NOTE: This webinar has been postponed. If you have already registered for the webinar, you will receive an email with an update once a new date has been scheduled.
Understanding whether one thing truly causes another is one of science’s greatest challenges—and one of its most important. In this webinar, Dr. David Kriebel, Dr. Ann Bauer and Dr. Nicholas Chartres will explore how scientists move beyond observing correlations to making stronger inferences about causation, especially when decisions about public health and the environment are at stake. Participants will learn why correlation alone—such as the classic example linking ice cream sales and drowning incidents—can mislead, and how researchers use frameworks like the Bradford Hill considerations to weigh evidence and to judge when the evidence is sufficient to act.
The speakers will also discuss the critical question: How much evidence is enough? In policy and health decisions, the answer often depends on context. The webinar will examine concepts such as the burden of proof, pragmatism, Type I and Type II errors, and the precautionary principle, exploring how scientists and decision-makers balance the risks of acting too soon versus waiting too long. Real-world examples, including microplastics and prenatal acetaminophen exposure, will illustrate how evidence evolves and how decisions to take action may often be made in the face of uncertainty.
By the end of the session, attendees will better understand the conventions of causal inference and how scientific evidence is used to guide responsible action. This discussion will be especially valuable for journalists, policymakers, and anyone interested in a refresher in how science informs decisions that protect human health and the environment.
Featured Speakers
Ann Bauer, ScD is a researcher at the University of Massachusetts Lowell where she trained in occupational/environmental epidemiology. In 2021, she co-authored a paper invoking the precautionary principle, “Paracetamol use during pregnancy – a call for precautionary action” and she recently co-authored the study, “Evaluation of the evidence on acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders using the Navigation Guide methodology.”
David Kriebel, ScD is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Director of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, which collaborates with industries, government agencies, unions, and community organizations on the redesign of systems of production to make them healthier and more environmentally sound. Dr. Kriebel’s research focuses on the epidemiology of occupational injuries, cancer, and non-malignant respiratory disease. He has published more than 130 peer reviewed articles and co-authored two textbooks. He has won numerous teaching awards for his courses in epidemiology and biostatistics as well as occupational and environmental health, and in 2023 he received the EPICOH Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the field of occupational and environmental health. He also frequently speaks to community groups and participates in advisory committees on the role of science in democratic decision making, particularly in cancer prevention. He received his doctorate in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Nicholas Chartres, PhD, MHumNutr, is a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Sydney. He specializes in studying commercial determinants of health, focusing on chemicals, nutrition and public health. As the lead author of the first in-depth study on how industry sponsorship influences nutrition research, he is an expert in identifying and analyzing industry influence and developing methods to reduce industry bias in the research process. Nick is the lead scientific advisor at the UCSF Center to end Corporate Harm.