disappearing, displaced, and undervalued: a call to action for Indigenous health worldwide. Lancet, 2006; 367(9527):2019-28
• Hough, R.L.; Stephens, C.; Busby, A.; Cracknell, J.; Males, B.; Assessing and communicating risk with communities living on contaminated land. Int J Occup Environ Health, 2006; 12(1):1-8
• Stephens, C.; Bullock, S. Civil Society and Environmental Justice in 'Fighting for Human Rights' Gready, P.(2003) Routledge (London)

Full publications listing (since 2001)