How can children learn and thrive when they are exposed to environmental pollutants, such as arsenic, lead, secondhand smoke, pesticides, underground contaminants, and other toxins? That's what Dr. Marie Lynn Miranda resolved to find out.
Although pollutants aren't good for anybody, they pose an increased risk for kids because their bodies aren't fully developed, and their rapidly growing organs are especially vulnerable. Couple these facts with the propensity for kids to play on the ground, touch stuff, and then put their hands in their mouths, and it's easy to see why they can be exposed to higher amounts of environmental pollutants.
Enter Dr. Miranda, Dean of the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE). She's the founder of the Children's Environmental Health Initiative (CEHI), and her innovative, pioneering work has made her a national expert on children's environmental health.
I've been told that she loves maps and statistics -- she's a professor, after all -- because maps help determine the link between the environment and human health. Once the link is identified, healthcare delivery can be adjusted to support preventive interventions. The goal is to help improve human health, especially in children.
Although driven by statistics and maps, Dr. Miranda is a highly engaging, passionate, and persuasive speaker. Don't just take my word for it -- she's the first speaker in The Wege Foundation's 17th Annual Wege Speaker Series (free and open to the public). You'll have a chance to hear her firsthand on Thursday, April 18 at 4 p.m. at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center (1703 Robinson Road SE, Grand Rapids). A reception will follow.
A Detroit native, Dr. Miranda became Dean of the SNRE in January 2012. She also holds an appointment as a professor in SNRE and in the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, part of the University of Michigan Health System.
To RSVP, email
[email protected] or call 616-632-2805 by April 8, 2013. Limited seating is available.
Writer: Victoria Mullen, Do Good Editor
Image provided by The Wege Foundation
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