C2H2 Conference: A conference connecting Earth and health scientists and students from across the Midwest

University Of Cincinnati Main Campus, Cincinnati OH

Investigators

Abstract

Human influence on the Earth, including climate warming, is increasingly threatening human health. People who work outside or who do not have adequate air conditioning are increasingly suffering from heat exposure in the summer months. In addition, extreme weather such as convective storms, flooding, and tornadoes can cause injuries and death. Floods from extreme rain events can also lead to exposure to things such as harmful algae blooms and sewage contamination of surface, well, and civic water supplies. There is also an increasing awareness of how petrochemical compounds being released, unintentionally or intentionally, into ground and surface water impact human health. This was recently illustrated by the train derailment and release of dangerous organic compounds from derailed tank cars in East Palestine, Ohio. In all of these and in similar cases, there is an opportunity for geoscientists (those who study the Earth and climate systems) and health scientists (those who study the effects of exposure to environmental triggers on people) to better communicate and work together. In this conference, the first of its kind in the Midwest, geoscientists and medical/health researchers and their students will be brought together to increase collaboration between the two fields. Anticipated results of such collaborations include better understanding of environmental triggers of health problems and a reduction in the negative impacts of climate change on human health and its disproportionate impact on minority and vulnerable communities. Broader impacts include plans to develop training for geoscience students and expand possible job opportunities for them in the health/medical arena. Mentors and role models at the conference will include members of underrepresented groups, policymakers, community members, and policymakers from the region. A further goal will be to engage early career researchers, students, and members from groups underrepresented in the sciences in the proceedings to bring their perspectives and knowledge to the table and increase their participation in climate/human health activities and research. Climate change is one of the most significant threats to human health this century. Addressing this challenge will take a concerted effort requiring many disciplines in the scientific community to work together. This conference connects two critical fields in this area: geoscience and health science, and their researchers and practitioners. These two fields work on related, but different, aspects of the climate crisis; and collaboration between them is needed so holistic approaches can be developed that accelerate understandings and mitigation of climate-driven health problems. The conference is the first of its kind in the Midwest/Ohio Valley region. It is focused on addressing threats of climate and environmental change to human health; and involves sessions on the largest geo-health issues in the Ohio Valley, which includes parts of Pennsylvania and the states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. Topics addressed include (1) human health impacts of increased levels of contaminants in the environment; (2) impacts of extreme heat; (3) toxic, harmful algal blooms, and (4) impacts of flooding on water quality and contamination due to sewer overflow. Conference outcomes include developing new collaborations between researchers in the Earth, social, and health sciences; outlining and fostering development of new undergraduate and graduate courses at the intersection of geoscience and human health; panel discussions on science communication, community-engaged research, and careers in the environmental health sciences; and political advocacy for a healthier environment. Discussions will take place on future directions and new initiatives in the area, such as what needs to be done in the future versus what is being done now and how Earth and health scientists can better collaborate to accelerate solutions to environmentally triggered health problems. The urgency of the convening stems from the fact that the targeted region of the country, over the last few years, has experienced dramatic, climate, geo-health related incidents and problems highlighting the urgent need for closer collaboration between the geoscience and health/medical communities to protect public health. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.