Biographical Info

Education

• D.Env, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health / Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
• MPH, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences (Environmental Epidemiology and Policy tracks)
• AB, Dartmouth College

Dr. Shendell’s CV

Research Areas

Dr. Shendell works to “bridge” science, education and policy in a multidisciplinary fashion to reduce and/or prevent environmental exposures and health effects. He focuses on community/schools-based research with local participation in planning and execution; educational trainings and materials, service and technical assistance; and informed/evidence-based policy advocacy.

Furthermore, he is Director of the NJ Safe Schools Program and co-facilitates the NJ OSHA Alliance, which are within the Center for School and Community Based Research and Education. The program includes injury surveillance (including only school-based system, online and in-print, for working minors and young adults), science-to-policy, regular statewide e-communications, and training for teachers and administrative professionals in secondary education (public and private) concerning safety and health.

Among many research and practice-oriented service activities outside NJ, he is Student Involvement co-Chair (Faculty Chair) of the American Public Health Association (APHA) – Environment (ENV) (and a member of both ENV and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) sections), and an annual meeting abstract reviewer for APHA ENV and OHS as well as other international societies he is a member of. Inside NJ, he is an approved appointee by the State of NJ Governor’s office (multiple administrations) to the Commission on Environmental Education/Interagency Working Group and the Child Labor Advisory Board to advise the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development, respectively, using various data to inform decisions.

Research Highlights

• Asthma among children and older adults, with novel exposure measurement techniques; etc.
• Incident (injury, illness) surveillance among minors/young workers reported in NJ, including among special health care needs students;
• Indoor air and environmental quality in homes, office buildings and schools, including portable versus traditional, site-built school classrooms and facilities;
• Urban outdoor air quality and environment characterization, including relationships between indoor, outdoor, personal (adult, child) and in-vehicle air concentrations of fine particles and various toxic air contaminants;
• Ventilation and energy efficiency, and linkages to student attendance.

Recent Publications

Click here for additional publications by Dr. Shendell.

1. Aggarwal, J, Shendell, DG, Nguyen, KT, Rehman, M, Campbell, ML. Newer New Jersey work-based learning teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: school safety regarding ventilation, trainings, and awareness of government agencies resources. Int J Environ Health Res. 2024; :1-10. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2024.2378097. PubMed PMID:39003756
2. Aggarwal, J, Campbell, ML, Rehman, M, Nguyen, KT, Shendell, DG. Perspectives and Attitudes of Newer New Jersey High School Teachers towards Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Consumer Products Used in School Classrooms. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024;21 (2):. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21020211. PubMed PMID:38397700 PubMed Central PMC10887922
3. Aggarwal, J, Nguyen, KT, Campbell, ML, Shiau, S, Shendell, DG. Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Case Status among New Jersey Secondary Educational Professionals. Vaccines (Basel). 2023;11 (11):. doi: 10.3390/vaccines11111667. PubMed PMID:38005999 PubMed Central PMC10674534
4. Rattanawitoon, T, Siriwong, W, Shendell, D, Fiedler, N, Robson, MG. An Evaluation of a Pesticide Training Program to Reduce Pesticide Exposure and Enhance Safety among Female Farmworkers in Nan, Thailand. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20 (17):. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20176635. PubMed PMID:37681775 PubMed Central PMC10487852
5. Nguyen, KT, Aggarwal, J, Campbell, ML, Shiau, S, Shendell, DG. COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among New Jersey Teachers and Impacts of Vaccination Information Dissemination. Vaccines (Basel). 2023;11 (2):. doi: 10.3390/vaccines11020466. PubMed PMID:36851344 PubMed Central PMC9967281
6. Shendell, DG, Black, LF, Way, Y, Aggarwal, J, Campbell, MLF, Nguyen, KT. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Awareness of New Jersey Public High School Students about Concepts of Climate Change, including Environmental Justice. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20 (3):. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20031922. PubMed PMID:36767299 PubMed Central PMC9915891
7. Campbell, ML, Shendell, DG. Survey of New Jersey K-12 Professionals on Work-Based Learning During COVID-19: A Preliminary Study and Future Implications. J Sch Health. 2023;93 (2):123-127. doi: 10.1111/josh.13285. PubMed PMID:36370006 PubMed Central PMC9878248
8. Rehman, M, Gonzalez, LN, Shendell, DG. Introducing high school students to human rights to help promote environmental justice and health: An example from NJ and NYC. Explore (NY). 2022;18 (5):621-623. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2022.06.017. PubMed PMID:35989237
9. Aggarwal, J, Gichura, MW, Campbell, MLF, Nguyen, KT, Shendell, DG. COVID-19 School vs. Community-Based Outbreak Trends among New Jersey K-12 Schools during the 2020-2021 School Year. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19 (15):. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19159285. PubMed PMID:35954643 PubMed Central PMC9367846
10. Black, L, Li, K, Shendell, DG. Expanding awareness of climate change, sustainability, and environmental health through an introductory short online course for high school students. Explore (NY). 2022;18 (3):381-383. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2022.03.006. PubMed PMID:35379587