The Drexel University School of Public Health will be co-sponsoring a first-of-its-kind conference this spring, to educate and improve communication among members of environmental justice communities, community organizations, private sector organizations and government officials.
The conference, organized by the Environmental Justice Advisory Board and Office of Environmental Advocate at the State of Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection, along with the School of Public Health, will be held on April 26 – 28, 2009 at the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey Hotel in Harrisburg, PA.
Dr. Arthur L. Frank, a professor and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the School of Public Health, also chairs the state’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board and is helping to organize the conference. "The Environmental Justice Advisory Board thought organizing a conference was a high priority," said Dr. Frank.
The conference, "Building Healthy and Improved Communities for All," is also being made possible through the efforts and sponsorship of the Departments of Transportation, Public Welfare, Education, Health, Community and Economic Development for the State of Pennsylvania, as well as SimmonsCooper, Cooney & Conway, Waste Management, and individual donors.
"Environmental policy in Pennsylvania must be formed with respect and sensitivity toward everyone and with special care to protect vulnerable communities," said Environmental Protection Acting Secretary John Hanger. "Our goal is to include community members and advocates as partners and participants in planning and decision making. This conference will foster a better understanding of the obstacles vulnerable communities face and what we can do to address them."
Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.
Dr. Frank's major research activities have included the study of occupational lung diseases, such as asbestosis and silicosis. His research interests also include occupational cancers, especially those related to asbestos exposure, and he has worked in the area of agricultural safety and health. He is frequently invited to give lectures at universities, businesses and government agencies on occupational lung diseases, and routinely speaks at international conferences on public health and the impacts of asbestos. Dr. Frank has recently given presentations in Thailand, Turkey, Israel, India and South America.
Dr. Frank received his MD degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and his PhD in biomedical sciences from the City University of New York. He was trained in both internal medicine and occupational medicine and holds board certification in both fields. As a commissioned officer in the Public Health Service, he conducted research at the National Cancer Institute.
CONTACT:
For more information, please contact Tiffany Cooper, Admin. Asst., Dept of Environmental and Occupational Health. Phone: 215.762.6120.