Environmental Health Student Symposium
The Environmental Health Student Symposium is an opportunity for students to learn about environmental health topics and engage with experts in the environmental health field.
It is important for both undergraduate and graduate students to understand the connections between environment and health. This symposium is open to all college students in Iowa who are studying, working on, or interested in environmental health topics. Along with featuring invited experts in the field and roundtable networking for students to explore environmental health-related careers, students have the opportunity to present their academic and/or internship work relating to environmental health.
2026 Environmental Health Student Symposium
The 2026 Environmental Health Student Symposium will be held in the Fall of 2026.
Stay tuned for more details!
2025 Environmental Health Student Symposium
Activating the Precautionary Principle for a Healthier Future
The first environmental health student symposium was held on October 29, 2025 at Maucker Union on the University of Northern Iowa campus. This day-long symposium was open to all college students in Iowa studying, working on, or interested in environmental health topics. The theme was Activating the Precautionary Principle for a Healthier Future. A well-rounded line up of speakers filled the day starting with the keynote given by Executive Director of the Science and Environmental Health Network, Carolyn Raffensperger. She was followed by featured presenter, David Cwiertny, Director at the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination at the University of Iowa. In the afternoon, a networking panel included Gina Bell (City of Dubuque Sustainability Director), Dana Kolpin (USGS Research Hydrologist), Jared Parmater (Black Hawk County Public Health Environmental Health Program Manager), and Caroline Powell (Iowa Cancer Consortium Environmental Outreach Coordinator). Mini grant student presentations were given by the Student Nature Society, Jordan Holloway, and Dr. Chad Heinzel with his students.
