Education
- PhD, Urban Studies, Portland State University
- BS, Economics, University of Utah
Research Interests & Professional Experience
Nicole Iroz-Elardo, PhD (she/her) joined Willamette in Fall 2022 as an Assistant Professor in the Public Health, Ethics, Advocacy, and Leadership (PHEAL) program. Cross-trained in urban planning and public health, her research focuses on how to plan healthier and more equitable communities by leveraging the social and environmental determinants of health.
Prior to joining the Willamette faculty, Dr. Iroz-Elardo was an Assistant Research Professor of Urban Planning at University of Arizona from 2018-2022. Her doctoral degree in Urban Studies from Portland State University was earned in 2014 where she investigated the extent to which Health Impact Assessment provided an additional participation avenue for vulnerable communities in transportation planning processes. She has previously worked for Urban Design 4 Health, Inc., Oregon Health Authority, and Battelle Memorial Institute. At each, she specialized in translating cutting-edge research into practitioner tools to increase the suite of information upon which decisions - public and private - are made by folding in health information.
Dr. Iroz-Elardo remains committed to creating equitable, healthy tools as an applied researcher. Her with current interests include:
- Built Environment, Transportation & Health: understanding the health trade-offs around dense environments and associated transportation systems including changes to physical activity, environmental exposures, and affordable housing. This includes monetizing the health impacts of transportation & land use decisions; reconceptualizing walkability to incorporate social & cultural norms; and reducing vehicular travel through strategies such as reducing parking requirements or safely introducing alternative modes such as e-scooters.
- Heat Health: investigating the implications of personal heat exposure in a changing climate such as understanding how unhoused populations manage during extreme events; and how to support healthy habits such as public physical activity, particularly in high heat outdoor environments.
Courses
- PHEAL 211: Epidemiology
- PHEAL 399: Urban Health & Mobility
Publications
Selected Peer Reviewed
Ladd, K., Iroz-Elardo, N., Austof, E., Sami, I., & Arora, M. (2021). Extreme Heat at Outdoor COVID-19 Vaccination Sites. J of Climate Change & Health. 4, 100043. doi:
Iroz-Elardo, N. & Currans, K. (2021). Injury burden of introducing e-scooters: A systematic review of e-scooter injury studies using emergency department record review, 2015-2019. Transportation Research Record. doi:
Iroz-Elardo, N., A. Adkins, M. Ingram (2021). Measuring Perceptions of Social Environments for Walking: a Scoping Review of Walkability Surveys. Health & Place. 67:102468. doi:
Iroz-Elardo, N., J. Schoner, E. Fox, A. Brookes, & L.D. Frank (2020). Active Travel and Social Justice: Addressing Disparities and Promoting Health Equity through a Novel Approach to Regional Transportation Planning. Social Science & Medicine. 261, 113211. doi:.
Frank, L.D, N. Iroz-Elardo, A. Hong, & K. MacLeod (2019). Pathways from built environment to health: Connecting behavior and exposure based impacts. Journal of Transport and Health. 12:319-335. doi:.
Iroz-Elardo, N. & M.M. McGrath (2016). Social Learning through Stakeholder Engagement: New Pathways from Participation to Health Equity in U.S. West Coast HIAs. Chronicles of Health Impact Assessments. doi:.
Iroz-Elardo, N. (2014). Health impact assessment as community participation: Community Development Journal. 50: 280-295. doi:
Selected Public Reports
Iroz-Elardo, N., Erickson, H., Howell, A., Olson, M., Currans, K. (2021). Community Engagement in a Pandemic Report. Drachman Institute at the University of Arizona.
Bean, J., Currans, K., & Iroz-Elardo, N. (2020). Unmasking Invisibility. Interactions. 27(3): 22-23. Available online at
Iroz-Elardo, N. (2019). Health Impact Assessment of Hillside Master Plan: Final Report. Clackamas County Public Health Department. September 2019: Oregon City, Oregon. Available online at
Chapman, J., Whitfield, K., Iroz-Elardo, N., Henley, C., Alfonsin, N., Hagerman, L. Frank, L. (2019). Integrating Health and Transportation in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Transportation Association of Canada. Available online at https://www.tac-atc.ca/sites/default/files/site/doc/Bookstore/ptm-ihtc-e.pdf
Iroz-Elardo, N, Fox EH, Schoner, J, Chapman J, Frank LD. TASK 3: Public Health Analysis of Draft Scenarios – Final. Rochester (NY): Urban Design 4 Health; 2018. Contract No.: C-18-019. Supported by San Joaquin Council of Governments. Available online at
DeVries, D., Iroz-Elardo, N., Hong, A., Winters, M., Brauer, M., Frank., L. (2017). Fixed-Guideway Transit Investment: A Review of Methods and Best Practice. University of British Columbia for City of Vancouver and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. Vancouver, British Columbia. Available online at.
Iroz-Elardo, N., Chapman, J. ,Moland, A., Frank, L.D., Behr, C., Brockmyer, R., & Vyas, M. (2017). Economic Impacts of Active Transportation: Utah Active Transportation Benefits Study – Final Report. UD4H for Utah Transit Authority. Salt Lake City, UT. Available online at.
UD4H & AECOM (2016). Active Transportation, Health, and Economic Benefit Study. Southern California Association of Governments. Los Angeles, CA. Available online at.
Iroz-Elardo, N., & Frank, L. (2016). Monetizing Morbidity to Support Active Transportation in Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Transport and Health (ICTH 2016-USA). J Transport & Health, 3(2), S45-S46. doi:
Iroz-Elardo, N., A. Hamburg, E. Main, B. Haggerty, J. Early-Alberts, and C. Cude. (2014). Climate Smart Strategy health impact assessment. Portland, OR, Oregon Health Authority. Available online at