U41A:
Critical Geohealth Disaster Research to Support Response, Recovery, and Future Preparedness


Note: Abstract submissions to Union sessions are by invitation only.


Session ID#: 51171

Session Description:
Responses to various disasters and emerging threats have revealed the critical importance of interdisciplinary expertise and collaborations between the health and earth sciences communities.  Efforts to understand and address adverse health impacts associated with environmental emergencies requires not only a refined understanding of biological mechanisms and pathogenic pathways (e.g., inflammation, epigenetic changes, oxidative stress, mutagenesis) but, also, the incredibly broad and complex environmental exposures and systems that influence these processes. Health and earth scientists have a long tradition of crossing their scientific divides to collaborate on a wide range of issues during disasters. This Union session will include five 20-minute presentations and a 20-minute panel session (with audience interactivity) focusing on specific disasters situations such as oil spills, Ebola and Zika outbreaks, water contamination, wildfires, and recent earthquakes and hurricanes, to highlight the critical role for integrating geo-and-health sciences to protect the public’s health, facilitate recovery, and improve future preparedness.
OSPA Liaison:  Benjamin F Zaitchik, Johns Hopkins University, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Baltimore, MD, United States
Primary Convener:  Aubrey K. Miller, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Bethesda, United States
Conveners:  Claire J. Horwell, Durham University, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham, United Kingdom, Ramesh P Singh, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, School of Engineering, Mandi, India and Benjamin F Zaitchik, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
Chairs:  Aubrey K. Miller, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Bethesda, United States and Claire J. Horwell, Durham University, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham, United Kingdom
Co-Organized with:
Union, Natural Hazards, and GeoHealth

Cross-Listed:
  • GC - Global Environmental Change
  • H - Hydrology
  • S - Seismology
  • SI - Societal Impacts and Policy Sciences

Proposed Co-Organized Session with:
  • GH - GeoHealth
  • NH - Natural Hazards
Index Terms:

0220 Geomedicine [GEOHEALTH]
0240 Public health [GEOHEALTH]
4331 Disaster relief [NATURAL HAZARDS]
4343 Preparedness and planning [NATURAL HAZARDS]

Abstracts Submitted to this Session:

No submissions have been made yet.

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