Charles C. Branas is the chair of the department of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, a position he assumed on January 1, 2017.
[1] Branas is known for studying human geography, public health, emergency medical care, and multiple aspects of gun violence, which he first became interested when he saw its effects firsthand while working as a paramedic.
The study found that this association was largely because the drinkers spent so much time near liquor stores that sold alcohol to-go.
[4] In 2018, he led the first series of citywide randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showing that greening vacant lots, as well as requiring homeowners to put glass in their windows, resulted in significantly fewer gun assaults, shootings, and self-reported fear and depression among residents.
[5][6][7][8][9] His work has shown that approximately 15% of the spaces in US cities is vacant or abandoned, a total area about the size of Switzerland, making low-cost citywide interventions like these of high value to urban planners and policymakers.