Title: Building a Food & Youth Corps for Connecticut

Description: K-12 schools and early care settings are exciting arenas for nutrition, health, food, and agriculture literacy policy and practice. Steady progress has been made in the State of Connecticut to ensure children and youth have growing opportunities to experience local food, learn about where their food comes from, how to grow and prepare their own food, and more. UConn Extension has devoted over 10 years to building new talent and programming that contributes to this momentum, yet we know there are adjacent efforts happening at the University that have not been bridged effectively to this work. Moreover, sustaining our gains will require a pipeline of fresh perspectives to the fields of food service, culinary training, and food & nutrition education. This roundtable will explore designing an undergraduate experience that includes a combination of new coursework plus service-learning focused on youth, food and schools. If implemented, undergraduates that participate in UConn’s Food & Youth Corps will gain professional skills, exposure to new career opportunities, and a deeper understanding of the Connecticut food and nutrition landscape.

Framing questions:

• What role can experiential learning and extension partnerships play in making food systems work with youth in K-12 and early care settings understandable and tangible for undergraduates while supporting communities to build strong and resilient food systems?
• How can partnerships across adjacent departments support the development of educational resources for food and nutrition education for K-12 and early care education providers?
• How can researchers at the University help to bolster our understanding of best practices in farm to cafeteria, taste tests, food & garden education, etc.?

Desired outcomes:

• Identification of the departments and colleges that are ideal partners in exploring this concept
• Understanding of existing programs and resources at the University that can be built upon
• A list of careers undergraduates could see as potential outcomes of this training and experience
• A road map to introduce new coursework and service learning

Facilitators: Dawn Crayco, Visiting Associate Extension Educator - Food Systems, dawn.crayco@uconn.edu & Jiff Martin, Senior Extension Educator – Food Systems, jiff.martin@uconn.edu

Title: Collaborative Approaches to Policy Adoption: Lessons from a Multi-Stakeholder Health Initiative 

Description:
Adopting and implementing effective health policies often requires collaboration across diverse stakeholders and levels of influence, yet translating evidence into action remains a challenge in many fields. This roundtable highlights strategies for co-creating policies that improve health outcomes, using the Korey Stringer Institute’s Team Up for Sport Safety (TUFSS) project as a case study. TUFSS convenes small, multi-disciplinary stakeholder groups, including healthcare providers, administrators, organizational leaders, and policymakers, to collaboratively develop actionable strategies for policy adoption. Through a combination of expert-led education, stakeholder storytelling, and focused workgroup discussions, participants identify priorities, draft policy language, and create plans for adoption tailored to their local context. While TUFSS focuses on high school sport safety, the methods for stakeholder engagement, knowledge exchange, and multi-level collaboration are broadly applicable to challenges across human, animal, environmental, and organizational health. Participants in this roundtable will explore how co-created solutions can enhance policy adoption and learn strategies for applying these principles in diverse One Health contexts. 

Framing Questions: 

1. How can small, diverse stakeholder groups effectively co-create policies to address health challenges? 

1. What strategies help translate evidence and local knowledge into actionable, context-specific policy? 

1. How can the socioecological framework guide multi-level engagement and collaboration in policy development? 

Desired Outcomes: 

• Understanding strategies to engage multiple stakeholders in policy co-creation 

• Insights into collaborative problem-solving applicable to diverse One Health challenges 

• Practical ideas for applying the socioecological framework to enhance policy adoption 

Facilitator: Christianne Eason, christianne.eason@uconn.edu, Korey Stringer Institute, Department of Kinesiology 

Title: Grief and grieving: a cross species perspective 

Grief has historically been seen through a lens of the human perspective. We see it as a deeply human emotion; we experience grief and loss from many areas of life including death, relationships, and loss of opportunity. More recent research has displayed that many species of animals (examples) go through complex grief and grieving perspectives. Additionally, we know that the significant emotional distress tied to grief can have a powerful impact on individual wellbeing including the induction of stress related disease such as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, prolonged grief disorder, depression, and even immunosuppression. There are links to all of these in humans; research in animal models is still lacking, but initial research has shown in instances of acute separation rats and humans have similar biological responses. This topic bridges human and animal medicine as well as the human-animal bond and interpersonal/anthropological perspectives as discussion of grief across cultures will be a point of discussion to provide a multi-cultural context.

Framing questions:  

• How has grief impacted you or someone in your life?  

• What did you learn from their experiences? 

• How can identifying grieving practices and grief outcomes in animals (both in controlled and non-controlled environments) help us to understand grief related conditions in humans?  

• What is one (or more) idea you have to explore the conditions associated with grief and grieving?  

Desired outcomes: Participants should take away an inquisitive mindset and approach when discussing sensitive topics such as grief and grieving and a perspective on the research holes in this field.

Facilitator: Julia Burkett, Julia.burkett@uconn.edu, Department of Pathobiology 

Title: Integrating One Health Principles into Undergraduate Education: Building Interdisciplinary Curriculum Models

Description: Preparing undergraduates to think critically about the interconnectedness of human, animal, plant, and environmental health is central to building future leaders in One Health. Yet, most undergraduate programs remain siloed within individual departments, limiting opportunities for students to engage in interdisciplinary problem-solving. The participants in this roundtable will discuss strategies for embedding One Health concepts across diverse curricula in CAHNR. Topics will include designing interdisciplinary courses, incorporating experiential learning (e.g., service learning, fieldwork, and case studies), and aligning curriculum with the competencies needed for One Health careers. The discussion will highlight opportunities for collaboration across departments, identifying barriers to integration and strategies to overcome them.

Framing questions:

1. What core One Health competencies should undergraduate students develop, regardless of major?
2. How can departments collaborate to create interdisciplinary learning opportunities without overloading curricula (or faculty/staff)?
3. What role can experiential learning and extension partnerships play in making One Health tangible for undergraduates?

Desired outcomes:

1. A shared list of core competencies for undergraduate One Health curricula
2. Strategies for integrating One Health principles into existing classes through case studies, guest lectures, or fieldwork
3. Opportunities for faculty and extension educators to collaborate on student-centered projects

Facilitator: Sarah Reed, sarah.reed@uconn.edu, Animal Science

Title: One Health in Community Partnerships & Service Learning  

Description: One Health partnerships and service learning projects support interdisciplinary collaboration through an emphasis on community engagement and applied problem solving. This roundtable will discuss One Health objectives in practice, to showcase how human, animal and environmental health are being supported through service learning approaches at UConn. Table leaders will discuss specific examples from undergraduate curriculum, to highlight instances where different university programs partner with community organizations and not-for-profits in Connecticut to enhance access, environmental and community health, and wellbeing. Topics will include discussion of peer-based learning strategies, community engagement and relationship building, and proposal and scenario development. The roundtable will highlight opportunities for collaboration between the university, the public and private sector, and not-for profits to highlight potential pitfalls, best practices and lessons learnt in service learning and community outreach.   

Framing questions: 

• How have One Health principles been integrated into service-learning curriculum?  

• What pedagogical approaches are used in service-learning classes?  

• How to develop and foster ongoing relationships with community groups outside of the university?  

Desired outcomes: 

• A shared list of best practices for service-learning to avoid extractive models and promote One Health concepts 

• A shared database of existing service-learning opportunities in CAHNR that do or could focus on One Health 

• Strategies for the development of partnerships between UConn, community organizations, and not-for-profits. 

Facilitators: Jill Desimini, jill.desimini@uconn.edu & Julia Smachylo julia.smachylo@uconn.edu 

Title: One Health, One Click: Bridging Worlds with Digital Tech

Description: Digital health technologies like mobile apps, wearable sensors, telemedicine, and data analytics play a transformative role in advancing the One Health approach. One Health recognizes the deep interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health. By leveraging digital tools, we can monitor and respond to health threats across these domains more effectively, efficiently, and in real time. For example, digital platforms enable integrated disease surveillance, helping detect disease and zoonotic outbreaks, while tools like satellite imaging can track environmental changes, and telemedicine expands access to care in remote areas, enhancing both human and animal health services. This integration matters because it enhances global health, improves access to care in underserved regions, and supports more sustainable, data-driven decision-making across multiple fields and disciplines. Digital health tools enhance our ability to prevent, detect, and respond to these challenges across all sectors, ultimately protecting ecosystems, food supplies, and public health. As health challenges become increasingly complex and interconnected, digital health is essential to building resilient, responsive, and equitable health systems through the lens of One Health.

Framing questions:

1. Which digital innovations (e.g., AI, mobile health, remote sensing) hold the most promise for advancing One Health goals in your field, and what are the barriers to adoption?
2. How can we better prepare students for the real-world application and career readiness with digital health tools in classroom/experiential learning as it relates to One Health?

Desired outcome: Strategies for integrating One Health principles into existing classes with technology and digital health tools.

Facilitator: Paula Kalksma McDowell, paula.mcdowell@uconn.edu, and Aviana Rosen, aviana.rosen@uconn.edu, Allied Health Sciences

*Note: I plan to bring some technology for participants to “play” with and help stimulate discussion. 

Title: Public trail use and impacts of climate change in Connecticut 

Description: Trail use in Connecticut increased significantly during the Covid -19 Pandemic and has remained higher than pre-pandemic levels.  People seek trails for the benefits of both physical and mental health.  The impacts of climate change- from sudden flash floods, air quality alerts from smoke and ozone, wildfires, and wildlife encroachment into public spaces all pose challenges to public safety on trails.  CAHNR has expertise to address this emerging issue from multiple departments – including natural resources, extension, animal science, allied health, and nutrition.  The People Active on Trails for Health and Sustainability (PATHS) Team already represents an internal interdisciplinary structure to help address public safety regarding trail use and emerging climate change challenges.  There is a need for long-term resilience planning for trail infrastructure to mitigate risks from floods and fires as well as educating the public to understand how to use trails safely amid these risks.   In the coming decade, there will need to be increasing attention on public safety around climate change – including use of outdoor spaces and trails. 

Framing questions: 

1.  What unique strengths can CAHNR bring together to promote safe and sustainable trail use under climate change? 

1. What service-learning opportunities could be developed for undergraduate students in the One Health minor to assist in mitigation of climate change risks with trail use and educating the public about these risks? 

1. What new funding opportunities might be available for interdisciplinary effort from CAHNR faculty and staff in this area? 

Desired outcomes: 

1. Develop strategies to integrate One Health principles in dealing with climate change effects on trails and outdoor spaces 

1. Opportunities for CAHNR faculty from multiple departments and Extension to collaborate on student centered projects to support the One Health minor and create projects connecting trail safety, climate resilience and public health education 

1. Develop educational outreach to the public regarding awareness of flood, air quality, wildlife and fire risks when outdoors utilizing trails  

Facilitators: Mike Puglisi,  michael.puglisi@uconn.edu Nutritional Sciences and Sherry Gray, sharon.gray@uconn.edu  Extension        

Osman A. Dar

Osman A. Dar is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) and a fellow of the Faculty of Public Health (UK). At Chatham House, he is director of the Global Health Programme’s One Health project, an umbrella term referring to the programme’s work on zoonotic diseases, emerging infections, ecological approaches to disease control, antimicrobial resistance, and food security.

In his role at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Osman is a consultant physician in global health where he leads capacity-building initiatives in support of the International Health Regulations, One Health operationalisation and Health Systems Strengthening.

Internationally, Osman is a working group co-chair for the One Health High Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) advising WHO, OIE, FAO and UNEP on their global One Health activities, and also serves on the independent Technical Advisory Panel for the World Bank Pandemic Fund.

Leann Andrews

Leann Andrews is an assistant professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and is affiliated with the Ecology Plus Design: E+D initiative and the Penn State One Health Group. She is a licensed landscape architect with a background in global health, ecological restoration, green infrastructure, community design, and dance; and she delights in the fusion of the arts and sciences for social and environmental activism.

Andrews leads transdisciplinary action research and participatory design projects with vulnerable communities in the United States and Peru, assessing the impacts that landscape interventions have on human and ecological health using One Health and Planetary Health frameworks. Her built, planning and research work has won numerous national and international awards and has been highlighted in the New York Times Daily 360, BBC Health Check, Alaska Airlines Horizon Magazine, Landscape Architecture Magazine, and King 5 News.

Andrews is a founder and board member of the design activism non-profit Traction and is a member of the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) Emeritus Board, the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Advisory Circle, and the Center for Technological, Biomedical, and Environmental Research (CITBM) in Peru.

Douglas J. Casa

Dr. Casa is the CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute (since it was founded in 2010) and is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology (began at UConn in 1999) at the University of Connecticut. The mission of the KSI (ksi.uconn.edu) is to provide research, education, advocacy, and consultation, to maximize performance, optimize safety, and prevent sudden death for the athlete, warfighter, and laborer. Additionally, he is the editor of a book titled: Preventing Sudden Death in Sport and Physical Activity (2nd edition, 2017), published by Jones & Bartlett in cooperation with the American College of Sports Medicine. Another recent book titled Sports and Physical Activity in the heat: Maximizing Performance and Safety was published by Springer in the winter of 2018.  His latest book- Elite Soccer Players: Maximizing Performance and Safety was published by Routledge in 2020. Dr. Casa has published about 400 peer- reviewed publications/book chapters and presented more than 600 times on subjects related to maximizing performance in the heat, exertional heat stroke, heat-related illnesses, preventing sudden death in sport, and hydration. As a licensed athletic trainer Dr. Casa has successfully treated 401 cases of exertional heat stroke (with 0 fatalities).  In addition, from 2018 through 2021 he served on the International Olympic Committee Adverse Weather Impact Expert Group for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (took place in 2021) that focused on the extreme heat anticipated for these games.

• Elaine Lee (SVIC Fellow)
• Stacey Stearns (SVIC Coordinator)
• Jacqueline Kowalski (Ag & Food SVIC) 
• Zach Gordon (Ag & Food SVIC) 
• Amy McKeon (Health SVIC) 
• Marc Cournoyer (Health SVIC) 
• Mary Beth Osborne (DEIJ SVIC) 
• Jill Desimini (DEIJ & Landscapes/Climate SVICs) 
• Eva Wiggins (Research) 
• Elsio Wunder (Pathobiology) 
• Julia Smachylo (PSLA) 
• SVIC co-chairs 

Please contact Elaine Lee or Stacey Stearns if you need more information on the conference.