Additional Roles
Co-Investigator, Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention
Education
Ph.D. – Epidemiology, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
M.H.S. – Epidemiology, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
B.A. – Health and Humanities, University of Southern California
Areas of Expertise
Pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes
Perinatal and pediatric environmental health
Built environment and greenspace
Environmental Justice
Introduction
Dr. Weber is an epidemiologist with an interest in improving environmental and maternal and child health in Arkansas and more broadly through research and training and mentoring UAMS students.
Teaching Focus
Dr. Weber’s teaching focuses on advanced epidemiologic methods including advanced observational study designs and analyses, as well as the introduction to causal inference. Additionally, she lectures on environmental exposures and maternal/pregnancy health, especially access to greenspaces and other neighborhood built environment factors.
Research Overview
Dr. Weber researches the impact of the changing environment on maternal and child health. One focus is how greenspace (i.e., parks, tree canopy) can improve negative health exposures (i.e., air pollution, extreme heat) to reduce adverse birth outcomes like maternal hypertensive disorders, birth defects, and stillbirth. She also studies the role of greenspace on increased physical activity.
Recent Books or Publications
- Shaw GM, Gonzalez DJX, Goin DE, Weber KA, Padula AM. Ambient Environment and the Epidemiology of Preterm Birth. Clin Perinatol. 2024 Jun; 51(2):361-377. PMID: 38705646.
- Barenie MJ, Howie EK, Weber KA, Thakur D, Murphy CM, Thomsen MR. Where the Children Play: Gender Gaps in Recess Physical Activity by Age and Playground Area. Prev Med Rep. 2024 Mar 22; 41:102699. PMCID: PMC10981088.
- Shaw GM, Yang W, Weber KA, Olshan AF, Desrosiers TA; National Birth Defects Prevention Study. A Search for Factors Associated with Reduced Carbohydrate Intake and NTD Risk in Two Population-Based Studies. Birth Defects Res. 2024 Mar; 116(3):e2328. PMID: 38450884.
- Williford EM, Yang W, Howley MM, Ma C, Collins RT, Weber KA, Heinke D, Petersen JM, Agopian AJ, Archer NP, Olshan AF, Williams LA, Browne ML, Shaw GM; National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Factors Associated with Infant Sex and Preterm Birth Status for Selected Birth Defects from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011. Birth Defects Res. 2024 Jan; 116(1):e2294. PMID: 38155422.
- Weber KA, Yang W, Carmichael SL, Collins RT 2nd, Luben TJ, Desrosiers TA, Insaf TZ, Le MT, Evans SP, Romitti PA, Yazdy MM, Nembhard WN, Shaw GM. Assessing Associations Between Residential Proximity to Greenspace and Birth Defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Environ Res. 2023 Jan 1; 216(Pt 3):114760. PMID: 36356662.
Fun Fact
I rent out a property with a yurt that I built a few years ago.