Population Health
Let’s Talk Pop Health
The Population Health Initiative is working to amplify population health-related education and training activities across the UW’s three campuses by offering, partnering to offer and/or promoting a range of events under the banner of, “Let’s Talk Pop Health.”
These offerings are a mix of virtual, in-person and hybrid workshops, lectures, seminars, film screenings, convenings and so forth, with the in-person activities to be held primarily in the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, activating it as the University’s hub for population health.
The current “Let’s Talk Pop Health” offerings for academic year 2025-26 are:
Climate Resources Roundup: Taking stock of available resources for understanding and responding to climate risks in Washington and the Northwest
Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025
11 a.m.–Noon
Virtual
Given concerns about the continued availability of federal climate information, tools and technical support, this webinar will review the range of reliable, regional resources for supporting climate preparedness in Washington and the Northwest.
DAWG DAZE: Seeds and Society Seminar with Dr. Yona Sipos
Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025
Noon–1 p.m.
Kane Hall (KNE) 120
Welcome Huskies! Join us as we explore the multiple meanings and functions of seeds across food systems and societies as both tangible biological entities and powerful cultural symbols—small in size, yet deeply influential in shaping the future of food systems and societies.
Evans Research Seminar: Wildfire Risk, Vulnerability, and Migration in the Wildland-Urban Interface
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025
11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Parrington Hall (PAR) 360
Reed Humphrey, Evans School Ph.D. candidate, "Wildfire Risk, Vulnerability, and Migration in the Wildland-Urban Interface"
Environmental Health Seminar (ENV H 580): Clem Furlong
Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025
12:30 p.m.–1:20 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 155
Organophosphate exposure and variable sensitivity related to fume event exposures on commercial aircrafts.
Environmental Health Seminar (ENV H 580): Yingzhu Li
Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 155
Environmental Health Seminar (ENV H 580): Yingzhu Li
Blessings of Disaster: The Lessons That Catastrophes Teach Us and Why Our Future Depends on It
Friday, Oct. 10, 2025
12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m.
Bagley Hall (BAG) 260
Join the UW Center for Disaster Resilient Communities on Friday, October 10th to hear Dr. Michel Bruneau's (SUNY Buffalo) talk, "Blessings of Disaster: The Lessons That Catastrophes Teach Us and Why Our Future Depends on It" from 12:30-1:30PM. Join us in person in Bagley Hall, room 260.
Nature and Health Community Dinner featuring Sarah Brandt
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025
6 p.m.–8 p.m.
Fremont Brewing's Urban Beer Garden
From students to community organizers, our dinners welcome anyone with an interest in advancing equitable engagement with green space.
Taking stock of available resources for understanding and responding to climate risks in Washington and the Northwest
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025
1 p.m.
Virtual
Given concerns about the continued availability of federal climate information, tools and technical support, this webinar will review the range of reliable, regional resources for supporting climate preparedness in Washington and the Northwest.
When Federal Climate Policy Works: The Role of Benefits, Business, and Politics
Friday, Oct. 17, 2025
Noon
Gowen Hall (GWN) 1A
David Vogel
Soloman P. Lee Chair Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Business Ethics
Professor Emeritus, Political Science Department
Editor, California Management Review
Berkeley, Haas School of Business
Soloman P. Lee Chair Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Business Ethics
Professor Emeritus, Political Science Department
Editor, California Management Review
Berkeley, Haas School of Business
CFAS Seminar October 2025: HIV & Immigrant Health with Dr. Julie Levison
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025
8 a.m.
Virtual
"HIV & Immigrant Health"
Julie Levison, MD, MPhil, MPH, FACP, FIDSA
Harvard Medical School
Massachusetts General Hospital
Nature heals: The global movement for mental and physical health
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025
6:30 p.m.–7:45 p.m.
Town Hall, Seattle - The Forum
Join UW Environment for the 2025 Doug Walker Lecture & Reception, where former REI Co-op executive Mark Berejka will share reflections on how the global movement for nature and health was born, the lessons we’ve learned along the way, and how we can all play a part in helping our communities benefit from the healing power of the outdoors.
AI Tools in Healthcare Innovation
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
Noon–1 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 101
In this session, students will learn about the latest AI agents and models designed for building in the digital health space and how these platforms can be used to augment their own ideas and creativity.
Student-powered native seed projects at UW Farm: Promoting food security, sovereignty, and sustainability in action
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Kane Hall (KNE) 120
Through weekly sessions featuring guest speakers from diverse disciplines and sectors, participants will engage with case studies that link seeds to broader agricultural, ecological, and cultural dynamics.
Imagine Doing Better: Improving population health with imagination, reflection, and action
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
2 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 101 and Virtual
In this presentation, Dr. Paul Fleming will discuss how to think about and approach building communities where all people can thrive.
Biostatistics Seminar: Mariano Gabitto
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
HSEB 235
Biostatistics Seminar: Mariano Gabitto, PhD, Allen Institute for Brain Sciences, Affiliate Professor of Statistics, University of Washington
Resilience in diversity: Seed selection and climate adaptation among organic farmers in Western Washington
Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Kane Hall (KNE) 120
Through weekly sessions featuring guest speakers from diverse disciplines and sectors, participants will engage with case studies that link seeds to broader agricultural, ecological, and cultural dynamics.
CEI Interdisciplinary Seminar: Geraldine Richmond
Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025
4 p.m.
Nano 181
Clean Energy Institute Interdisciplinary Seminar: CEI Interdisciplinary Seminar: Geraldine Richmond - Presidential Chair in Science, Professor of Chemistry; University of Oregon
Women Shaping the Future of Digital Health – Panel
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 – Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025
4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 101
This WE Lead panel discussion will spotlight the journeys of women entrepreneurs working at the intersection of health and technology. Light dinner provided.
Good Data, Better Health
Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 101
Join a dynamic panel of experts as they explore the power of data in building AI tools that truly serve patients.
Germinating new relationships: Seeds as a source of healing in multicultural landscapes
Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Kane Hall (KNE) 120
Through weekly sessions featuring guest speakers from diverse disciplines and sectors, participants will engage with case studies that link seeds to broader agricultural, ecological, and cultural dynamics.
Seeds of Change: The Promise and Challenges of Modern Agriculture
Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025
12:30 p.m.–1:20 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 155
Michael Yost is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington.
Deploying Science in Post-Disaster Decision Making: Lessons from the 2025 Los Angeles Fires
Friday, Nov. 7, 2025
Noon
Gowen Hall (GWN) 1A
Megan Mullin
Faculty Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Luskin Endowed Chair in Innovation and Sustainability
University of California, Los Angeles
Faculty Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Luskin Endowed Chair in Innovation and Sustainability
University of California, Los Angeles
Generative Climate Modeling: Emulation and Dimension Reduction
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Savery Hall (SAV) 409 and virtual
Xinwei Shen is an assistant professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Washington. Her research interests include distributional learning, causality, robustness, and applications in climate science.
Indigenous Food Ways and Mental Health
Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025
10 a.m.
Hans Rosling Center HRC) 101 and virtual
Join the UW Consortium for Global Mental Health and the Population Health Initiative on Thursday, November 13th from 10-11am in the Hans Rosling Center (HRC) room 101 or virtually for Indigenous Food Ways and Mental Health. This is part of our 2025-26 Seminar Series
Building economically sustainable seed systems for vegetatively propagated crops in Africa: Cassava and Yam
Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Kane Hall (KNE) 120
Through weekly sessions featuring guest speakers from diverse disciplines and sectors, participants will engage with case studies that link seeds to broader agricultural, ecological, and cultural dynamics.
Environmental Health in Prisons and Jails
Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025
12:30 p.m.–1:20 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 155 and virtual
Dr. Sklar's research focuses on environmental health, emphasizing exposures to invisible populations that are disproportionately burdened with environmental hazards.
Sacia Digital Health Innovation Workshop
Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025
9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 155
Every year, students from across disciplines work together during this "idea-athon" to dream up digital solutions to pressing problems in the healthcare system.
The Global Burden of Disease Study: A 34-year journey to make the invisible visible
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Savery Hall (SAV) 409 and virtual
In this talk, Rob will discuss the ongoing challenges and innovations, including the increasing use of electronic health record data in the GBD, the development of methods to handle sparse and conflicting data, as well as the expanding collaborations with local and national policy makers that aim to turn GBD evidence into action.
Braiding food systems: Indigenous seed systems in Northern Ontario
Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Kane Hall (KNE) 120
Through weekly sessions featuring guest speakers from diverse disciplines and sectors, participants will engage with case studies that link seeds to broader agricultural, ecological, and cultural dynamics.
Hunting for environmental nanoplastics and their implications for human health
Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025
12:30 p.m.–1:20 p.m.
Hans Rosling Center (HRC) 155 and virtual
Environmental Health Seminar (ENV H 580): Rosana Risques
Yes, And: Seeding the future for agriculture, culture, and food systems
Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025
12:30 p.m.
Kane Hall (KNE) 120
Through weekly sessions featuring guest speakers from diverse disciplines and sectors, participants will engage with case studies that link seeds to broader agricultural, ecological, and cultural dynamics.
International Invasive Species & Climate Change Conference
Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 – Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025
Virtual
This online conference is free to attend and will include sessions on management success stories, understanding and managing pathways of invasion, restoring to the future, and early career research, following the theme, "Better Together: Empowering People and Partnerships."
Extreme Heat in the Pacific Northwest: Strategies for Next Summer and Beyond
Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026
11 a.m.–Noon
Virtual
Extreme heat disasters are becoming increasingly common. What are the strategies for long-term risk-reduction and extreme heat preparedness?
The Enduring Dilemma of Managing American High-level Nuclear Waste
Friday, Jan. 23, 2026
Gowen Hall (GWN) 1A
Barry Rabe
Arthur Thurnau Professor Emeritus of Environmental Policy
University of Michigan, Ford School of Public Policy
Non-Resident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies
Brookings Institution
Arthur Thurnau Professor Emeritus of Environmental Policy
University of Michigan, Ford School of Public Policy
Non-Resident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies
Brookings Institution
Human-Wildlife Coexistence
Friday, Feb. 20, 2026
Gowen Hall (GWN) 1A
Amanda Stronza
Professor, Associate Department Head for Graduate Programs
Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology
Co-founder of the Applied Biodiversity Science Program
Texas A&M University
Professor, Associate Department Head for Graduate Programs
Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology
Co-founder of the Applied Biodiversity Science Program
Texas A&M University
New Directions for International Law of the Sea
Friday, Mar. 6, 2026
Gowen Hall (GWN) 1A
Elizabeth Mendelhall
Associate Professor, Joint appointment
Department of Marine Affairs; Political Science
University of Rhode Island
Associate Professor, Joint appointment
Department of Marine Affairs; Political Science
University of Rhode Island
Making Better Decisions about Sustainability
Friday, Apr. 3, 2026
Gowen Hall (GWN) 1A
Thomas Dietz
Professor of Sociology and Environmental Science and Policy
Founding Director of the Environmental Science and Policy Program
Michigan State University
Professor of Sociology and Environmental Science and Policy
Founding Director of the Environmental Science and Policy Program
Michigan State University
Katz Distinguished Lecture: Stephanie LeMenager
Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2026
6:30 p.m.
Kane Hall (KNE) 210
Stephanie LeMenager's work on climate change and the humanities has been featured in The New York Times, ClimateWire, Science Friday, NPR, the CBC, and other public venues.
Northwest Nature and Health Symposium
Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Intellectual House
The UW Center for Nature and Health illuminates the connections between nature and human health and well-being. We work with community and decision-makers to translate our findings into programs and policies that ensure everyone can benefit from the healing power of nature.
Local Climate and Sustainability Policy: A Focus on Implementation
Friday, May 1, 2026
Gowen Hall (GWN) 1A
Rachel Krause
Professor University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration
University of Kansas
Professor University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration
University of Kansas
Please contact us if you are organizing population health-related events that you would like support in partnering and/or marketing under the “Let’s Talk Pop Health” banner.