About the Program
Planetary Health Research Program
The global environment is changing rapidly—as evidenced by warming temperatures and extreme weather events; biodiversity loss, pollinator collapse, and food insecurity; and degradation of natural resources upon which we depend. Humans sit at the apex of these issues, disrupting such interconnected systems in this era of the Anthropocene. There is an urgent need for action; innovation, interdisciplinary research, and outside-of-the-box thinking are crucial to solving planetary health challenges.
The Planetary Health Graduate Research Program was created with a generous gift from Dave and Sarah Epstein. The goal was to galvanize awareness of planetary health research and scholarship as well as action. The program supports UW-Madison graduate students and faculty conducting research related to the intersection of environmental public health and ecological or climatic change.
The 2023 - 2024 Projects
Restorative Ecology and Pollinator Indicators at UW-Madison’s Badgervoltaics Pilot Project
The need for renewable energy is now, and “agrivoltaics” combine renewable energy (solar) with agricultural activities to provide mixed use for the land. In this project, the Planetary Health Research team will work to restore native habitat and study pollinators at a new UW “agrivoltaics” site which will aid in both renewable energy generation as well as providing key habitat for collapsing pollinator species.
Check out this podcast by the Wisconsin Energy Institute to learn more!
Exploring the Roles and Potential of Planetary Health in Teaching and Nursing Education: Vertical Case Studies in Colombia and Malawi
Education and nursing are central fields to the health of people as well as the planet, so planetary health concepts should be included in these fields. This research project will examine teacher and nursing education systems in two global South countries—Colombia and Malawi— and explore if, how, and why education and health policymakers, educators, and professionals-in-training engage with key ideas related to planetary health during the professional education process.
Planetary Health Research Teams Lunch 2023
From Left to Right: Jonathan Patz, Mridula Menon, Victoria Salerno, Yamikani Nkhoma, and Nancy Kendall
Scholarship on Planetary Health
The focus area of Planetary Health has been growing rapidly as the health of humans and the planet are inseparable.
Read our featured paper: Unhealthy Landscapes: Policy Recommendations on Land Use Change and Infectious Disease Emergence
Human-driven land use changes drive a range of infectious disease outbreaks and emergence events and modifies the transmission of endemic infections. These drivers include agricultural encroachment, deforestation, road construction, dam building, irrigation, wetland modification, mining, the concentration or expansion of urban environments, and coastal zone degradation. These changes in turn cause a cascade of factors that exacerbate infectious disease emergence, such as forest fragmentation, disease introduction, pollution, poverty, and human migration.
We found that policy-relevant solutions should account for: 1) specific health risk factors, 2) landscape or habitat change, and 3) institutional (economic and behavioral) levels.
The authors recommended creating “Centers of Excellence in Ecology and Health Research and Training,” that among other goals, would engage in science-based communication and assessment for policy-making toward sustainable health and ecosystems.
More Scholarship on Planetary Health
A Blueprint For Strengthening Climate And Health Literacy Through Professional Adaptability - Maggie L. Grabow, Valerie J. Stull, Micah B. Hahn, and Vijay S. Limaye (2023)
Land conservation helps protect global health from zoonoticdisease “spillover” and potentially emergence of the next pandemic (Nelson Institute Issue Brief) - Jonathan Patz (2021)
Developing A Definition Of Climate And Health Literacy - Vijay S. Limaye, Maggie L. Grabow, Valerie J. Stull, and Jonathan A. Patz (2020)
Apply to the Program
how it works
Each academic year, financial awards are given to graduate students pursuing planetary health research. The format of the award has evolved over the years, but most recently (2023 - 2024) the award has taken the form of team research awards. Two teams of graduate students and faculty or staff were awarded to pursue a joint research project. Projects span a wide variety of disciplines, and interdisciplinary research is encouraged.
How to apply
An official request for proposal (RFP) is released in the spring of every year. The RFP can be found on our website or the UW-Madison website and will include submission details. Keep in mind at this time the research award is only available for UW-Madison students, faculty, and staff.
Proposals will need to include an introduction and summary of research objectives, background and significance of research, and a brief overview of research design and methods.
The application period is currently closed but is planned to open for the next round in spring 2024.
We are currently not accepting applications for the Planetary Health Team Research Award. Information will be made available here when applications are open. Please email Michael Kamp (mkamp@wisc.edu) with any questions!