Joseph H Hoover
- Assistant Professor, Environmental Science
- Member of the Graduate Faculty
Contact
- (520) 621-1646
- Shantz, Rm. 212
- Tucson, AZ 85721
- jhoover@arizona.edu
Biography
I am an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science and faculty affiliate with the Indigenous Resilience Center at the University of Arizona. I co-directs (MPI) the Center for Native Environmental Health Equity Research at the University of New Mexico (2020-2025), a National Institutes of Health Center of Excellence for Environmental Health Disparities. As an environmental scientist, my line of research emphasizes 1) spatial modeling of potential exposure to environmental contaminants, principally through drinking water; 2) visualization and communication of chemical, environmental, and water quality information; and 3) health impacts of environmental exposures. I received a Masters Degree in Geography from the University of Arizona in 2009, and a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Denver in 2012. He then completed a National Institutes of Health funded IRACDA post-doctoral fellowship with the Community Environmental Health Program at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. He has held faculty appointments at the University of New Mexico, Montana State University Billings, and joined the University of Arizona faculty in Fall 2022.Degrees
- Ph.D. Geography
- University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States
- The impact of Internet GIS on water quality data access
- M.A. Geography
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States
- The Arizona Water-Energy Nexus: Electricity For Water and Wastewater Services
- B.A. Environmental Science
- Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States
Work Experience
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (2022 - Ongoing)
- Montana State University Billings (2019 - 2022)
- Univesity of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (2017 - 2019)
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (2014 - 2017)
Interests
Teaching
Geospatial science; spatial analysis and modeling; drinking water and water quality; exposure science; environmental health
Research
I am interested in how geospatial tools and technology advance our knowledge of potential human exposure to deleterious chemicals, alone and in combination using mixture analysis methods. Particular areas of interest in GIS and spatial anlysis, groundwater contaminants, abandoned uranium (and other) hardrock mines, unregulated waste disposal sites; citizen science mapping; Indigenous communities, and community-based participatory research approachs, and data report-back techniques.
Courses
2024-25 Courses
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Colloquium
ENVS 595 (Fall 2024)
2023-24 Courses
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Colloquium
ENVS 595 (Spring 2024) -
Geospatial analysis env scienc
ENVS 360 (Spring 2024) -
Colloquium
ENVS 595 (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
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Dissertation
ENVS 920 (Spring 2023)
Scholarly Contributions
Journals/Publications
- Erdei, E., Shuey, C., Miller, C., Hoover, J. H., Cajero, M., & Lewis, J. (2023). Metal mixture exposures and multiplexed autoantibody screening in Navajo communities exposed to uranium mine wastes. Journal of Translational Autoimmunity, 6. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtauto.2023.100201
- Girlamo, C., Hoover, J. H., Woldeyohannes, T., Beene, D., Liu, Z., & Lin, Y. (2023). Meteorological data source comparison—a case study in geospatial modeling of potential environmental exposure to abandoned uranium mine sites in the Navajo Nation. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(7). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11283-w
- Hoover, J. H., Coker, E., Erdei, E., Luo, L., Begay, D., MacKenzie, D., Study Team, N., & Lewis, J. (2023). Preterm birth associated with metal mixture exposure among pregnant Navajo women. Environmental Health Perspectives. doi:10.1289/EHP10361
- Liu, Z., Lin, Y., Hoover, J. H., Beene, D., Singer, N., & Charley, P. (2023). Individual level spatial-temporal modeling of exposure potential of livestock in the Cove Wash Watershed, Arizona. Annals of GIS, 1-21. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/19475683.2022.2075935More infoPersonal exposure studies suffer from uncertainty issues, largely stemming from individual behaviour uncertainties. Built on spatial-temporal exposure analysis and methods, this study proposed a novel approach to spatial-temporal modelling that incorporated behaviour classifications taking into account uncertainties, to estimate individual livestock exposure potential. The new approach was applied in a community-based research project with a Tribal community in the southwest United States to address questions on potential livestock exposure to abandoned uranium mines (AUMs). The study aimed to 1) classify Global Positioning System (GPS) data from livestock into three behaviour subgroups – grazing, travelling or resting; 2) calculate the daily cumulative exposure potential for livestock; 3) assess the performance of the computational method with and without behaviour classifications. Using Lotek Litetrack GPS collars, we collected data at a 20-min-interval for two flocks of sheep and goats during the spring and summer of 2019. Analysis and modelling of GPS data demonstrated no significant difference in individual cumulative exposure potential within each flock when animal behaviours with probability/uncertainties were considered. However, when daily cumulative exposure potential was calculated without consideration of animal behaviour or probability/uncertainties, significant differences among animals within a herd were observed, which does not match animal grazing behaviours reported by livestock owners. These results suggest that the proposed method including behaviour subgroups with probability/uncertainties more closely resembled the observed grazing behaviours. Results from the research may be used for future intervention and policy-making on remediation efforts in communities where grazing livestock may encounter environmental contaminants.
- Hoover, J. H., Been, D., & Chief, K. (2022). A team-science approach to address water quality and security challenges and COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation. Water Resources IMPACT, 24(1), 5-9.
Presentations
- Hoover, J. H. (2023, April). An overview of the Navajo Water GIS Application. Water is Life Webinar. Zoom: New Mexico Social Justice and Equity Institute.
- Hoover, J. H. (2023, Fall). Addressing water data gaps through community-engaged projects. Native Voices in STEM. Tucson, AZ/Zoom: Indigenous Resilience Center.
- Hoover, J. H. (2023, Spring). Geospatial methods for community driven environmental health disparities research with Indigenous communities. Spring Seminar for School of Geography and Regional Development, University of Arizona. Tucson, AZ: School of Geography and Regional Development, University of Arizona.
- Hoover, J. H. (2023, Spring). Spatial patterns of human exposure to environmental pollutants in abandoned mine lands. Spring Seminar for the University of Arizona Superfund Research Center. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Superfund Research Center.
- Hoover, J. H. (2023, Spring). What’s in that awful smelling smoke?. Crow Water Quality Project Open House,. Crow Agency, MT: Crow Water Quality Project, Little Big Horn College.
- Hoover, J. H., & Erdei, E. (2023, April). Updates from the Center For Native Environmental Health Equity Research. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Community Research Symposium. Eagle Butte, SD: Missour Breaks Research Industries, Inc.
- Hoover, J. H., Beene, D., & Matiukaite, S. (2023, July). Using mobile applications to visualize water quality data for underserved communities. Arizona Water Resources Research Center Annual Conference. Tucson, AZ: Arizona Water Resources Research Center.
- Hoover, J. H., Ingram, J., Akee, R., Beene, D., Tulley, N., Gray, B., Chee, R., Shuey, C., Carroll, S. R., Lewis, J., & Chief, K. (2023, March). Assessing COVID-19 risk factors on the Navajo Nation - Preliminary Results. 2023 American Association of Geographers. Denver, CO: American Association of Geographers.
- Robinson, D., Hoover, J. H., Ingram, J., & Lin, Y. (2023, Spring). Cove livestock study: Update to USEPA Region 9, project close out presentation. EPA Region 9 Monthly Team Meeting. San Francisco, CA/Zoom: US Environmental Protection Agency.
- Shuey, C., Dixson, E., Sethuraman, A., Tsotie, K., & Hoover, J. H. (2023, Fall). Updates on Sanders Water Quality Project: Testing results and next steps. Nahata Dziil Commission Governance (New Lands Chapter, Navajo Nation) Meeting. Sanders, AZ: Nahata Dziil Commission Governance (New Lands Chapter, Navajo Nation).
- Hoover, J. H. (2022, May). Tribal household water security on the Navajo Nation – A review of existing studies. 2022 Interdisciplinary Workshop - Water in the West: Toward Convergent Solutions to Water Security. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University.
- Hoover, J. H. (2022, October). GIS and Environmental Science. Guest Lecture, ENVS 210. Tucson, AZ: ENVS Instructor Katrina Henry.
- Hoover, J. H., & Lin, Y. (2022, May). Results of Animal Collaring and Spatial Analysis of the Cove Livestock Study. Diné College NSF TCUP 2022 Summer Internship Program Meeting. Virtual: Dine College.
- Hoover, J. H., Gonzales, M., & Erdei, E. (2022, July). Community-informed practices for assessing exposure to pollutants generated from inadequate solid waste management. Plastics and Human Health Virtual Webinar. Virtual: National Institute of Environmental Health Science Partnerships for Environmental Public Health.
- Hoover, J. H., Lin, Y., & Erdei, E. (2022, November). Updates about the Center For Native Environmental Health Research for the Crow Environmental Health Steering Committee. Quarterly Meeting of the Crow Environmental Health Streering Committee. Bozeman, MT: Crow Environmental Health Steering Committee.
- Hoover, J. H., Lin, Y., & James, L. (2022, August). Updates on the Blue Gap/Tachee Livestock Study. August Chapter Meeting, Blue Gap/Tachee Chapter, Navajo Nation. Virtual: Blue Gap/Tachee Chapter.
- Hoover, J. H., Lin, Y., & James, L. (2022, September). Updates on the Blue Gap/Tachee Livestock Study. September Chapter Meeting, Blue Gap/Tachee Chapter, Navajo Nation. Virtual: Blue Gap/Tachee Chapter.
- Hoover, J. H., Mackenzie, D., & Lewis, J. (2022, December). Updates on the Center for Native Environmental Health Equity Research. 2022 Centers of Excellence for Environmental Health Disparities Annual Meeting (Virtual). Virtual: National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities.
- Lin, Y., & Hoover, J. H. (2022, November). Applying Geospatial Tools and Technology to Implement Community Driven Environmental Health Disparities Research with Indigenous Communities. STEM Events: See yourself in STEM Workshop Series. Virtual: Bunker Hill Community College (Boston, MA), Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP).More infoJoint presentation by myself and Dr. Lin
Poster Presentations
- Castro, A., Sethuraman, A., & Hoover, J. H. (2023, December). Seasonal Variation of Uranium in the Puerco River Basin. American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA: American Geophysical Union.
- Jim, R., Sethuraman, A., & Hoover, J. H. (2023, October). Science Communication of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) Exposures from Waste & Landfill Burning in an Indigenous Community. American Indian Science Engineering Society Conference. Spokane, WA: American Indian Science Engineering Society.
- Sethuraman, A., Shuey, C., Dixon, E., Tsotie, K., & Hoover, J. H. (2023, December). Establishing a citizen science monitoring program for groundwater quality in a Southwestern US community: an intervention for water resilience and climate adaptation. American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA: American Geophysical Union.
- Woldeyohannes, T., Doyle, J., Girlamo, C., Liu, Z., Sethuraman, A., Eggers, M., Erdei, E., Lin, Y., & Hoover, J. H. (2023, August). Researching Environmental Health Impacts from Unregulated Solid Waste Disposal (USWD) with Native American Communities.. NIH IDeA Western Regional Conference. Santa Ana Pueblo, NM: National Institutes of Health.
- Woldeyohannes, T., Doyle, J., Girlamo, C., Liu, Z., Sethuraman, A., Eggers, M., Erdei, E., Lin, Y., & Hoover, J. H. (2023, December). Researching Environmental Health Impacts from Unregulated Solid Waste Disposal (USWD) with Native American Communities.. Superfund Research Program Annual Grant Recipient Meeting. Albuquerque, NM: National Institute of Environmental Health Science.
- Harvey, D., Lee, A., Exum, N., Schwab, K., Cuddy, R., Barlow, A., Hoover, J. H., Clapp, R., Tulley, N., Lee, W., Tulley-Cordova, C., & Chief, K. (2022, October). Assessing the Challenges to Improve Water Access for Navajo Nation Households Without Piped Drinking Water. Water and Health Conference. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina.
- Hoover, J. H., Doyle, J., Woldeyohannes, T., Girlamo, C., & Lin, Y. (2022, December). Improving geospatial environmental health research with Tribal communities in Montana and New Mexico. 8th Biennial National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence. Virtual: IDeA program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).
Other Teaching Materials
- Yazzie, S., Hoover, J. H., & Van Orneals, Y. H. (2023. Methods, Ethics and Practice to Collaborate with Communities, Session leads for: Data sovereignty and translational science. Indigenous Environmental Health Research Workshop.