UC Planetary Health Center: Addressing Planetary Health through Interdisciplinary Research and Trainings

Background/Question/Methods

Human activities have led to unprecedented changes in our climate that are disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities around the world. Changes in global climate are leading to dwindling water resources, decreasing crop health and yield, drastic shifts in disease spread, and declining air quality. At the UC Global Health Institute Planetary Health Center, we lead and support research and student training programs that emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations across sectors (academia, industry, community-based organizations, and non-governmental organizations) needed to resolve mounting planetary health issues.

Results/Conclusions

This talk will highlight a number of programs and projects that represent Planetary Health research taking place in the University of California system, including the Latinxs in the Environment Initiative, which aims to bring academics, policy makers, and community-based organizations together to increase study and research on the impact of environmental change on Latinx communities. We will also provide an overview of current course-based and experiential programs, including the Rx One Health Field Institute and the Interdisciplinary Program for Planetary Health, which facilitate collaborations between students and postdoctoral fellows from social sciences, natural and physical sciences, and human and animal health sciences to gain hands-on experience and confidence in planetary health research.