Mining, Malaria, and Mobility: The Crossroads of a Planetary Health Framework in Latin America

Please join the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences for an upcoming seminar featuring Dr. William Pan from Duke University.

This presentation examines the interrelated dynamics of climate change, migration, and public health in Latin America through a systems-based, interdisciplinary lens. Drawing on case studies from the Amazon, Central America, and the Darien Gap, it highlights how anthropogenic environmental change—from deforestation due to resource extraction (logging, mining, etc.) to altered hydrological cycles—are influencing vector-borne diseases, toxicological exposures, and livelihood decisions. This presentation introduces satellite-informed disease early warning systems, multi-scale migration networks, and impacts of artisanal and small-scale gold mining.  The presentation underscores the urgent need for integrated, multisectoral approaches to policy, research, and capacity building to address the region’s escalating environmental health challenges.

About the speaker:

William Pan is a Professor of Global Environmental Health at Duke University, with joint appointments in the Duke Global Health Institute and the Nicholas School of the Environment. He received his doctorate in biostatistics with a focus on spatial analysis, demography, and environmental epidemiology.  His work bridges public and environmental health, climate science, engineering, and policy to address environmental drivers of disease.  He works is primarily in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with current research addressing (1) chemical exposures from artisanal and small-scale gold mining, (2) the impact of climate, migration, and land use on vector-borne disease, and (3) lead exposure from ammunition, fishing, and wild-game consumption. He leads interdisciplinary teams and launched the Amazon Research Consortium for Climate Change and One Health to support collaborative research across Latin America.  He serves on several advisory boards, including The Nature Conservancy’s One Conservation Science program, the Institute for Malaria and Climate Solutions, and the NC One Health Collaborative.  He has been recognized for his contributions and capacity-building efforts in statistical public health sciences in LMICs with the NIH Fogarty Director’s Award and UNC’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Olin Hall Room 3025; or click here to join via Zoom.