Workshop: - Integrating Environment and Health: 2017 National Conference and Global Forum on Science, Policy and the Environment; Arlington, VA

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1703140BlocksteinThe National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) will hold the 17th National Conference and Global Forum on Science, Policy and the Environment, January 24-26, 2017 in Arlington, VA. The conference theme is Integrating Environment and Health. It will be an opportunity for STEM researchers, educators, and students in higher education, K-12, and informal education to gather with leaders from business, industry, government, and civil society working in the fields of environment and health to develop a common vision, share best practices, and develop new partnerships in order to advance the convergence of environmental and health sciences and engineering.The health of people and the health of the planet are intrinsically, intricately, and intimately interconnected, but separate disciplines and professions have developed each with their own programs and terminology that even use similar terms such as environmental health or environmental health sciences differently. The 2017 conference seeks to advance convergence towards an approach to prepare scientists, educators, and practitioners to explore and understand the connections and apply them in their professional activities. The conference will be: 1. A forum for scholars, educators, students, professionals and policymakers to share new science, best practices, and develop new partnerships. 2. An opportunity for academics to gather with leaders from business, industry, government, and civil society to raise the profile and expand the effectiveness of scholarship that connects health and environment. 3. An arena to help scientists and policymakers consider how research can inform and be translated into policy and practices. 4. A platform designed to catalyze new initiatives and partnerships. One of the conference's primary purposes is to help build a convergent interdisciplinary field of environment and health. Desired outcomes include: 1. Helping to build communities of practice in environment and health utilizing collaborative approaches to identify critical scientific and technological needs, learning outcomes, and effective practices in key areas. 2. An avenue for enhanced STEM literacy for students in all disciplines based on critical thinking about health and its relationships with various environmental issues (climate change, pollution, international security, environmental capital and the value (cost) of nature as it relates to health impacts, and other challenges of modern society). 3. New pathways for teaching about environment and health. 4. Stronger research programs that more effectively take innovations in science and technology to the demonstration and deployment stages. The project will help advance a broadly-defined, interdisciplinary field of environment and health that includes elements of science, technology, policy, ethics, environmental, health and biomedical sciences. A broader integration of environment and health science will serve society helping to elucidate the health benefits of environmental protection, extend the relevance and practicality of STEM education, and forge critical connections with research on health and the environment. The impacts of the project will be evaluated through electronic surveys during and at the conclusion of the conference and a follow-up survey six months after the conference as well as a post-conference discussion with the conference planning committee.