Workshop on Nature and Health: A Cells to Society Approach
Emerging empirical evidence suggests exposure to nature impacts multiple health outcomes and dimensions.  Notwithstanding, conceptual and methodological approaches remain inconsistent, with relevant disciplines working in silos.  The proposed workshop will bring together researchers at Brown and globally with expertise in public health, computer science, engineering, molecular biology, geography, and medicine, as well as community organizations working in nature and health. The multidisciplinary group of researchers will tackle several challenges related to the study of nature and health, including: a) Disentangling which specific aspects of nature influence health; b) Quantifying exposure to nature; and c) Understanding the mechanisms through which nature "gets under the skin" to influence health. By examining existing conceptualizations of nature, methods used to measure nature and the impact on health and well-being, we hope  to make recommendations on equitable and inclusive ways to tackle examinations of nature and health. 
PI: Diana Grigsby-Toussaint, Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Co-PI: Kevin Mwenda, Assistant Professor of Population Studies (Research)