Research Expertise and Interest
public health, maternal and child health, health and social behavior
Research Description
David Malcolm Potts is a human reproductive scientist and Professor at the School of Public Health. He was the founding director of the Bixby Center for Population, Health, and Sustainability and of the OASIS Initiative at the School.
In the News
Researchers say Western Sahel investment needed to avert crisis
In a new commentary published in Nature, three UC Berkeley researchers and their coauthors argue that without considerable government investment in four areas—family planning, girls’ education, agriculture, and security—Western Sahel countries’ political and economic systems could collapse. In a region with widespread hunger and malnutrition, rising food and economic insecurity could pave the way for famines, mass migration, and violent conflict. Only by investing heavily in forward-looking programs, the researchers argue, can governments avert serious disruptions down the line.
“Perfect Storm” of Climate Change and Population Growth Brewing in African Sahel, Experts Warn
The vast region of Africa known as the Sahel will descend into large-scale drought, famine, war and terrorist control if immediate, coordinated steps are not taken to avert the perfect storm of climate change and the most rapidly growing population in the world.
Featured in the Media
Please note: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or positions of UC Berkeley.
July 21, 2020
Three UC Berkeley health experts discuss recent reports of employee COVID-19 infections at Berkeley Bowl, Whole Foods and other local businesses. "As long as customers are wearing a mask and staying more than six feet away from employees (who should also be wearing masks), they should be safe," said UC Berkeley public health professor John Swartzberg. UC Berkeley public health professor Arthur Reingold seconded Swartzberg's assessment of indoor transmission, adding that stores with infected employees should communicate with Berkeley's Public Health Division to decide appropriate cleaning procedures and whether to close. "Transmission is mostly a risk with prolonged indoor contact, and much less likely with brief customer-employee encounters," Reingold said. "There might be a better case to be made about possible transmission to other employees who interact frequently in the store." UC Berkeley public health professor Malcolm Potts stressed the importance of following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines in order to prevent COVID-19's spread. Potts also believes that Alameda County and the Berkeley Public Health Division should follow California Gov. Gavin Newsom's guidance regarding business closures.
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