Seminar Dates:
- Tuesday, October 11, 2022 - Drought and Human Health
- Tuesday, November 15, 2022 - Water Quality and Pediatric Cancer
- Tuesday, December 6, 2022 - 2022 Lancet Countdown on Human Health and Climate Change, Featuring a Discussion on Air Quality and Health in Nebraska
- Tuesday, February 28, 2023 – Extreme Heat and Human Health
- Tuesday, March 14, 2023 – Water Quality and Health Curriculum Development Project
- Thursday, April 27, 2023 – Nebraska Environmental Public Health Tracking Program
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 | 12:00-1:00 CT – Drought and Human Health
Summary: Droughts are slow-evolving natural disasters and the associated health impacts are delayed and indirect. Droughts reduce water quality and quantity, cause poor air quality, increase likelihood of fires and intensity of heat waves, which in turn contribute to poor health outcomes. The Water, Climate and Health Program is engaged in a variety of research activities related to better understanding the human health impacts of drought. Speakers will share our latest research results related to drought’s impact on mortality, mental health, and air quality in Nebraska and beyond. Speakers will detail the goals of the program’s currently funded research from NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and how this information is applicable locally and globally.
View and download the event flyer here
Speakers:
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Jesse E. Bell, PhD - Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate and Health, College of Public Health, UNMC |
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Azar M. Abadi, PhD - Research Assistant Professor, College of Public Health, UNMC |
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Tuesday, November 15, 2022 | 12:00-1:00 CT – Water Quality and Pediatric Cancer
Summary: In Nebraska, groundwater contamination of atrazine and nitrate is widespread. Atrazine exposure in drinking water is associated with various negative reproductive outcomes such as pre-term delivery, low birth weight, and birth defects. Nitrate exposure in drinking water is also associated with many negative health outcomes such as methemoglobinemia (“blue baby syndrome”), specific types of cancer and birth defects. Further inquiry into the relationship between exposure to these waterborne agrichemicals and human health is particularly salient for Nebraskans as one in five citizens rely on private wells for drinking water, which are not routinely tested or regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Nebraska has one of the highest pediatric cancer rates in the nation. This presentation will feature a presentation of results and discussion on a recent study from UNMC and UNL researchers showing a relationship between groundwater atrazine and nitrate concentrations and incidence of pediatric cancers in Nebraska.
View and download the event flyer here
Speaker:
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Eleanor G Rogan, PhD - Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Health Promotion, College of Public Health, UNMC |
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Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | 12:00-1:00 CT – 2022 Lancet Countdown on Human Health and Climate Change, Featuring a Discussion on Air Quality and Health in Nebraska
Summary: The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change is an annual report designed to disseminate the latest research findings related to the public health impacts of climate change. Presenters Jesse Bell and Rachel Lookadoo will describe the key points of this year’s report and discuss what this means for the Great Plains region. Presenter Jagadeesh Puvvula, PhD will discuss his research results related to air quality and human health in Nebraska and the presenters will discuss the broader context of how climate change can impact air quality.
View and download the event flyer here
Speakers:
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Jesse E. Bell, PhD - Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate and Health, College of Public Health, UNMC |
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Rachel Lookadoo, JD - Assistant Professor, College of Public Health, UNMC |
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Jagadeesh Puvvula, PhD - Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine |
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Tuesday, February 28th, 2023 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. CST — Extreme Heat and Human Health
Summary: Heat exerts a severe toll on communities in the United States, with an average annual mortality rate twice that of storms and floods. Further, scientific research demonstrates that climate change will cause more frequent, more severe and longer heat waves in the future.
This webinar will feature results from two of our program’s heat health research projects, which examine heat vulnerability in Nebraska in both urban and rural areas.
Specifically, speakers will discuss results from the Omaha Urban Heat Watch Project, a citizen-science campaign designed to identify “urban heat islands” and heat disparities in Omaha.
Speakers will also describe results from a study that examined heat vulnerability across Nebraska based on “level of urbanization” and socioeconomic influences. An especially unique project, this research examines vulnerability to heat in rural areas (in addition to urban), whereas most heat health research focuses solely on highly populated areas.
Speakers:
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Babak J. Fard, PhD - Postdoctoral Researcher |
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Abdoulaziz Abdoulaye, MS, MPH - PhD student |
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Tuesday, March 14th, 2023 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. CST — Water Quality and Health Curriculum Development Project
Summary: This presentation will showcase “Protecting Nebraska’s Waters”, an inquiry-based, interdisciplinary curriculum project designed to teach Nebraska children about water quality. Developed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Education and the Nebraska Department of Education, the curriculum combines science with social studies, involving science elements like water sampling and analysis, as well as study of relevant news stories, and other skills that that encourage active citizenship.
This presentation will detail this program, including how teachers and other stakeholders can get involved.
Speakers:
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Taylor Hamblin - PhD candidate, UNL College of Education and Human Sciences |
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Ebony (Cooper) McKiver - CEO of ECM Consulting and former Social Studies Education Specialist at the Nebraska Department of Education |
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Thursday, April 27th, 2023 | 3:00–4:00 p.m. CST — Nebraska Environmental Public Health Tracking Program
Summary: The burden of environmental disease in the U.S. is both costly and largely preventable. In response to environmental disease burden in the U.S., in 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, which aims to integrate health and environmental data to drive data-informed actions to improve community health.
CDC currently funds 33 state and local Tracking programs, including Nebraska Tracking, a new awardee in 2022. The Water, Climate and Health Program is excited to announce they are partnering with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to bring Nebraska Tracking to life.
This presentation will describe the goals and status of Nebraska Tracking and what stakeholders can expect in the upcoming years as UNMC and DHHS bring this exciting program to fruition.
Speakers:
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Kristina Kintziger, PhD - Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Health and Environment, UNMC College of Public Health |
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Derry Stover, MPH - Epidemiology Surveillance Coordinator, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services |
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