Planetary Health: What it is and why it matters

Keynote speaker: Distinguished Professor Tracy Levett-Jones

Climate change impacts human health, influencing morbidity and mortality caused by natural disasters, extreme heat, infectious diseases, resulting in migration, displacement and food insecurity. These issues disproportionately impact the health and wellbeing of the most disadvantaged people in our communities. With the healthcare sector’s emissions increasing both globally and in Australia, health professionals also have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint. As the largest health workforce globally, nurses have a unique position and opportunity to lead action to address climate change. This seminar will examine what change is needed and how nurses can spearhead a movement for healthy people and a health planet.

Location: Hybrid

In person at The Royal Children's Hospital

Ella Latham Lecture Theatre
Ground Floor, Royal Children's Hospital
Flemington Road, Parkville 3052

Virtual registration is also available for the lecture.

Time:

5:00pm-6:00pm Lecture

6:00pm -7:00pm Post-Lecture Networking & Canapes

For more information on the Nursing Event Series 2024 please see: https://healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au/departments/nursing/news-and-events/nursing-event-series-2024

Keynote speaker: Distinguished Professor Tracey Levett-Jones

Distinguished Professor

Lead, Planetary Health for Nursing & Midwifery Research & Education Collaborative

Co-convenor, Climate Change and Health Collaborative, Research Institute for Innovative Solutions for Wellbeing and Health (INSIGHT)

Sigma International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame Awardee 2022

Tracy Levett-Jones is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Technology Sydney. She is a world-leading nursing researcher who leads the Planetary Health for Nursing & Midwifery Education & Research Collaborative and the Empathy Initiative research group. Tracy was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in 2022 and is ranked as one of the world’s top 1% of nursing scientists by Stanford University. Tracy has written 12 books and over 250 journal publications. She has been the recipient of multiple awards and over seven million dollars of research funding.

Speaker: Meiling Zhou

Clinical Nurse Consultant, Head and Neck Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

As a Head and Neck Oncology Nurse Consultant, Melling is committed to delivering comprehensive and integrated care that addresses the multifaceted needs of patients and caregivers navigating through cancer treatments. Embracing a patient-centred healthcare model, Meiling prioritises empowerment, self-determination, and equity in healthcare delivery.

Currently pursuing a dual degree in Master of Advanced Nursing Practice and Master of Public Health and recently completed the Wattle Fellowship, these educational endeavours equip Meiling with the knowledge and skills to integrate sustainability principles into healthcare practices. Through research and collaboration, Meiling is actively exploring innovative approaches that reduce the ecological footprint in healthcare and foster a cultural and practice shift among clinicians. Meiling is committed to driving positive change within the healthcare system through community engagement and systemic transformations.

MC Speaker: Eugenie Kayak

Enterprise Professor Eugenie Kayak

Enterprise Professor in Sustainable Healthcare at the Melbourne Medical School and consultant anaesthetist in public and private practice.

Eugenie has worked with Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA), ANZCA, the AMA, government and the wider medical profession for over a decade, to raise awareness of, influence policy and address the health impacts of climate change and environmental degradation – including healthcare’s own impact.

She was a member of the Chief Medical Officer Advisory Group for Australia’s National Health and Climate Strategy, is Deputy Director of The University of Melbourne Climate CATCH (Collaborative Action for Transformative Change in Health and Healthcare) Lab, Co-Convenor of Sustainable Healthcare for DEA and Deputy Chair of ANZCA’s Environmental Sustainability Network.

Work with the AMA has resulted in a collaboration calling for the Australian healthcare sector to be net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and engagement of Australia’s medical colleges to advocate for action from government and the health sector.

Dr Charne Miller

Director of Teaching and Learning, Department of Nursing, University of Melbourne.

Dr Charne Miller is the Director of Learning and Teaching in the Department of Nursing at The University of Melbourne. Dr Miller leads curriculum development, accreditation, and the conduct of outstanding educational delivery in the entry-to-practice, speciality and advanced practice nursing courses as well as establishing opportunities for interdisciplinary education and research. Dr Miller has over 20 years of research experience and a well-established service, publication, and grant track record. A background in psychology has fostered expertise in research methods and statistics which were further strengthened by post graduate studies in statistics. Dr Miller’s qualifications and experience are utilised in the academic setting in research subject coordination and the supervision of graduate research students.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Royal Children's Hospital, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville, Australia