Adventures in the Exposome with Geographic Ecological Momentary Assessment: GIS-Based Investigations of Place and Health Behavior

SPEAKER:
Dr. Jeremy Mennis
Temple University

Wednesday, May 3, 2017
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Room: 1004 HN

Abstract: The term 'exposome' refers to the totality of a person’s environmental exposures throughout their life course, including the social, socioeconomic, and built environments within which a person resides and interacts with throughout the routine activities of their daily life. New data collection techniques and technologies, such as geographic ecological momentary assessment (GEMA), which combines conventional EMA with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), facilitate the collection of individuals’ exposome data at an unprecedented level of granularity and sophistication. In examples focusing on substance use, I show how individuals’ exposures to characteristics of the urban environment shapes health behaviors and outcomes. Further, I demonstrate that contextual influences on substance use behaviors are moderated by characteristics of the individual – not only by demographic and biological factors (i.e. age, race, and gender) but also by an individual’s prior experiences that govern perceptions of place.

Biography: Dr. Jeremy Mennis is a Professor in the Department of Geography and Urban Studies at Temple University. He earned a Ph.D. in Geography from Pennsylvania State University in 2001 and is a certified GIS Professional. He has served as chair of the Geographic Information Systems and Science Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers (AAG), and on the Boards of Directors for both the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) and the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS), where he is currently Chair of the Research Committee. Jeremy has published over 80 articles, chapters, and monographs has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and National Science Foundation (NSF). His teaching and research interests are in Geographic Information Science and its applications to urban environment, crime, and health.

All are invited to attend!