Throughout Brown University’s Division of Biology and Medicine, faculty and students are coming together to ensure students in all cohorts, from the undergraduate college to the medical school, have access to Planetary Health education. Efforts to date have included a formal commitment to longitudinally integrate Planetary Health throughout the curriculum at the Warren Alpert Medical School, implementation of a Planetary Health scholarly theme in the Health & Human Biology undergraduate concentration, and online asynchronous course offerings in Planetary Health accessible to undergraduates studying in any scholarly discipline.

Mission­­

The Planetary Health Initiative at Brown University advances knowledge and develops impactful solutions to the complex health challenges of our changing world. We are committed to training the next generation of leaders in planetary health, equipping them with the expertise to drive transformational change at the intersection of environmental and human health.

Vision

We envision a future where we successfully anticipate, prevent, and mitigate the greatest environmental health challenges of the 21st century. Through deep partnerships among students, scientists, educators, clinicians, and community stakeholders, we strive to take meaningful action to address the health impacts of environmental change both locally in Rhode Island and across the globe.

What Sets Us Apart

A Planet First Perspective - We integrate planetary health into all that we do, recognizing the fundamental link between environmental change and human health.

A Comprehensive Approach to Environmental Change and Health - From extreme weather events and emerging pathogens to environmental toxins and ecosystem disruptions, we address the full spectrum of environmental drivers affecting health.

Unmatched Strength in Multidisciplinary Collaboration - Our community includes physicians, basic scientists, students, and community partners who collaborate across disciplines to tackle 21st century health and environment challenges.

Translational Excellence from Bench to Bedside - We bridge inquiry-based science with clinical practice, ensuring that discoveries about changing environments directly inform patient care.

Pioneers in Education - As early leaders in planetary health education, we empower the next generation of scientists and clinicians to lead transformational change.

Local Innovation, Global Impact - Rhode Island offers a unique testing ground for scalable solutions, small enough to enable meaningful statewide change yet influential enough to reach far beyond our borders. We leverage this dynamic environment to develop strategies that can be adapted and scaled nationally and internationally.

Contact Us:

For more information about planetary health research and scholarship at Brown, please email: planetaryhealth@brown.edu. You can also follow us on social media by clicking the Linkedin icon below!