Education
Ph.D., Geography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2015
M.A., Geography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2011
B.S., Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2008
Research
My current research focuses on the spatiotemporal patterns of environmental health illnesses and how these patterns relate to environmental, socioeconomic, and climatic determinants. This research is guided by the social-ecological approach of vulnerability theory, which investigates the complex interplay between the environmental and social/economic aspects of a community. Using this theory, my research provides insights into the etiology of environmental-health diseases, highlighting both at risk populations and the environmental conditions that lead to adverse health outcomes. Presently, I have three main topical research interests: 1.) Environmental Exposure and Wearable Sensor Technology 2.) Mental Distress among Adolescents 3.) Indicators of Vulnerability and Resilience in the southeastern US.
In the News: Dr. Maggie Sugg Receives NSF’s Most Prestigious Award in Support of Early-Career Faculty
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Teaching
The goal of my teaching is to create an environment that facilitates student interaction and encourages critical evaluation of the world.
Recent Courses:
- GHY 3812: Geographic Information Systems
- GHY 5800: Advanced Quantitative Methods for Graduate Students
- GHY 4005: Geography of Health and Disease
- GHY 5150: Seminar in GIScience
- GHY 5025: Climate and Society
Selected Publications
Sugg, M.M., Spaulding, T., Lane, S., Runkle, J., Harden, S.*, Hege, A., and Iyer, L. (2021). Mapping Community-Level Determinants of COVID-19 Transmission in Nursing Homes: A Multi-Scale Approach. Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141946
Andersen, L., Harden, S.*, Sugg, M.M., Runkle, J., and Lundquist, T.* (2021). Analyzing The Spatial Determinants Of Local Covid-19 Transmission In The United States. Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142396
Runkle, J.D., Sugg, M.M., Leeper, R.D., Rao, Y., Matthews, J.L., and Rennie, J.J. (2020). Short-term Effects of Specific Humidity and Temperature on COVID19 Morbidity in Select US cities. Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140093
Runkle, J.D., Michael, K., Stevens, S., and Sugg, M.M. (2020). Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Text-based Crisis Patterns in Youth following Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas, 2018. Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141702
Sugg, M.M., Michael, K., Stevens, S., Filbin, B., Weiser, J., and Runkle, J. (2019). Crisis Events in Youth following Celebrity Suicides and the Release of 13 Reasons Why Season 2: A Case Study of Summer 2018. Preventative Medicine Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100999
Sugg, M.M., P. Grady Dixon, and J. Runkle (2019). Crisis Support-Seeking Behavior and Temperature in the United States: Is there an Association in Young Adults and Adolescents? Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.434
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Recent Master Theses Supervised
Garry Raynor - Geographic Variations Of Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratories In North Carolina (2017)
Anna Ross - Recreational Heat-Related Illness: Heat Exposure Outside The Work Week (2016)

Title: Associate Professor & Department Honors Director
Department: Geography and Planning
Email address: Email me
Office address
Rankin Science West 359Attachments
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Curriculum Vitae | document | 556.02 KB |