Jaime Madrigano

Jaime Madrigano
Adjunct Policy Researcher; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Off Site Office

Education

Sc.D. in epidemiology and environmental health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; M.P.H., Rutgers University; B.E. in environmental engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Jaime Madrigano (she/her) is an adjunct policy researcher at RAND, a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, and an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research focuses on environmental and social determinants of health, including environmental pollution, extreme weather and disasters, and the built environment, with an emphasis on environmental justice.

Madrigano has particular expertise in using epidemiologic methods to inform policy and her research has been cited in multi-agency climate and health preparedness efforts within New York City. She has worked with local health departments and community-based stakeholders to conduct health and environmental needs assessments and leads a study to assess whether community resilience mitigates the health impacts of natural disasters. Madrigano is also interested in how people perceive risk as it relates to climate change, public health, and health care decisionmaking, and has conducted research on public health risk perception and communication.

Prior to joining RAND, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University's Earth Institute and was an assistant professor at Rutgers University. Madrigano received her Sc.D. in epidemiology and environmental health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

Recent Projects

  • Mapping Environmental Racism: The Enduring Legacy of Redlining on Environmental Health
  • NOLA HEAT-MAP: New Orleans Home, Environment, and Ambient Temperature: Measurements and Analysis for Preparedness

Selected Publications

Madrigano, J., Osorio, J.C., Bautista, E., Chavez, R., Chaisson, C.F., Meza, E., Shih, R.A. and Chari, R., "Fugitive chemicals and environmental justice: a model for environmental monitoring following climate-related disasters," Environmental Justice, 11(3), 2018

Madrigano, J., Lane, K., Petrovic, N., Ahmed, M., Blum, M., & Matte, T., "Awareness, risk perception, and protective behaviors for extreme heat and climate change in New York City," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(7), 2018

Madrigano J, Ito K, Johnson S, Kinney PL, Matte T, "A Case-Only Study of Vulnerability to Heat Wave-Related Mortality in New York City (2000-2011)," Environmental Health Perspectives, 123(7), 2015

Madrigano J, McCormick S, Kinney PL, "The Two Ways of Assessing Heat-Related Mortality and Vulnerability," American Journal of Public Health, 105(11), 2015

Madrigano J, Kloog I, Goldberg R, Coull BA, Mittleman MA, Schwartz J, "Long-term exposure to PM2.5 and incidence of acute myocardial infarction," Environmental Health Perspectives, 121(2), 2013

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Arizona Republic; Healthy Living Healthy Planet Radio; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; New York Times; WGBH, Boston

Commentary

  • Racial Discrimination

    Mapping Environmental Racism: Q&A with Jaime Madrigano and Benjamin Preston

    Environmental policy experts Jaime Madrigano and Benjamin Preston are leading an effort to highlight how discriminatory policies have shaped environmental health disparities. Their goal: create an interactive map of the United States to motivate environmental policy that advances antiracism.

    Sep 7, 2021

  • Infrastructure

    Promoting Social Equity in Infrastructure Planning and Delivery

    The American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan propose to address racial inequities through significant infrastructure, workforce, education, and child care investments. Multiple barriers may need to be addressed for the funds to reach their intended destination.

    Jun 17, 2021

    Inside Sources

  • Global Climate Change

    What Can the Coronavirus Teach Us About Preparing for a Heat Wave?

    The occurrence of a heat wave during the pandemic may be the clearest example of an overlapping disaster in the near term, but we'll likely see more and more overlapping disasters brought about by a changing climate.

    Jun 8, 2020

    The National Interest

  • India

    Where Are India's Heat Hotspots?

    Poverty, poor sanitation, a precarious water and electricity supply, and limited access to health care make India vulnerable to heat waves. Rural and urban districts could improve their preparedness by developing and targeting local adaptation strategies.

    May 17, 2017

    The RAND Blog

  • Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

    After the March for Science: What Now?

    Politicized rhetoric may imply otherwise, but scientific expertise and civic participation are not at odds with each other. As the scientific community decides how to respond to shifting political attitudes about science, it's time to focus on a long-term strategy for science policy in the United States.

    Apr 26, 2017

    United Press International

  • Public Health Preparedness

    Wildfires Getting More Destructive

    The potential for smoke to harm air quality and cause health problems was especially acute in 2015 because a record number of wildfires broke out in the United States. Pre-wildfire season preparedness could go a long way toward protecting public health.

    Dec 28, 2015

    Orange County Register

  • Global Climate Change

    Adapting to a Hotter World

    Because climate change is largely irreversible, mitigation alone won't solve the problem. While mitigation will prevent even greater, future climatic changes, adaptation — efforts to adjust to climate change's effects — will prepare the world for a new set of living conditions, whatever they may be.

    Oct 2, 2015

    U.S. News & World Report

Publications