Brandon Lewis

Brandon is a third-year doctoral student at Yale University’s School of the Environment. His research investigates the impacts that indoor air pollution and agricultural farming, respectively, have on community health and sustainability. Currently, his research applies a multi-tiered analytical method to investigate the impacts that industrial animal farming has on the health and sustainability of rural communities in North Carolina and several other states. His research will help improve our understanding of how the construction of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations have impacted communities socially and economically over time. Prior to joining the Bell research group in Fall 2021, Brandon received his Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and Master of Science in Atmospheric Science at North Carolina State University. His past research experience includes using modeling methods to quantify local air pollution emitted from animal farming sources in North Carolina and assessing exposure on environmental justice communities. During this time, his interest in Environmental Justice led him to work with local advocacy groups such as the NC Environmental Justice Network to incorporate community voices into his research. He has led air quality measurement projects abroad in Botswana, as part of a NSF IRES project, International Research Experience for Students, and locally in North Carolina. In the greater atmospheric science field, Brandon has interned at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory focusing on wind energy development and optimization and at the NC State Climate Office.