Dean Richard Corsi Part of Project Studying Effects of Wildfire Smoke on Pregnancy, Children
A study investigating the effects of wildfire smoke on pregnant people is utilizing Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes to improve poor air quality in vulnerable populations.
Co-creator the Corsi-Rosenthal Box and dean of the College of Engineering Richard Corsi is a partner on the project in which researchers will gather birth and health records as well as data about wildfire smoke exposure in California. They’ll look for links between pollution from wildfire smoke and low birth weight, developmental delays and autism.
The study is led by molecular epidemiologist Rebecca J. Schmidt, associate professor of Public Health Sciences, and Miriam Nuño, professor in the Division of Biostatistics in the UC Davis School of Medicine. The researchers are partnering with the March of Dimes, Empower Yolo and the Knights Landing One Health Center, which provides health care in the rural Central Valley community.
Together, they’ll deliver their findings and strategies for reducing exposure to wildfire smoke to underserved communities. This will include providing the materials and training to help people make Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes.