Diane Henshel

Diane S. Henshel is an Associate Professor in the Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Bloomington. With a background in neuroscience, she holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences-Neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis (1987), as well as a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in English from Brown University (1978). Following postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia, she joined the O'Neill School faculty in 1992. Henshel teaches courses on toxicology, risk assessment, risk communication, and capstone projects. She is also a trained and practicing mediator and serves as the principal of Henshel EnviroComm, a consulting firm specializing in technical and risk communication support for government agencies and communities dealing with environmental contamination.

Dr. Henshel's research specializes in the ecological and human health effects of pollutants and chemicals, holistic and cumulative risk and vulnerability assessment modeling for ecosystems, human health, and services, risk communication, sustainability modeling, and cybersecurity risk assessment. Her work correlates field and laboratory studies on developmental and neuroendocrine effects in wildlife and uses databases to link population health indicators with environmental contamination, incorporating socioeconomic factors. Notable publications include "Low intensity radiofrequency radiation: a new oxidant for living cells" (2014, Oxidants and Antioxidants in Medical Science), "GSM 900 MHz cellular phone radiation can either stimulate or depress early embryogenesis in Japanese quails" (2013, International Journal of Radiation Biology), "The Pine River statement: Human health consequences of DDT use" (2009, Environmental Health Perspectives), and "Contaminant concentrations and biomarker response in great blue heron eggs" (1997, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry). She has received the Trustees Teaching Award from the O'Neill School (2008), O'Neill Teaching Awards for Undergraduate Instruction (2008, 2005), and a Presidential Citation from the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (2006). Henshel has held leadership roles such as past-president of the IU Bloomington Faculty Council, President of the International Society for Environmental Bioindicators, and member of the Indiana Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. She has served on advisory boards and panels for the U.S.-Canada International Joint Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Research Council.

Professional Email: dhenshel@iu.edu