University of Houston hosts symposium on climate change's impact on public health

The University of Houston is hosting the 2025 Climate Health Frontiers Symposium, a two-day event focusing on the effects of climate change on public health. The symposium will take place from January 16 to January 17 at the Hilton University of Houston.

The gathering brings together environmental, engineering, and health scientists to discuss how extreme weather events impact health, particularly for vulnerable populations. Hanadi Rifai, Moores professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Hurricane Resilience Research Institute at UH, stated, "Recent extreme weather events have taught us the importance of climate impacts on health, especially for vulnerable populations. We need to be prepared and adapt to these extremes that could get much worse, whether it is flooding, winter storms or extreme heat."

The symposium aims to promote a comprehensive approach by integrating various perspectives including social, economic, environmental, policy, and climate science. Bettina Beech, clinical professor of population health at the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and chief population health officer at UH said, "Climate change is not a distant threat; it is already reshaping public health outcomes across the globe. As we face increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters, it is crucial that we prioritize preparedness and resilience in our health care systems."

Media representatives interested in attending are encouraged to contact Bryan Luhn via email.