Faculty A-Z
Atanu Sarkar
Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health MBBS (Burdwan, India), MCH & PhD (JNU, New Delhi, India), MES (Queens University, Canada)Division of Population Health and Applied Health Sciences
Teaching:
Course Instructor:
- Environmental health (MED 6722) (for MPH students)
- Occupational diseases and injuries (OHS 6002) (for MOHS students)
Course coordinator:
- Undergraduate (MD) teaching: Environmental health
Research Interests:
- Minimalonomics and sustainable development
- Environmental contamination and ecosystem health
- Climate change and health
- Indigenous health
- Agriculture and health
- Food Security
- Occupational hazards
- Global health
- Social epidemiology
Research Grants:
Ongoing
- Identifying barriers in design for recovery, reuse and regeneration in consumer durables and emergent renewable energy products. SSHRC Imagining Canada’s Future. Role: Co-Applicant. (2022 - 2024)
- Tajigoltieg - We are Healthy: Enhancing food security and mental wellbeing programs to manage COVID-19 pandemic stressors in a remote Mi'kmaq community. Source: CIHR. Role: Principal Applicant. (2022 - 2023)
- Developing a geospatial analytical tool to assess potential risks posed by landfill leachates and runoffs to the local marine ecosystem. (Principal Investigator) Source: Ocean Frontier Institute (seed fund) (2020).
- Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) and Effects on Children’s Health: a Prospective Avalon Peninsula Birth Cohort Pilot Study. (Principal Investigator) Source: Janeway Foundation (2020-2022).
- Food Security and Climate Change in Subarctic Canada: Challenges and Opportunities. (Principal Applicant) Source: CIHR Team grant (Fall 2019).
- NSERC CREATE training program in Persistent, Emerging, and Oil PoLlution in cold marine Environments (PEOPLE CREATE). Source: NSERC. Co-Applicant [Role: lead - theme 7 (health effect)] (2019-2025)
Completed
- Contamination of marine ecosystem by Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) originating from landfills, current waste management practices, public perceptions, and sustainable solutions: a study by knowledge synthesis methods. (Principal Investigator). Source: SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grant (2020-2022).
- A study of mosquito population diversity and distribution, viral pathogens and the potential impact of climate change on human health risks in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the French overseas territory of St. Pierre and Miquelon (Principal Investigator) Source: Public Health Agency of Canada/Health Canada (2018-2021)
- Land-based Approaches to Health and Wellness in Isolated Indigenous Communities: Agroforestry Stewardship Practices and Traditional Pursuits. (Principal Applicant) Source: CIHR Project Grant (Spring 2019).
- A population-based study to explore the associations between environmental contaminants and cancer incidences in Newfoundland and Labrador (Principal Investigator) Source: Memorial University of Newfoundland – Research Grant and Contract Services (RGCS) Seed, Bridge and Multidisciplinary Fund (2018-2021)
- Community Resources + Memorial University = a partnership to sustain local food production using the Earth Sheltered Greenhouse. (Principal Investigator) Source: Public engagement accelerator fund, Memorial University.
- Distribution of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Newfoundland diet: Possible connection to hypothyroidism (Principal Investigator) Newfoundland Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research (NLCAHR)
- Planning to explore the social determinants of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Sikkim, India (Co-Principal Investigator) Source: CIHR Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support competition
- Study of utilization of a recreational facility in small communities: A case study of a YMCA facility in Marystown, Newfoundland (Co-Principal Investigator) Source: YMCA - Newfoundland Labrador
- Investigating the Main Operational Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Sustainable Greenhouses in Newfoundland (Principal Investigator) Source: Harris Centre Applied Research Fund
- From the northern edge of subarctic Canada to the subtropics of Australia: Improving food security and wellbeing in Indigenous communities through agroforestry stewardship practices using Indigenous knowledge and western science as complementary constructs (Co-applicant), Source: CIHR Transitional Open Operating Grant Program (T-OOGP)
- Perceiving Climate Variability: A Community-based Study to Identify Frameworks for Understanding and Interpretation (Co-Principal Applicant) Source: SSHRC Insight Development Grant Competition
- Water Insecurity in Black Tickle: Moving Toward Solutions (Co-Investigator), Source: Office of the President, Memorial University
- A framework for better understanding drinking-water quality in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador: Implications for optimization and protection of municipally supplied water (Co-Investigator), Source: Harris Centre RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund
- Study of trends and determinants of employment benefit of Memorial University. (Principal Investigator) Internal grant from Vice-President Administration, Memorial University
- Radiation Exposure in Makkovik, Labrador and Environmental Health Risk - Part 1: Measurement of Radio Nuclides in the Environment and Local Food Sources; Part 2: Assessment of Population Perspectives and Needs (Principal Investigator), Source: Newfoundland Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research (NLCAHR) and Labrador Institute
- Assessment of Exposure to Radiation in Makkovik, Labrador: Measurement of Nuclides in the Environment and Local Food Sources (Principal Investigator), Source: Atlantic Aboriginal Health Research Program (AAHRP)
- A study of food insufficiency and food insecurity among elderly population and single parents in St John’s (Principal Investigator), Source: Harris Centre Applied Research Fund
- Exploring appropriate business models for establishment of water quality monitoring service in Newfoundland and Labrador (Principal Investigator), Source: Harris Centre RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund
- Developing a community-based monitoring program for drinking water supplies in the Indian Bay Watershed: A baseline study of surface water quality, contamination sources and resident practices and perceptions (Co-Principal Investigator), Source: Harris Centre RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund
- Water quality in Aboriginal communities in Labrador: a study of the Southern Inuit community of Black Tickle (Co-Principal Investigator), Source: Harris Centre RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund, and Labrador Institute
- Community-based case-control study of Type 1 diabetes mellitus incidence and drinking water content in Newfoundland and Labrador (Co-Investigator), Source: Harris Centre RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund
- Seeking innovative policy and governance solutions for sustainable drinking water systems in rural and small towns in Newfoundland and Labrador (Co-Investigator), Source: Harris Centre RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund
- Multiple environmental stressors contaminating water and food chain: an exploratory study assessing human health risk in the Humber River Basin (Principal Investigator), Source: Humber River Basin Project
- A study of groundwater quality of private wells in Western Newfoundland communities (Principal Investigator), Source: Harris Centre RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund
Publications (last 10 years):
Peer-Reviewed Articles (*corresponding author)
Edited volume (* lead editor)
Books
Edited Books (chapters)
Highlighted Accomplishments:
Creative ActivityDirectional debut: short documentary Broken Rocks. Based on research on uranium exploration in Labrador.Available in YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGJ5_qDCjsg |