Rate My Professor Ben Wheeler

Professor Ben Wheeler serves as Professor in Environment, Health and Inequalities at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health (ECEHH), within Public Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Exeter Medical School. As a health geographer and environmental epidemiologist, he investigates the interconnections between the natural environment and human health, applying geographical and epidemiological methods to assess both beneficial and adverse environmental impacts on health and health inequalities. His research emphasizes the health effects of green and blue infrastructure, particularly in promoting population-scale prevention through physical activity and mental health benefits. Wheeler explores nature-based solutions amid climate change mitigation and adaptation, utilizes GIS and spatial analysis to integrate large-scale health and environmental datasets, and analyzes links between socio-spatial environmental inequalities and health disparities. He maintains the Beyond Greenspace blog to disseminate findings on these topics.

Wheeler obtained his PhD from the Department of Social Medicine at the University of Bristol, focusing on socio-economic, health, and environmental inequalities in the UK. His professional trajectory includes a postdoctoral research position at Victoria University of Wellington's School of Earth Sciences, supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Health for geographical public health research; subsequent roles at the University of Sheffield's Department of Geography and the University of Bristol; and practical experience in National Health Service public health positions and environmental consultancies. Since joining ECEHH at its inception in 2010, he served as co-director from 2022 to 2024. Wheeler leads or contributes to interdisciplinary projects funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Wellcome Trust, and European Commission. He co-directs the WHO Collaborating Centre on Natural Environments and Health at ECEHH and sits on the Natural England Science Advisory Committee, partnering with stakeholders to translate evidence into public health and environmental policy at local, national, and international levels. Notable publications include 'Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective' (Science Advances, 2019, with G.N. Bratman et al.), 'Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing' (Scientific Reports, 2019), 'Would you be happier living in a greener urban area? A fixed-effects analysis of panel data' (Psychological Science, 2013), 'Longitudinal effects on mental health of moving to greener and less green urban areas' (Environmental Science & Technology, 2014), and 'Does living by the coast improve health and wellbeing?' (Health & Place, 2012). His contributions have advanced the evidence base for natural environments' role in enhancing public health and wellbeing.