Research and Engagement for Action on Climate and Health (REACH) Center

George Washington University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The mission of the Research and Engagement for Action on Climate and Health (REACH) Center is to bridge big data to health-protective solutions for climate-sensitive risk factors. Specifically, the Center leverages the power of novel geospatial datasets and research co-generation with governmental and non governmental partners to conduct research at the intersection of climate and health, from local to global scales. The Center forms a new multi-institutional partnership that leverages world class strengths in public health, medicine, and public policy at George Washington University; Earth and atmospheric sciences at George Mason University and Howard University; and research translation at Environmental Defense Fund. The Center’s ground-breaking partnership cultivates a multi-disciplinary, collaborative research enterprise that generates new knowledge and accelerates research translation. Our ideal location in the National Capital Region, hosted at the only school of public health in Washington, DC, gives us unique opportunities to collaborate with the local and federal government and a plethora of civil society organizations engaged in environmental and health policy development. The REACH Center will generate new knowledge along the spectrum of discovery to applied research, particularly leveraging the strengths of geospatial datasets to address research questions that can guide health-protective actions at a range of administrative scales. The Center will catalyze collaborations between investigators and governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to understand the complex interactions between the Earth system and health and design approaches for protecting public health from environmental hazards. The Center will achieve its mission through Administrative, Developmental, Community Engagement, and Exposure Assessment Cores. The Center’s Developmental Core will develop new research infrastructure that fosters research exploring health-protective solutions for environmental risk factors through pilot awards, student fellowships, educational and networking opportunities, and interaction between investigators and governmental and non governmental partners. The Community Engagement Core will provide a bridge between academic research and a community of potential users of the findings to drive health-protective solutions forward. The Exposure Assessment Core will lead the Center’s efforts to make geospatial environmental data more accessible, interoperable, and interpretable for relevant research conducted by researchers from various disciplines.