Polly Hoppin ScD

Polly Hoppin is a Research Professor Emerita of Public Health in the Department of Public Health and Program Director for Environmental Health at the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production. Her current work focuses on advancing the primary prevention of chronic disease via the design and implementation of multi-sectoral environmental initiatives grounded in systems thinking, qualitative research and strategic convening.

Dr. Hoppin is a co-founder of the Cancer Free Economy Network, a national partnership, and a related regional initiative in Southwestern Pennsylvania, which seek to integrate environmental carcinogens into cancer-related research, policy and programming. Prior to her arrival at U. Mass., Dr. Hoppin was a Senior Advisor for environmental health at the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency, responsible for developing Department strategies for asthma and interagency strategies on children’s environmental health at the national and regional levels.

Her experience also includes a decade at World Wildlife Fund, where she developed a program to reduce pesticide use in agriculture via partnerships to change policy and advance innovative farm practice and labeling programs. Polly has been instrumental in the formation of ongoing collaborations and networks and has held numerous Board and other leadership positions in organizations ranging from the American Public Health Association and the Massachusetts Public Health Association to Clean Water Fund, Pesticide Action Network and the Center for Whole Communities.