Howells, Michaela

Dr. Howells is a biological anthropologist and human biologist specializing in the influence of culture on health outcomes and associated biological adaptations. She is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at UNCW.

Her current work focuses on the impact of natural disasters and climate change on maternal and child health. Her research interests include stigma, social determinants of health, reproductive justice, prenatal stress, toxic stress, intergenerational health outcomes, and health equity. She aims to identify barriers to health care surrounding civil status, prenatal care, menstrual equity, natural disasters, Zika, and HIV/AIDS.

She is the Director of the UNCW GAPS (Growth Adaptation Pregnancy Stress) Lab and has conducted collaborative research in the South Pacific, Asia, Africa, Central and South American, and the American Southeast.