CU Anschutz Climate & Health Week

October 5-8, 2026

We are pleased to announce an energetic gathering of thought leaders, faculty, students, and community members to a major convening on health and resilience solutions for a changing climate.

The world has changed at a dizzying pace… and as the climate crisis accelerates, Coloradans are confronting challenges including heatwaves, wildfires, and drought. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and renewable energy upend our historic assumptions and strategies.

We’re hosting a series of campus-wide events to enlighten our community on the latest opportunities—from sustainability in healthcare to building climate-resilient communities—and to forge greater capacity within our own ranks here at CU Anschutz and across Colorado as first movers and thought leaders on this critical topic.

These events showcase climate and health activities across the University of Colorado Anschutz and beyond. The events are designed to strengthen the network of collaborations across the Colorado health and climate communities, connect the four University of Colorado campuses, bring national experts to Colorado, and spur innovative approaches to promote health in a changing climate.

Join Us for Climate & Health Week

Registration is required for most Climate & Health Week events. Participation details vary by event. Look for registration or contact information for each event in the "Schedule" section of this page.

Schedule

Monday, October 5

Location: Bushnell Auditorium, Fitzsimmons Building

The CU Summit will bring together researchers working in Colorado at the intersection of climate and health. This session will highlight emerging research and spark new collaborations across the climate and health community. Faculty, students, and early-career researchers from CU Anschutz and across the University of Colorado and beyond will have the opportunity to share ideas, explore potential partnerships, and connect around innovative approaches to advancing climate and health science. The session will also feature information about education and training pathways, helping participants identify opportunities to deepen their engagement in this rapidly evolving field.

Registration required.

Time	Session
8:30 - 9:00	Check-in, Light Refreshments, and Networking
9:00 - 9:05	Welcome & Introductions Beth Carlton, PhD, MPH, and Jay Lemery, MD
9:05 - 10:15	Reports on Climate and Health Research from Across the University of Colorado Campuses CU Boulder Sustainability Initiatives Dr. Jane Zelikova, Sustainability Research Initiative, University of Colorado Boulder Preparing Workers for a Changing Climate Dr. Lee Newman, Centers for Health, Work and Environment, University of Colorado Anschutz Engaging Climate Change Studies and Undergraduates Dr. Ivan Ramirez, Civic Engagement & Climate Justice ThinkLab, University of Colorado Denver Working with Communities to Promote Respiratory Health in Colorado Dr. Kathy James, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Heat and Human Health Research at UCCS Dr. Nathan Morris, University of Colorado Colorado Springs Discussants Dr. Colleen Reid, University of Colorado Boulder and Dr. Beth Carlton, University of Colorado Anschutz
10:15-11:15	Lightning Talks by Students and Faculty Working in Climate and Health If you have work you would like to present, please contact Margaret Power ([email protected]) for more information. Submissions are due September 18, 2026.
11:15 - 11:30	Break
11:30 - 12:30	How do we foster innovative and impactful climate health research in the current moment and in the future? Keynote: Dr. Twila Moon, Senior Scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Moderator: Dr. Jay Lemery
12:30 - 1:00	Lunch & Networking

Join us for an En-ROADS workshop, a climate scenario-building experience that utilizes En-ROADS, an award-winning climate model co-developed by a nonprofit Climate Interactive and MIT Sloan. In this 90-min interactive experience, we will explore the impact of various climate strategies - from renewable energy, transport electrification, nature-based solutions and innovations like technological carbon removal - and learn how these solutions can reduce health, nature and financial impacts of climate change. After being introduced to the model, you'll have the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and work together to build a future scenario of success together.

The workshop will equip you with mental models of the dynamics underlying global climate, energy, and land-use systems. En-ROADS is widely used by educators, practitioners, communicators, and researchers to communicate complex concepts in an accessible manner that activates people's curiosity and leaves them feeling more hopeful about the future.

Register with Climate Interactive

Tuesday, October 6

Location: Ben Nighthorse Campbell Native Health M24 110 Shore Family Forum

This day will be dedicated to advancing public health in a changing climate. Our goals are to connect professionals in Colorado working across climate policy, public health, community organizing, academia and beyond. The day will include discussions, panels and professional development opportunities with topics including wildfire preparedness, heat intervention plans, engaging and communicating with communities, political advocacy, and policymaking. Attendees will have opportunities to network, share work in progress, and develop creative, impactful climate health solutions.

Registration required.

Time	Session
9:00 – 9:30	Check-in & Networking
9:30 – 9:45	Welcome & Introductions Welcome Dr. Beth Carlton, Colorado School of Public Health and Dr. Jay Lemery, University of Colorado School of Medicine Opening Notes Dr. Cathy Bradley, Dean, Colorado School of Public Health
9:45 – 10:00	Meet the People in the Room An interactive opportunity to meet fellow participants and learn who is joining us for the day.
10:00 – 10:30	Keynote Stefanie Shoup, Deputy Director of Regulatory Affairs, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
10:30 – 10:45	Break
10:45 – 12:00	Engaging Communities on Climate & Health: A Case Study of Wildfires This session will explore approaches to engaging different communities—from clinical providers to high school students—in developing strategies to address climate and health challenges. Panelists: Katherine Dickinson, Colorado School of Public Health Doug Eccher, Montrose Public Schools Annareli Morales, Weld County Department of Public Health Dan Welsh, Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment
12:00 – 1:00	Lunch & Networking Optional working lunch: Reducing heat-related mortality in Colorado. Facilitators: Dr. Radhika Ratnabalasuriar, Medical Epidemiologist, Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment Kristen Steffes, MPH, Climate and Health Coordinator, Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment Location: Ben NightHorse Campbell Native Health Building, Conference Room 103
1:00 – 2:00	Pitchfest: Climate & Health Innovation Showcase Presentations from people working to solve climate and health challenges. If you have work you would like to present, please contact Margaret Power ([email protected]) for more information. Submissions are due September 18, 2026.
2:00 – 2:15	Break
2:15 – 3:45	Protecting Communities from Air Toxics: From Community-Based Advocacy to Policymaking Moderator: Michael Booth, The Colorado Sun Panelists: Tehya Stockman, Adams County Health Department Wyatt Sassman, University of Denver Harmony Cummings, The Greenhouse Connection Center Michael Ogletree, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
3:45 – 4:00	Closing — Where Do We Go From Here?
4:30 – 6:30	Please join us for a no-host happy hour at Milieu Fermentation, 2101 N Ursula St #10, Aurora, CO 80045

Wednesday, October 7

Anschutz Health Science Center P-12 7210 Executive Conference Room

Reconnect with fellow Climate & Health Program alumni for a day of networking, collaboration, and community building. The reunion will feature participant report-outs, peer-to-peer project workshops, and facilitated discussions focused on advancing climate-informed healthcare, policy, research, education, and sustainability initiatives. The afternoon will include a field trip offering opportunities to learn from community leaders and strengthen partnerships at the intersection of climate, health, and environmental justice. The day will conclude with a group dinner, providing additional time to reconnect.

Contact: Margaret Power ([email protected])

Session 1: 8:00-10:00 AM — Education 2 North 1107

Time	Session
8:00 – 8:15	Welcome and Framing Dentistry plays a dual role in climate and environmental change: oral health is affected by these forces, while dental care itself has an environmental footprint. This session frames how clinicians can respond through more resilient and responsible practice.
8:15 – 8:35	Dentistry on a Changing Planet This session explores how climate change, pollution, water quality, and environmental exposures influence oral inflammation, and how these effects may amplify broader oral and systemic health consequences.
8:35 – 8:55	Environmentally Responsible Dentistry: What Does This Mean in Practice? This session introduces practical tools for environmentally responsible dentistry, including LCA, EPDs, carbon foot printing, sustainable procurement, circularity, material selection, resource use, and prevention-focused care.
9:05 – 9:30	Interactive Workshop: Enhancing Climate Awareness for the Dental Practice of the Future
9:30 – 9:45	Closing Synthesis: From Ideas to Priorities We will summarize the practical takeaways to help inspire participants to think about how the provision of dental care might need to change in the future.

Session 2: 10:00-11:00 AM — Education 2 North 1102

Time	Session
10:00 – 10:10	Welcome Environmental change can affect population oral health and provision of dental care can have unintended impacts to the environment.
10:10 – 10:25	Impact of Climate Change on Dentistry and Oral Health Explore how climate change, pollution, water quality, and environmental exposures may influence oral inflammation and broader oral and systemic health.
10:25 – 10:40	Plastics-to-Pollution and What does this Mean for Improve Sustainability in Dental Practice? We will introduce practical concepts including LCA, EPDs, carbon foot printing, sustainable procurement, waste reduction, reusable versus single-use products, energy and water use, prevention, and durability of care.
10:40 – 11:00	Closing Reflections

For more information, contact Bruce Dye ([email protected]).

Location: Health Sciences Executive Conference Room

Three unique sessions will be offered:

Essentials of Climate Health/Medicine
Tools for Practice
Curriculum Development

We will finish the summit with a Climate Cafe for discussion around sustainability and ongoing practical application.

Contact: Pamela Prag ([email protected])

Location: Virtual. To register, please contact [email protected].

When does heat matter most? Identifying critical exposure windows for preterm birth and stillbirth in Brazil

Pregnant individuals are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, and the association between high ambient temperatures and increased risk of preterm birth and stillbirth is well established. Yet, a key question remains unanswered: when in pregnancy is exposure to high temperatures most harmful?

This presentation will present new evidence from Brazil on critical windows of vulnerability to heat exposure across pregnancy. Using large-scale national administrative data, we combine a time-to-event approach with distributed lag non-linear models to identify week-by-week variation in risk and assess whether vulnerable periods differ by gestational age at delivery

Speaker: Maxine Pepper

Contact: Elizabeth Brickley ([email protected])

Thursday, October 8

Location: Education 2 South (L28) 1102

The IMPACT Summit will convene thought leaders to explore resilience solutions for a changing climate. Experts will gather on stage for moderated conversations spanning sustainability innovation, AI and healthcare, the evolving energy landscape, public policy, worker health, ethics, and effective communication and community engagement. Together, they will connect ideas across disciplines, identify opportunities for meaningful action, and consider what’s next for climate and health.

Registration required.

Time	Session
8:30 – 9:00	Welcome
9:00 – 9:45	Communication Moderator: Kristan Uhlenbrock, Institute for Science & Policy at Denver Museum of Nature & Science Panelists: John Daley and Tegan Wendland, Colorado Public Radio
9:50 – 10:35	Public Policy Moderator: Logan Harper, MD, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine Panelists: Chris Hanley, National Academy of Medicine John Balbus, MD, Climate Care Consulting, LLC
10:35 – 10:50	Coffee Break
10:50 – 11:35	Empowering Communities through Environmental Health Education Moderator: Beth Gillespie, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine Panelists: Katie Dickinson, PhD, MS, Colorado School of Public Health Harmony Cummings, Green House Connection Center Ekshika Patel, Medical Student, CU Anschutz School of Medicine
11:40 – 12:25	Healthcare system sustainability: The Built Environment Moderator: Johnathan Samet, MD, MS, former Dean Colorado School of Public Health Panelists: Walt Vernon, Mazzetti Peter Tozzi, Sustainability Program Manager at UCHealth
12:25 – 1:25	Lunch
1:25 – 2:10	AI & the EMR Healthcare System Sustainability Moderator: Foster Goss, MD, Professor of Emergency Medicine Panelists: Taylor Kirby, Epic Melissa Knox, Epic R & D partner for UCHealth
2:15 – 3:00	Ethics Moderator: Daniel Goldberg, JD, PhD, CU Center for Bioethics and Humanities Panelists: Bhar Chekuri, MD, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine Caitlin Rublee, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
3:05 – 3:50	Worker Health Moderator: Beth Carlton, PhD Panelists: Lee Newman, MD, MA, Director, Centers for Health, Work and Environment, CSPH David Leathers, Director, Climate and Extreme Weather, Health Action Alliance
3:55 – 4:40	Innovation Healthcare System Sustainability Moderator: Jay Lemery, MD, Professor of Emergency Medicine Panelists: Kim Muller, CU Innovations Sterling Wiggins, Enterprise Transformation Leader

Media Policy

Media attendance is permitted only at the Climate & Health Impact Summit on Thursday, October 8. Please direct all media inquiries to Travis Leiker, Assistant Dean, External Relations, Colorado School of Public Health, at 303-817-5744 or [email protected].

Continue Your Climate & Health Journey

Explore educational and professional development opportunities across the University of Colorado's growing climate and health ecosystem:

Climate & Health Science Policy Fellowship (for physicians)
Diploma in Climate Medicine (for clinicians, public health professionals, and sustainability leaders)
MPH in Environment, Climate & Health
PhD in Climate & Human Health
Certificate in Climate & Disaster Resilience

This event is made possible by generous support from the Centers for Health, Work and Environment, the Colorado School of Public Health, the CU Anschutz Sustainability Team, and the CU Anschutz School of Medicine.

Group of hikers cresting a mossy hill in the mountains

School of Medicine

CU Anschutz

Fitzsimons Building

13001 East 17th Place

Campus Box C290

Aurora, CO 80045

303.724.5375

CU Anschutz Climate & Health Week

Join Us for Climate & Health Week