Data centers serve as the backbone of modern digital services, enabling everything from cloud computing and online transactions to streaming platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Data center designs incorporate advanced cooling systems, backup power, and in-house cybersecurity measures to ensure efficiency, reliability, and security. As data centers continue to grow in scale and complexity, their energy use and environmental footprint are also expanding. The rapid growth of data centers, with their significant energy and water demands, necessitates targeted policy interventions to mitigate environmental impacts and protect local communities. Mary D. Willis, Ph.D., M.P.H. will investigate the local effects of data centers built in the United States and propose policy solutions to help mitigate environmental impacts and protect local communities.

Dr. Mary D. Willis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health. Her research focuses on how the energy sector impacts the environment, local communities, and population health. She uses methods from a wide range of fields, such as epidemiology, geography, economics, and data science. Recent issues that she has examined include oil and gas development, traffic regulations, power outages, and data centers. Dr. Willis is PI of an NIH Director’s Early Independence Award that examines how oil and gas development may impact fertility and pregnancy. Dr. Willis recently led a commentary about the potential health impacts of cryptocurrency mining that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.