Social Science-Environmental Health Interdisciplinary Collaborations Conference

Northeastern University

May 21-22, 2015

The Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute and Silent Spring Institute, with co-sponsorship from the Puerto Rico Test Site for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT – Superfund Research Program) will hold a first-ever conference at Northeastern University on “Social Science-Environmental Health Interdisciplinary Collaborations,” funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. This conference will bring together scholars, government agency professionals, and community-based organizations working at the intersections of social science and environmental health.  Case studies will include scholars and government agency professionals collaborating on:  biomonitoring, fracking, the BP oil spill, and reproductive outcomes of contamination.  Government regulatory and research agencies will also talk about the role of social science in their work.  There will be workshops on practical applications of social science/environmental health collaborations, on working with environmental justice groups, and on developing curriculum for cross-training. Alternatives for Community and Environment (Boston) and the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island are partnering in the conference.

Our keynote speaker will be Katsi Cook, director of Running Strong for Native American Youth and a leader in
the community-based participatory research on contamination at the Akwesasne Mohawk community.

The following speakers are confirmed:

Gwen Collman, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Julia Brody, Silent Spring Institute

Linda Layne, National Science Foundation

Shobha Srinivasan, National Cancer Institute

Symma Finn, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Brian Mayer, University of Arizona

Andrew Kane, University of Florida

Akram Alshawabkeh, Northeastern University

Carmen Milagros Velez Vega, University of Puerto Rico

Sharyle Patton, Commonweal

Cecile Wendling, CNRS-Sciences Po Paris

Ludwine Casteleyn University of Leuven (Belgium)

Penn Loh, Tufts University

Kalila Barnett, Alternatives for Community and Environment

Sara Wylie, Northeastern University

Lynn Carroll, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange
Phil Brown, Northeastern University

In addition to regular speakers, there will be workshops and discussion groups, some of which will be set up in response to desires indicated by attendees in the months leading up to the conference.

There will be no cost for registration, but participants are asked to pay $50 in advance for breakfast and lunch on both days, by check to Northeastern University. Catering will consist of excellent locally-grown and environmentally-friendly food from the community-based caterers Haley House.  A limited number of travel grants will be available for students and postdocs; those interested will be asked to fill out a brief form about their experience and interest in attending. Child care and disability services will be available by prior arrangement.

Registration details will soon be available at the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute website: http://www.northeastern.edu/environmentalhealth/

The Colonnade Hotel, a short walk away, has a block of rooms available at $289. Reservations can be made at:

NEU Social Sciences Environmental Health Reservation Booking Link for May 20th to 22nd 2015
Contact Jacob Matz at matz.j@husky.neu.edu with any questions or comments.