The Role of Fulbright Program in Focusing on Canadian and U.S. Environmental Health Issues

摘要

Background: Scholars from Canada and U.S. have collaborated with the Fulbright Program to address environmental issues of mutual interest in both countries. Studies of climate change in the artic and health of Indians/First Nations illustrate the role of Fulbright investigators have had on these issues. Context: Climate change has had drastric impacts on Artic communities in Alaska and in northern Canadian villages. Researchers from Canada and U.S., spurred on by Fulbright, have brought investigators together to measure the extent of sea level rise and methods to respond to these changes, including rebuilding indigenous communities away from degraded shores. Scholars from U.S. and Canada have also collaborated on means and methods to address environmental degradation, wildlife habitats, and Indian/Fist Nation health impacts. Examples include indigenous diets, obesity, and diabetes, adolescent suicide, alcoholism, violence towards women, and childhood accidents. Future collaboration: Canada and U.S. share industrial interests in fishing, agriculture, and mining/petroleum extraction, all of which have high rates of workplace accidents, trauma, and death. Additionally, all three industries have very high indigenous participation and concern. Fulbright programs, including active participation from corporate scientists, can be vehicles for developing innovative transnational initiatives to reduce accident injury and death as well as methods for environmental remediation. We need greater professional interest and applications by environmental scientists to Fulbright as well as new environmental health programs directly sponsored by Fulbright to provide a higher profile for future offerings. Conclusion: The Fulbright program has enabled Canadian and American academics and leaders to collaborate across our borders to tackle serious environmental issues. New problems, such as lowering workplace injury rates, need to be added for future scholars to tackle.