Ecohealth training and awards program

Since 1997, the IDRC has played an important role in training and promoting the Ecohealth approach through the Ecohealth Training and Awards Program. Ecohealth scholars are taught about the methods and principles of the ecosystem approaches to health before beginning an international or other relevant field placement.
More recently, the IDRC re-evaluated its role in the dissemination of the Ecohealth approach by supporting initiatives such as communities of practice, which promote a pro-active role in the dissemination of this approach. The IDRC also recognized the need for a wider involvement of academic centres and universities in the training and mentoring of graduate students in Canada.

These concerns triggered the creation of a consortium of three universities (University of Guelph, Université du Québec à Montréal, University of British Columbia) with a mandate to build and deliver an intensive two week long training course in the Ecohealth approach, and manage the allocation of scholarships funded by the IDRC.

The training program

CoPEH-Can offers an Ecohealth course and the first edition took place in Vancouver, August 5-15 2008 (see below). The second edition took place at the University of Guelph during the summer of 2009. The third edition will take place at UQAM, Montreal from June 2 to 13, 2010. The training will adhere to the following guidelines:

• utilize mixed pedagogical methods- instructional courses, case studies, field work, interdisciplinary group work, etc. with learning-centred evaluation tools;
• promote the application of the Ecohealth approach in an international and developmental context;
• understand and work with key ethical principles and concepts;
• develop understanding of participatory research and collaborative learning, with the inclusion of key stakeholders and linkages within and between different communities, cultures and ways of knowing;
• provide a training environment that supports the use of English and French.

To achieve the above, the training will be offered by a teaching team which will:

• maintain a high teacher/student ratio;
• favour teamwork;
• favour a diversity of scholarly traditions and experiences (natural sciences, health sciences , social sciences and humanities).

The second edition of the CoPEH-Canada Ecohealth Training and Awards Program 2009 was held at the University of Guelph

CoPEH-Canada hosted an 11-day short course entitled Ecosystem Approaches to Health (Ecohealth) in Guelph at the University of Guelph from Monday July 6 to Friday July 17, 2009. The participants included 20 students and 4 career development participants from across the country and representing a variety of fields. We would like to thank and congratulate all of our wonderful graduates:

• Imran Ali
  • University of Guelph, School of Engineering
• Agartha Cofie
  • McGill University, School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition
• Nadia Formigoni
  • University of Toronto, Public Health
• Chantal Gangnon
  • Université du Québec à Montréal, Institut des sciences de l'environnement et CINBIOSE
• Jeffrey Gilbert
  • International Livestock Research Institute
• Carli Halpenny
  • McGill University, Parasitology/School of Environment
• Erin Harkins
  • University of Guelph, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development
• Mark Juhasz
  • University of Guelph, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development
• Jessica Kozak
  • University of Guelph, School of Language and Literature
• Victoria Kramkowski-Epner
  • York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies
• Alana Lancaster
  • Dalhousie University, Faculty of Law
• Jessica Leah
  • University of Toronto, Public Health
• Marie-Ève Maillé
  • Université du Québec à Montréal, Communication sociale et publique
• Stephen Marklevitz
  • University of Western Ontario, Biology (Environment and Sustainability)
• Hélène Moise
  • University of British-Columbia, Language and Literacy
• Vi Nguyen
  • University of Guelph, Population Medicine
• Sky Oestreicher
  • Université du Québec à Montréal, l'Institut des sciences de l'environnement and GEOTOP
• Oscar Retamal
  • York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies
• Mario Rivero-Huguet
  • McGill University, Environmental and Agricultural Sciences
• Jennifer Spiegel
  • Concordia University/University of London Interdisciplinary Humanities/Centre for Cultural Studies
• Jennifer Vansteenkiste
  • University of Western Ontario, Department of Geography
• Diego Velasquez
  • The University of Western Ontario, Earth Sciences
• Maria del Pilar Velez Gomez
  • Université de Montréal, Département de médecine social et préventive
• Michelle Villeneuve
  • Royal Roads University, School of Environment & Sustainability

The inaugural 2008 edition of the Canadian Ecohealth Training and Awards Program was held at UBC August 5-15

We would like to thank all those who participated. The following are the students who attended and graduated from the course:

• Elizabeth Archer
  • University of Waterloo, Department of Environment and Resource Studie
• Jason Barton
  • University of British Columbia, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
• Marta Berbés
  • York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies
• Frédérique Binette
  • Université du Québec à Montréal, Institut des sciences de l'environnement
• Benjamin Brisbois
  • University of British Columbia, Health Care and Epidemiology
• Daniel DeLury
  • University of Saskatchewan, Deptartment of Sociology
• John Dosman
  • University of Saskatchewan Deptartment of Family Medicine (Rural Division)
• Katelyn Friendship
  • Trent University, Indigenous Studies-Canadian Studies
• Catherine Glass
  • University of British Colombia, School of Population and Public Health
• Sherilee Harper
  • University of Guelph, Population Medicine
• Megan Hlusko
  • Université de Montréal, Veterinary Medicine
• Lesley Johnston
  • Simon Fraser University, Population and Public Health, Faculty of Health Science
• Peyun Kok
  • York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Planning
• Edouard Kouassi
  • Université de Montréal, Faculté de médecine/Dépt de médecine et spécialités médicales
• Theresa McElroy
  • University of British Columbia, Interdisciplinary Studies
• Lisa Mu
  • University of British Colombia, Health Care and Epidemiology
• Liliane Okoumassoun
  • PhD, molecular and cellular biology
• David Roth
  • University of British Columbia, School of Population and Public Health
• Nadine Straka
  • University of British Columbia
• Jack Teng
  • University of British Columbia, Resource Management and Environmental Studies
• Simone Webster-Stahel
  • University of Prince Edward Island, Institute of Island Studies
• Kimlee Wong
  • University of manitoba, Department of environment and geography

Paticipants in the 2008 EcoHealth Training Program, UBC

The awards

Through the financial support of the IDRC, CoPEH-Can will offer supporting awards to participate to the Ecohealth Training. It will also offer research awards to conduct international development field research.

The awardees of the 2008 edition of the Canadian Ecohealth Research Grant were

• Marta Berbés, York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies
  • Envisioning Alternative Futures: Narratives on Ecosystems and Health in the Volcán Watershed (Costa Rica)
• Catherine Glass, UBC, School of Population and Public Health
  • The Relationship between Livestock and Human Health: How Significant are Livestock and Zoonoses to Health Outcomes in a Rural Maasai Community of Southwestern Kenya?
• Sherilee Harper, University of Guelph, Population Medicine
  • Climate Change, Water Quality, and Human Health in Nunatsiavut, Canada: An Intervention Study Using an Ecohealth Approach
• Megan Hlusko, Université de Montréal, Veterinary Medicine
  • Multidisciplinary approach to improving backyard poultry production in rural villages of Madagascar as a possible solution to human malnutrition

Profile on Sheri Harper, 2008 Canadian Ecohealth Research Grant Recipient

Sheri Harper has completed her research on climate change, water quality, and human health in Nunatsiavut, Canada. You can read more about her intervention study using an Ecohealth Approach by clicking here.