How does the health of the environment affect our health?
Catastrophic events, human migration and disease transmission are on the rise because of climate change.
Learn from national and local experts about these issues and what you can do to address them at the 8th Annual Global Health and Infectious Disease Conference.
This conference will take place from 10am-1:15pm on April 22 & 23. Each day will feature a webinar with presentations on a variety of topics related to climate change and infectious disease. Day two will include a panel discussion on lessons learned from COVID-19 to inform the impact of climate change on infectious disease. Additionally, attendees will have the option to sign up for virtual table conversations with speakers and organizers on each day.
Topics will include:
- Pandemics
- Flood Systems
- Diarrheal Disease
- West Nile Virus
- Volcanic Eruptions
- Policy
- One Health
- Social-Cultural Factors
This event will take place virtually via Zoom. Please register to receive your own unique link to access the webinar.
Interviews with the Speakers
Agenda
View and download the full agenda and speaker bios for this event.
Thursday, April 22
10:00am Welcome
- Victoria Fraser, MD
Adolphus Busch Professor of Medicine and Chair, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine
10:10am Introduction
- Victor Dávila-Román, MD
Professor of Medicine, Anesthesiology, and Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine - David Fike, PhD
Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Director of Environmental Studies, Washington University in St. Louis
10:20am Presentations
- COVID-19: The Road Travelled and the Path Ahead
Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, MD, MPH
Clinical Instructor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine - Warmer and Wetter: Infectious Diseases on the Move in a Changing Climate
Kristie Ebi, PhD, MPH
Professor, Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington - Climate Change Impacts on Human Health: Diarrheal Disease, Surface Water Influences, and Infrastructure Vulnerability in Flood Pulse Systems in Africa
Kathleen Alexander, DVM, PhD
Professor, Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech
Director, Chobe Research Institute, Kasane Botswana
11:15am Q&A
11:25am Break
11:35am Presentations
- Historical Correlations Among Volcanic Eruptions, Climate Change, and Pandemics
Michael Wysession, PhD
Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University - A Time of Great Opportunities – One Health in an Age of Climate Change, Extinctions, and a Pandemic
Sharon L. Deem, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACZM
Director, Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo
12:15pm Q&A
12:25pm Table Conversations
- Kathleen Alexander, DVM, PhD
- Gaya Amarasinghe, PhD
- Sharon L. Deem, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACZM
- Kristie Ebi, PhD, MPH
- David Fike, PhD
- Joe Fleckenstein, MD
- Kim Medley, PhD
- Jonathan Losos, PhD
- Joe Steensma, EdD
- Michael Wysession, PhD
1:10pm Concluding Remarks
- David Fike, PhD
Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Director of Environmental Studies, Washington University in St. Louis
Friday, April 23
10:00am Welcome and Introduction
- Beth Martin
Teaching Professor in Environmental Studies and Associate Director of Washington University Climate Change Program
10:10am Presentations
- Climate Change, Conflict and Connectivity across Borders: Sociocultural Factors Affecting the Frontline of Public Health Response
Rebecca Merrill, PhD, MHS
Lead, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Center for Disease Control and Prevention - Improving Predictions of West Nile Virus Risk Through Recognition of the Scale-Dependence of Weather Drivers
Sara Paull, PhD
Assistant Professor, Environmental & Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health - Climate Change: Be Prepared and Act!
Steve Mahfood
Former Head of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
11:10am Q&A
11:30am Break
11:40am Panel: Lessons Learned from COVID to Inform the Impact of Climate Change on Infectious Diseases
- Kathleen Alexander
- Sharon Deem
- Kristie Ebi
- Steve Mahfood
- Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis
- Rebecca Merrill
- Sara Paull
- Michael Wysession
12:25pm Table Conversations
- Steve Mahfood
- Beth Martin, MS, PE
- Kim Medley, PhD
- Rebecca Merrill, PhD, MHS
- Sara Paull, PhD
- Joe Steensma, EdD, MPH
1:10pm Concluding Remarks
- Kim Medley, PhD
Director, Tyson Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis
Event Sponsors: Global Health Center and its Global Health Student Advisory Committee, International Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Tyson Research Center, Living Earth Collaborative, Brown School MPH Program and Washington University Climate Change Program