USGS to Host Earth Science and Public Health Conference

The U.S. Geological Survey is hosting the "Second National Conference on USGS Earth-Related Research" on February 27-March 1, 2007, at the USGS National Center in Reston, Virginia. This conference will be a forum to foster collaboration between the Public Health and Earth Science Communities, which can lead to solutions for existing and emerging environmental health problems. The intended audience is organizations and individuals interested in environmental and earth science factors affecting human health. The conference is designed to provide a broad forum for discussion, bringing together a variety of interested parties, including policy makers, scientists, resource managers, Congressional staffers, and representatives from Federal and State governments and non-government organizations.

Overall, the conference will be set up along six thematic topics that are aligned with USGS public health research: (1) exposure to toxic contaminants in air and dust, (2) chemical and pathogen contaminant exposure from drinking water, (3) human consumption of bioaccumulative contaminants, (4) pathogen exposure through recreational waters, (5) vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, and (6) animals as sentinels of human health.

The first day of the conference is an overview day. Invited are a variety of people including representatives from Department of the Interior bureaus, Congressional staffers, and managers from public health organizations, as well as the scientists attending the entire conference. During this day, there will be a poster session centered around the six topical sessions listed above. The following two days will consist of talks, posters, and breakout sessions organized around the six topical sessions.

Information about registraion (no cost), abstract submittal, the agenda, and more can be found at: http://health.usgs.gov/ or from the conference flyer.

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