Dr. Ruth McDermott-Levy, an expert in public health nursing, will share her insights on how our environment shapes health and disease. Her lecture, titled “Looking Back and Moving Forward: Addressing Past and Emerging Environmental Risks,” is part of the 18th annual Dorothy Hussain Distinguished Lecture series. You can join her at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, at The University of Toledo’s Health Science Campus, Room 1000 A/B. For those unable to attend in person, the talk will also be available online via WebEx, but registration is required.
Dr. Eileen Walsh, senior associate dean at the College of Health and Human Services, emphasizes that this event brings essential knowledge to nursing students, faculty, and the community. She points out, “Environmental health is becoming more crucial in our field.”
Dr. McDermott-Levy has a deep understanding of how factors like pollution and environmental changes can hurt health. Her extensive research includes a Fulbright scholarship in Finland focused on health science. She currently teaches at Villanova University and co-directs the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children’s Health and the Environment, one of just ten Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units in the country, which is remarkable for being nurse-led.
In 2020, she received the Charlotte Brody Award for her leadership in environmental health nursing. This award underlines the growing recognition of how environmental factors impact public health, an area that is becoming increasingly significant in discussions about health care.
The lecture is named after Dorothy Gladys Hussain, who dedicated 32 years as a nurse known for her advocacy for patients and their rights. Dr. S. Amjad Hussain, a professor emeritus at UToledo, will moderate the event.
Parking is available for visitors via the ParkMobile app, at parking meters, or with daily permits. For more details, check the ParkUToledo website.
As more people focus on health, understanding environmental impacts is key. Research indicates that 12.6 million deaths globally are linked to unhealthy environments each year, making conversations like this more important than ever. Dr. McDermott-Levy’s lecture promises to shed light on past issues and offer insights into emerging risks, making it a must-attend event for anyone interested in the intersection of health and the environment.
