Dr. Douglas Dockery is a preeminent figure in environmental epidemiology whose career has profoundly shaped our understanding of air pollution's health impacts. He currently holds the position of John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Research Professor Emeritus at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where he previously served as Chair of the Department of Environmental Health from 2005 to 2016. His academic foundation includes a BS in Physics from the University of Maryland, an MS in Meteorology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an ScD in Environmental Health from Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Dockery's career trajectory from air pollution meteorologist at the EPA to leading academic researcher exemplifies his interdisciplinary approach bridging atmospheric science and public health.
Dr. Dockery's seminal contribution to science emerged from his leadership of the Harvard Six Cities Study which provided groundbreaking evidence linking fine particulate matter air pollution to increased mortality rates and reduced life expectancy. This landmark research demonstrated that communities exposed to higher levels of particulate pollution suffered significantly greater health challenges including respiratory and cardiovascular problems. The methodologically rigorous approach employed in this longitudinal study established new standards for environmental epidemiology and provided the scientific foundation that would transform regulatory standards worldwide. His findings have been instrumental in shaping air quality regulations established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization directly influencing public health policy for decades.
Beyond his research contributions Dr. Dockery has provided exceptional leadership to the scientific community through roles including President of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology from 1998 to 1999 and Director of the Harvard-NIEHS Center for Environmental Health Sciences from 2008 to 2019. His scholarly impact has been recognized with prestigious honors including the John Goldsmith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Environmental Epidemiology and designation as an Inaugural ISEE Fellow. Dr. Dockery continues to influence the field through his recent publication Particles of Truth which chronicles the scientific journey and policy implications of his air pollution research. His enduring legacy lies in establishing the scientific consensus that clean air regulations save lives a principle that continues to guide environmental health policy and research worldwide.
