Varanasi Endowed Undergraduate Nature & Health Fund

Drs. Usha and S. Rao Varanasi recognize the vital importance of the field of nature and health — both for the health and well-being of our communities and the planet itself. 

Winter 2026 Community Dinner with Rachel Berney, PhD

Our quarterly Community Dinners welcome anyone with a curiosity about expanding access to green space to support health and well-being, environmental and health equity, people-nature reciprocity, and climate change resilience. Students, professionals, and community members from many different disciplines come together to explore new ideas, discuss policies and programs, and strengthen partnerships in the field of nature and health. 

We’re Hiring a 2026 Summer Intern

The EarthLab Summer Internship Program is a robust, cohort-based internship program for UW undergraduate students to explore new approaches to problem-solving, communication, and training at the intersection of climate and social justice. 

Winter 2026 Newsletter

JANUARY 13, 2026

Dear Nature and Health Community:
As we step out of the quiet, reflective days of winter break, we feel renewed and hopeful as
we look to 2026, and we hope you do too. 

Rooted in Research: How Urban Forests Sustain Us

Kathleen Wolf, PhD will present “Rooted in Research: How Urban Forests Sustain Us” at 10 am on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The lecture will take place at Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Port Townsend, WA. 

Reflecting on 2025

Dear Nature and Health Community –
As the year draws to a close, our small team paused to reflect on where we’ve been, what we’ve learned, and where we’re heading next. 

2026 Northwest Nature and Health Symposium

 
Since 2016, the Center has been hosting symposia to bring together researchers, community members, and decision-makers to learn about new discoveries, discuss new policies and programs, and advance partnerships in the field of nature and health. 

An Anchor Through Shifting Tides: Community Dinners Foster Connection, Collaboration for Nature and Health

By: Tess Wrobleski, Project Specialist, EarthLab
What keeps a tradition alive? Is it the strength of an idea? The dedication of the people who uphold it?
For the Nature and Health community dinner, it’s both. 

Gregory Bratman Recognized as a 2025 Highly Cited Researcher

For the third time, Gregory Bratman, PhD, has been named a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate. Bratman, the Center’s co-director, has co-authored 60 publications advancing the field of nature and health. 

Want to Make America Healthy Again? Stop Fueling Climate Change

The Conversation · November 12, 2025
Co-Authored by Dr. Howard Frumkin, member of the Center’s Research Collaborative

If you’ve been following recent debates about health, you’ve been hearing a lot about vaccines, diet, measles, Medicaid cuts and health insurance costs – but much less about one of the greatest threats to global public health: climate change.