The Water, Climate and Health Program at the UNMC College of Public Health recently kicked off its second annual Research Seminar Series to highlight research that explores the connections between human health and the environment around us.
Held via online webinar, the Research Seminar Series will feature a new topic and speakers each coming month to showcase new research and generate discussion and feedback from stakeholders across the nation.
Highlighting the nation’s first comprehensive assessment of drought and health, Drought and Public Health: A Roadmap for Advancing Engagement and Preparedness, the Research Seminar Series’ first webinar, was attended by more than 220 individuals across the nation on Oct. 30.
See this news article by WOWT Omaha featuring the Research Seminar Series discussion.
Speakers and co-authors of the assessment, Rachel Lookadoo, JD, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UNMC College of Public Health, and Jesse Bell, PhD, Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate and Health at the college, were excited to see the response from the webinar.
“The enthusiastic response that we received for this webinar, and for the Drought and Health Roadmap overall, showed us that there is a high level of interest surrounding the health impacts of drought and other extreme climate events,” Lookadoo said. “When we began this project in 2019, one of our primary goals was to bring new stakeholders to the table and to spread awareness about the unique concerns around drought and health. Through events like this webinar, we’ve been able to do exactly that, and we look forward to more opportunities to advance this work.”
The next webinar in the Research Seminar Series will feature Kristina Kintziger, PhD, Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Environment and Health, as she discusses a new computer simulation tool designed to help better prepare rural communities for natural disasters. The event will take place on Friday, Nov. 10, from noon-1 p.m. CT. The webinar is free, but registration is required. Registration for this event can be found at this link.
For more information, visit the Water, Climate and Health Program website or email Summer Woolsey.