Research

Dr. Gabriel Filippelli is a Chancellor’s Professor of Earth Sciences and Executive Director of the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute. Filippelli is a biogeochemist with broad training in climate change, exposure science, and environmental health. Filippelli has published broadly, including publications in Science, Nature and Geology as well as in specialty journals and in popular press. He has personally directed over $9M of research funding over his career. He is the Editor-in-Chief for the journal GeoHealth, published by the American Geophysical Union. Filippelli is a Fellow of the International Association of Geochemistry, a 2022 Fulbright Distinguished Chair, and former National Academy of Sciences Jefferson Science Fellow, where he served as a Senior Science Advisor for the U.S. Department of State.

His research focuses on biogeochemical cycling in the environment and the connections between geochemistry and the geologic record of climate change. Student projects involve field study, followed by detailed geochemical analyses in the biogeochemistry laboratory. The laboratory is equipped with a plasma emission spectrometer for elemental analyses, as well as specialized spectrometers for analysis of carbon, mercury, and phosphorous.

Education

• 1994 Ph.D. Earth Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz
• 1986 B.S. Geology, University of California, Davis

Publications & Professional Activity

Journal articles

*Denotes student author

#Denotes corresponding author, except where single-authored

Orr, I.*, Mazari, K., Shukle, J.T.*, Li, R.*, and Filippelli, G.#, 2023. The impact of combined sewer outflows on urban water quality: Spatio-temporal patterns of fecal coliform in Indianapolis. Environmental Pollution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121531

East, A., AghaKouchak, A., Caprarelli, G., Filippelli, G., Florindo, F., Luce, C., Rajaram, H., Russell, L., Santin, C., and Santos, I., 2023. Fire in the Earth System: Introduction to the Special Collection. JGR Earth Surface. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JF007184

Dietrich, M., and Filippelli, G.M., 2023. Positive outcomes from U.S. lead regulations, continued challenges, and lessons learned for regulating emerging contaminants. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26319-4

Dietrich, M., Shukle, J.*, Herrmann, A., Wood, L.*, and Filippelli, G.M., 2023. Contributory science reveals insights into metal pollution trends across different households and environmental media. Environmental Pollution Letters. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acbaad

Dietrich, M., Barlow, C.F., Entwistle, J.A., Meza-Figueroa, D., Dong, C., Gunkel-Grillon, P., Jabeen, K., Bramwell, L., Shukle, J.T.*, Wood, L.R.*, Naidu, R., Fry, K.*, Taylor, M.P., and Filippelli, G.M., 2023. Predictive modeling of indoor dust lead concentrations: Sources, risks, and benefits of intervention. Environmental Pollution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121039

Hernández, M.*, Filippelli, G.M., and Boehm, S., 2023. Early-life low-level lead exposure alters anxiety-like behavior, alcohol consumption and AC5 protein expression in adult male and female C57BL/6J mice. Neurotoxicology and Teratology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ntt.2022.107149

Heintzelman, A.* Filippelli, G.M.#, Moreno-Madriñan, M.J., Wilson, J.S., Wang, L., Druschel, G.K., and Lulla, V.O., 2023. Efficacy of low-cost sensor networks at detecting fine-scale variations in particulate matter in urban environments. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 20, 1934. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031934

Cardoso, A., Delmiro, T., Mocock, J., Rabbani, E., Peres, S., Filippelli, G.M., Macedo, J., and Monteiro, E., 2023. Mollusk shell waste: Alternative for reuse in construction. International Journal of Environmental and Waste Management. Doi: 10.1504/IJEWM.2022.10035950

Smart, M.*, Filippelli, G.M., Gilhooly, W.P. III, Marshall, J.E.A., and Whiteside, J.H., 2022. Phosphorus in lacustrine sequences as records of enhanced terrestrial nutrient release during the Devonian emergence and expansion of forest. GSA Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1130/B36384.1

Dietrich, M., Rader, S., and Filippelli, G.M., 2022. Using community science for detailed pollution research: A case-study approach in Indianapolis, IN, USA. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22561-4

Filippelli, G.M., 2022. Phosphorus and life on a Water World. Geophysical Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL097346

Gong, Q., Zhang, H., Yu, H., Jeon, S., Ren, Y., Yang, Z., Sun, C., Stach, E., Foucher, A., Yu, Y., Smart, M., Filippelli, G., Cullen, D., Liu, P., and Xie, J.,# 2022. Amino-tethering synthesis strategy toward highly accessible sub-3 nm L10-PtM catalysts for high-power fuel cells. Matter.

Dietrich, M., Shukle, J.*, Krekeler, M.P.S., Wood, L.*, and Filippelli, G.M., 2022. Using community science to better understand lead exposure risks. GeoHealth. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GH000525

Soloviov, S.O., Todosiichuk, T.S., Kovaliuk, O.V., Filippelli, G.M., Trokhimenko, O.P., Dziublyk, I., and Rodd, Z.A.#, 2022. Rotaviruses and noroviruses as etiological agents of acute intestinal diseases of Ukrainian children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19084660.

Hayhow, C.*, Brabander, D., Jim, R., Lively, M., and Filippelli, G.M., 2021. Addressing the need for just GeoHealth engagement: Evolving models for actionable research that transform communities. GeoHealth. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GH000496

Isley, C., Fry, K., Liu, X., Filippelli, G., Entwistle, J., Martin, A., Kah, M., Meza-Figueroa, D., Shukle, J., Jabeen, K., Famuyiwa, A., Wu, L., Sharifi Soltani, N., Doyi, I., Argyraki, A., Ho, K.F., Dong, C., Gunkel-Grillon, P., Aelion, C.M., Taylor, M., 2021. International analysis of sources and human health risk associated with trace metal contaminants in residential indoor dust. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c04494

Saikawa, E. and Filippelli, G.M., 2021. Invited Perspective: Assessing the contaminant exposure risks of urban gardening: Call for updated health guidelines. Environmental Health Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10376

Heintzelman, A.*, Filippelli, G.M., Lulla, V., 2021. Substantial decreases in U.S. Cities ground-based NO₂ concentrations during COVID-19 from reduced transportation. Sustainability, 13: 9030. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169030

Filippelli, G.#, Beal, L., Rajaram, H., Trumbore, S, Pirenne, B., AghaKouchak, A., Faccenna, C., Raymond, P., Griffies, S., Xenopoulos, M., East, A., Montesi, L., Maighetti, I., Balikhin, M., Huber, M., Wysession, M., Frost, C., Salous, S., Florindo, F., Lugaz, N., Schildgen, T., Zhang, M., 2021. Geoscientists, who have documented the rapid and accelerating climate crisis for decades, are now pleading for immediate collective action. Geophysical Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096644

Taylor, M.P., Isley, C.F., Liu X., Gillings, M.M.*, Rouillon, M., Soltani, N.S., Gore, D.B., and Filippelli, G., 2021. Human health risks from trace metal contaminated urban gardens. Environment International. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106582

Filippelli, G.M. and 12 others, 2021. Addressing risks of lead in water and soil. ENGAGE!, v. 3(1), 16-20. https://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/ENGAGE/article/view/25480/23905

Kryder-Reid, E., and Filippelli, G.M., 2021. Exploring university-community collaborations. ENGAGE!, v. 3(1), 32-47. https://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/ENGAGE/article/view/25724

Yang, Q.*, Yang,, Z., Filippelli, G.M., Ji, J., Yu, T., Wang, L., Zheng, G., and Zhang, Q., 2021. Distribution and secondary enrichment of heavy metal elements in karstic soils in Guangxi, China. Chemical Geology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2021.120081

Zheng, G.*, Filippelli, G.M., and Salamova, A., 2020. Increased indoor exposure to commonly used disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Environmental Science and Technology Letters. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00587

Filippelli, G.M, Freeman, J.K., Gibson, J., Jay, S., Moreno-Madriñán, M.J, Ogashawara, I., Rosenthal, F.S., Wang, Y., and Wells, E., 2020. Climate change impacts on human health at an actionable scale: A state-level assessment of Indiana, USA. Climatic Change. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-02002710-9

Filippelli, G.M, Anenberg, S., Taylor, M., van Geen, A., and Khreis, H., 2020. New approaches to identifying and reducing the global burden of disease from pollution. GeoHealth. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GH000167

Donaldson, T.*, Fore, G., Filippelli, G., and Hess, J., 2020. A systematic review of the literature on situated learning in the geosciences: Beyond the classroom. International Journal of Science Education, 42(5): 722-743. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2020.1727060

Filippelli, G.M.# and Finkelman, R., 2021. Exploring the intersections of environmental health and urban medical geology. In: Practical Applications of Medical Geology, Siegel, Selinu and Finkelman (Ed), Springer Press. P. 721-747.

Mazari, K., and Filippelli, G.M., 2019. Using deciduous trees as bioindicators of trace element deposition in a small urban watershed, Indianapolis (IN, USA). Journal of Environmental Quality. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20009

Beidinger, H.,# Ahern, L., Ngai, M., Sisk, M. and Filippelli, G.M., 2019. A lack of consistent lead screening of children for elevated blood lead levels results in undue risk to vulnerable children. Journal of Public Health Policy. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-018-0155-7

Filippelli, G.M.#, Adamic, J.*, Nichols, D.*, Shukle, J.*, and Frix, E.*, 2018. Mapping the urban lead exposome: A detailed analysis of soil metal concentrations at the household scale using citizen science. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(7), 1531. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071531 

Filippelli, G.M., 2018. Exploring the paradox of increased global health and degraded global environment—How much borrowed time is humanity living on? GeoHealth, 2. doi: 10.1029/2018GH000155

Filippelli, G.M., 2018. Balancing the global distribution of phosphorus with a view toward sustainability and equity. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 32. doi: 10.1029/2018GB005923

Filippelli, G.M.# and Taylor, M. P., 2018. Addressing pollution-related global environmental health burdens. GeoHealth, 2,2 –5. doi: 10.1002/2017GH000119. Awarded Top 20 Downloaded publication 2017-2018 in GeoHealth by Wiley

Cortina, A.#, Filippelli, G.M., Ochoa, D., Sierro, F.J., Flores, J.A., and J.O. Grimalt, 2018. Climate-driven changes in sedimentation rate impact phosphorus burial along continental margins of the Mediterranean. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology. doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.03.010

Obeng-Gyasi, E.*#, Armijos, R.X., Weigel, M., Filippelli, G.M., and Sayegh, A., 2018. Cardiovascular-related outcomes in US adults exposed to lead. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15, 759; doi:10.3390/ijerph15040759

Obeng-Gyasi, E.*#, Armijos, R.X., Weigel, M., Filippelli, G.M., and Sayegh, A., 2018. Hepatobiliary-related outcomes in US adults exposed to lead. Environments, 5, 46; doi:10.3390/environments5040046

Books

Filippelli, G.M., 2022. Climate Change and Life: The Complex Co-Evolution of Climate and Life on Earth, and Beyond. Elsevier Press. https://www.elsevier.com/books/climate-change-and-life/filippelli/978-0-12-822568-4

McCabe, J., Filippelli, G., Novick, K., and Shanahan, J., 2022. Climate Change and Resilience in Indiana and Beyond, Indiana University Press. https://iupress.org/9780253063953/climate-change-and-resilience-in-indiana-and-beyond/

Affiliations

Center for Urban Health

Environmental Resilience Institute 

Awards

• 2022 Fulbright Distinguished Chair, University of Newcastle, Australia

• 2021 Improving Kid’s Environment Award, Hoosier Environmental Council

• 2021 F. Earl Ingerson Lecturer, Geochemical Society

• 2020  Chancellor’s Professor, IUPUI (highest distinguished rank on the campus)

• 2020 John W. Ryan Award for Distinguished Contributions to International Programs and Studies, Indiana University

• 2019 Visiting Research Fellow Award, Chinese Science Committee

• 2019 Prose Award for Excellence in Physical Science and Math (top publication for the year), Association of American Publishers, for GeoHealth, Gabriel Filippelli Editor-in-Chief

• 2019 School of Science Innovative Educator Award. IUPUI

• 2018 Visiting Research Fellow Award, Macquarie University, Sydney