ACTIVITIES

Environmental Health Collaborative

Activity

Key Activities
* Invited by Congressional Committee to provide comment on pharmaceuticals contaminants in water
* Assisted with potential development of North Carolina Nano Trade Association
* Special section in North Carolina Medical Journal following healthcare summit
* NC Mining and Energy Commission members used shale gas work product to help develop proposed rules and regulations

Presentations of Note
* American Public Health Association
* North Carolina Public Health Association
* Clean Air North Carolina Conference
* Citizen Science Association Conference
* The News & Observer editorial board regarding climate change report

Publications
*
Environmental Health Perspectives
* North Carolina Medical Journal
* International Journal of COPD

Notable Synergies
* Expertise and perspectives summoned from many departments/schools/branches/committees of EPA, NIEHS, NC Division of Public Health, NC Department of Environmental Quality, Duke, East Carolina, NC State and UNC Chapel Hill
* Utilized student participation and assistance from Duke, East Carolina, NC State and UNC Chapel Hill
* Engaged local and county health department officials across North Carolina along with various public interest groups and industries
* Broad-based attendance from across the country and select international perspectives
* Provides an opportunity for leaders in the field of environmental health research in the Research Triangle Part of North Carolina to interact and collaborate
* Each Summit attracted around 100 participants annually and generates a final report of recommendations widely distributed including on our web site

Activity 2

MIssion

  • Create a world renowned group of collaborative partners that will attract public and private organizations focused on environmental health to locate in the Research Triangle region.
  • Orchestrate yearly Environmental Health Summits to be held in the region, bringing together environmental and public health leaders to discuss emerging issues facing environmental health and to plan a strategy for innovatively addressing these challenges.
  • Plan other projects that will augment environmental health activities in the region, such as serving as a clearinghouse and promoter of seminars, workshops and conferences occurring at various public and private organizations. Assist organizations in achieving their mission by facilitating meetings and brainstorming sessions and by enhancing collaborative ventures.
  • Sustain a funding base with fund-raising efforts driven by the Executive Committee.
  • Establish a core staff to support activities of the Collaborative.
  • Solicit and welcome as members, all individuals and organizations that share and adopt the Collaborative’s mission and vision.

For the federal government, the Collaborative could:

  • Assist in facilitating agency/institute goals (e.g., organize meetings, attract new scientists, serve as a clearinghouse for activities and events in the area).
  • Promote collaborations between government and non-government stakeholders.
  • Serve as a convener of national and international experts on topics of interest.
  • Provide expert advice and review.
  • Address multiple agency missions at one time, in one setting.
  • Provide a neutral forum for discussions on science and policy.
  • Assure visibility for key environmental programs.
  • Advance influence to stakeholders outside of the federal government.

For state and local government, the Collaborative could:

  • Afford local government a voice in state- and region-wide environmental issues.
  • Promote visibility at the state, regional and national levels from key officials and their issues.
  • Promote the Research Triangle area as a desirable scientific, research and business destination.
  • Foster economic development that expands the tax base, resulting in new business start-ups, job creation, retail expansion, more revenue for public schools and many other benefits.

For academic institutions, the Collaborative could:

  • Facilitate interaction between academia and government, non-profit and foundations and private organizations in a collegial environment.
  • Attract environmental research talent to the area.
  • Facilitate collaborative efforts in grant development to generate new research programs.
  • Plan internships or summer programs to provide students with an opportunity to work in environmental health research at government organizations or private/non-profit groups.
    Ignite professional development opportunities for both faculty and staff.
  • Excite an interest in environmental research, issues and technologies in the local public schools, community colleges and universities that benefits the larger academic community.
  • Establish a framework and a forum within which to incubate non-partisan environmental health solutions.

For associations, foundations and non-profit organizations, the Collaborative could:

  • Create an inter-organizational “think tank” of environmental, health and policy thought leaders.
  • Generate ideas that lead to projects with measurable outcomes that area replicable and worthy of funding.
  • Expand the pool of potential donor organizations for myriad non-profit and foundation missions and agendas.
  • Attract media coverage to environmental health issues.

For private companies, the Collaborative could:

  • Support the convergence of government, academia and non-profit interests, generating an attractive economic environment for business growth.
  • Exploit and leverage the confluence of environmental research talent to assure business growth in the environmental sciences.
  • Focus media attention on the issues and the area, enabling private industry to attract and recruit top talent.
  • Provide advice on environmental health issues and related policy concerns by bringing together all interested stakeholders.