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September 30, 2025
News and Updates
SHE Center, collaborators awarded AHW Momentum Grants
The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) endowment has awarded one MCW-led and one community-led Momentum Grant to the SHE Center and collaborators after the 2024 application cycle. The Momentum grants fund projects for two years at up to $250,000 for the duration of the project.
The MCW-led grant will expand upon the work that Joanne Bernstein, MD, General Internal Medicine, began in collaboration with SHE Center director Christa Wagner, PhD, to identify opportunities to incorporate planetary health learning objectives into the MCWfusion medical school curriculum. This includes implementing the curricular updates developed by MCW medical students and faculty funded by a prior AHW award and assessing the curriculum's success in improving our future physicians' ability to treat patients living in a changing climate. The community-led grant was awarded to Clean Wisconsin with Dr. Wagner serving as academic partner to support the creation of neighborhood-level environmental health almanacs that can inform local interventions and policy decisions to support community health. The award period will begin on November 1.
She Center Director, Interprofessional Education collaboration presented at 2025 Nexus Summit
On September 16, SHE Center Director Christa Wagner, PhD, presented an initiative led by MCW interprofessional education faculty at the 2025 Nexus Summit on Interprofessional Education (IPE). The lightning talk, "Preparing for for Complex Care: Planetary Health in Ethics and Communication Training," shared the authors' recent update to MCW's Values & Ethics IPE session.
In the updated IPE session, faculty introduced planetary health concepts and their connections to the codes of ethics of various healthcare professions while supporting students in developing interprofessional communications skills in the clinical environment. MCW partners with more than 10 local institutions representing nearly 20 health professions programs to deliver IPE content to over 500 students each year.
Lightning talk co-authors included Courtney Barry, PsyD, MS, Director of Interprofessional Education, School of Medicine; Karen MacKinnon, RPh, Director of Outreach, School of Pharmacy; Kelly C. Horton, MAT, Interprofessional Education Coordinator; and Dana Scheunemann, PhD, MS, RD, CD, Assistant Professor, Mount Mary University.
MCW Office of Institutional Advancement, Milwaukee Riverkeeper aid flood cleanup
The MCW Office of Institutional Advancement volunteered with Milwaukee Riverkeeper in August 2025 to collect trash along the Menomonee River Valley after the record-setting rainfall event on August 9 that damaged many homes and filled local rivers with debris. The combined teams filled 12 bags of trash that floodwaters had brought down the river! Thank you for your part in helping our community recover. Click here to learn more about future clean-ups and other volunteer opportunities with Milwaukee Riverkeeper.
Team members from the Office of Institutional Advancement on clean-up day
New climate and health reports released in conjunction with Climate Week NYC
Climate Week NYC, which took place September 21-28, is the largest annual climate event of its kind, with over 1000 events and activities across the city of New York. International participants represent climate interests from the sectors of business, government, finance, industry, academia, and more.
For the second year in a row, Health was one of the event's 10 themes. Leading up to this year's Climate Week, several groups issued reports related to planetary health and climate and health impact. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a report stating that the evidence for human-caused climate change is “beyond scientific dispute,” in response to the EPA proposal to rescind the 2009 "endangerment finding.” After examining the finding’s original evidence and knowledge accumulated in the years since, scientists concluded with greater certainty that human-caused greenhouse gases concentrate in the atmosphere and alter Earth’s climate, which impacts human health.
A model from the NASEM report depicting how greenhouse gas emissions harm human health
The World Economic Forum states in their recent report, “Building Economic Resilience to the Health Impacts of Climate Change,” that climate change leaves four key global sectors – agriculture, built environment, healthcare, and insurance – exposed to climate-health risks. These risks include 24 million additional people facing hunger by 2050 that agricultural workers will need to support, buildings that were not designed to protect from climate extremes, and an additional $1.1 trillion in healthcare treatment burden, with low health insurance coverage in the most impacted regions.
In the Commonwealth Fund’s State Scorecard on Climate, Health, and Healthcare, where higher rankings indicate more climate preparedness, Wisconsin was ranked 21 out of the 50 states for its level of climate risk and vulnerability, energy policies, and healthcare sector emissions. Based on this evaluation, the state has the most room for improvement in its clean energy policy, per capita greenhouse gas emissions from healthcare (as of 2020), and healthcare workers’ commuting.
Finally, the newest Planetary Health Check indicates that seven of the nine processes known to regulate Earth’s stability, resilience, and life support functions have surpassed safe operational boundaries. The report concludes that while humans are moving the planet from “increasing” to “high” risk zones for many of these processes, the Earth’s inherent stability leaves humans a window, albeit a shrinking one, to return to safe operating space.
The Commonwealth Fund's state rankings on overall climate preparedness
MKE FreshAir Collective releases 2024 Air Quality Report
MKE FreshAir Collective released their Milwaukee Air Quality 2024 Report detailing the PM2.5 levels and Air Quality Index (AQI) across Milwaukee's neighborhoods, in a collaboration with Data You Can Use. PM2.5 stands for particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller, or fine inhalable particles that can be harmful to lung health. For each of the 21 neighborhoods across the city with an outdoor air quality monitor, the report provides the neighborhood's monthly AQI and demographic information to create a snapshot of the community.
In 2024, there were 10 days when at least one monitor's average AQI was considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups," and there were 20 monitors that experienced at least one day with the same classification. Consistent exposure to air pollution is associated with poor health outcomes such as asthma attacks and heart disease, a burden that is inequitably distributed to communities of color.
MKE FreshAir Collective collects the data contained in this report in order to engage meaningfully with communities and improve health equity across the city.
Upcoming Events
Health Reform and Climate Change: A Duke Climate Collaboration Symposium, October 1, 8:30am-2:45pm CST, virtual
The Duke University School of Medicine and Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy will co-host the fourth installment in the Duke Climate Collaboration Symposia series, titled “Health Reform and Climate Change: Policy Reforms to Improve Health System Sustainability and Population Health.” Climate change has implications for health and healthcare, which is itself a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
Attendees are invited to explore potential health policy reforms to address these trends while also reducing costs, improving access to care, and addressing population health challenges. The event will feature keynote speaker Bill Frist, The Nature Conservancy and former Senate Majority Speaker, as well as other panelists from Duke University, the National Academies of Medicine, and The Joint Commission. Click here for more details and registration.
Neurology Fall Campus Cleanup, October 10, 2pm-4pm
The Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery invite members of the MCW community to participate in their Fall Campus Clean-Up on Friday, October 10, from 2-4pm. Participants will meet in the HUB entryway and split up to clean the corners of the campus. Materials such as trash bags, gloves, and a limited number of garbage pickers will be provided. If you are interested, please fill out this sign-up. Contact Peter Kraegel (pkraegel@mcw.edu) or Alexa Wild (awild@mcw.edu) with any questions.
How Medical Schools are Integrating Climate Change in their Curricula, October 14, 1-2pm CST
The Association of American Medical Colleges’ Climate Action and Sustainability in Academic Medicine community will host its next collaborative meeting, titled “How Medical Schools are Integrating Climate Change in their Curricula,” on Tuesday, October 14, from 1-2pm CST. Featured panelists will include Rebecca Philipsborn, MD, Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Director of the Climate Change and Health thread, Emory University School of Medicine, and Stefan Wheat, MD, Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Attendees will learn how to make the case for climate change content and practical steps for integration at their medical schools. Click here to register to attend or receive the recording.
Pathways to Net Zero in Healthcare, November 5, 11am-4pm
On November 5, from 11am-4pm, Mass General Brigham will host a virtual course titled “Pathways to Net Zero.” The goal of the course is to provide healthcare workers across roles and departments with the skills and resources to shift hospital operations toward net zero. Outcomes of the course include quantifying the environmental impact of health care and discussing the ways both clinical and non-clinical pathways can mitigate healthcare greenhouse gas emissions. For more information and to register, click here.
Weathering the Storm, Courage in Caring for our Communities & Climate, November 14-15
Healthy Climate Wisconsin, a coalition of health professionals working for climate action, will host its annual conference on November 14 and 15, this year titled “Weathering the Storm, Courage in Caring for our Communities & Climate.” The conference will feature workshops and discussions around components of healthcare delivery including the effects of climate change on health and the need for clean air and water. More details and registration here.
On Our Radar: Research, Podcasts, and More
Funding Opportunities
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants:
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund is accepting applications for grants of $2,500-$50,000 focused on climate change and human health, with rolling deadlines starting Jan. 23, 2025 and extending through July 24, 2026. The Fund plans to dedicate $1 million during that time to projects that pilot ways to reduce healthcare’s climate impact, explore connections between basic science approaches and planetary health, and prepare for climate-related natural disasters. For more information, review the grant details on the Fund website.
Resources & More
MCW is a member of several consortia and membership organizations with different resources to support engagement in climate action in academic medicine. Contact us for any assistance in signing up!
Global Consortium for Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) aims to unite health professional training institutions, health societies, and regional health organizations to create a global climate-ready health sector, prepared to mobilize and lead health promotion and response in the era of climate change, while restoring the health of the planet. Learn more and join here.
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Climate Action Virtual Community provides meaningful connection to the myriad people in academic medical centers working across mission areas to address the climate crisis and improve institutional resiliency. Request an account using your MCW email address here. Once your account has been approved, click here to join the Climate Action and Sustainability group.
Practice Greenhealth is the health care sector’s go-to source for information, tools, data, resources, and expert technical support on sustainability initiatives that help hospitals and health systems meet their health, financial, and community goals. Learn more.
Interested in learning more about the SHE Center at an upcoming MCW departmental, institute, or center faculty and/or staff meeting? Email Dr. Wagner to schedule.
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