Directory Profile
Katherine James PhD, MSPH, MSCE
Associate Professor
- Center for Health, Work & Environment
- Community Epidemiology & Program Evaluation
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health
- Department of Epidemiology
Dr. James is an epidemiologist and engineer who specializes in environmental and climate risk factors and health in vulnerable populations. She has experience in leading and conducting community-based research projects including NIEHS funded studies investigating exposure to metals (arsenic and cadmium) and cardiometabolic and kidney diseases. Her research was one of the first to show associations with low-level arsenic exposure (<50 µg/L) with direct relevance to the exposure range of the US population. Dr. James also completed a Faculty Development Investigator Award through the Denver Children’s Environmental Health Center at National Jewish Health investigating the association between air quality and respiratory burden in the San Luis Valley and recently led a CDC funded biomonitoring tracking grant in a pediatric population in the San Luis Valley measuring exposures to 17 metals, pyrethroids, phthalates, and other pesticides through urine and water samples. Dr. James is also the PI for The Attitudes and Behaviors Study a repeated population-based survey of tobacco and marijuana use and other public health issues.
Education, Licensure & Certifications
- PhD University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Epidemiology, 2010
- MS University of Colorado, Boulder, Civil/Environmental Engineering, 2002
- MSPH University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center, Public Health, 2000
- BS Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Biological Systems Engineering, 1996
Awards
- 2019: Selected for the NIH/NSF sponsored Data Innovation Lab on Environmental Health in Rural Populations
- 2013: Selected for the Early Career Women in Medicine Leadership Conference July 2013
- 2012: Faculty Development Award Children’s Environmental Health Center, National Jewish Hospital
- 2011: American Academy of Neurology Conference, Selected as a top abstract for presentation by the scientific chair, Dr. Stefan Pulst, in the “Scientific Program Highlights Plenary Session”.
- 2000: Awarded Travel Scholarship Royal Society Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to travel to the Republic of Mauritius for environmental research and training.
- 1999: Dennis Burkitt Fellowship from the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene