Agenda & Presentations

9:00 AM

Center for Health & Nature Symposium Welcome

Edward B. Jones, MBA – President and CEO, Houston Methodist Research Institute
Carrie L. Byington, MD – Vice Chancellor for Health Services, The Texas A&M University System
Joni Carswell, MEM – CEO and President, Texan by Nature

9:15 AM

Invocation

Rev. Charles Millikan, DMin – Vice President, Spiritual Care and Values Integration, Houston Methodist

9:20 AM

Designing Systems to Prevent Physician & Nurse Burnout

Terri Menser, PhD, MBA – Scientist, Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist Research Institute

9:35 AM

Heart Health Nature Study Overview

Bita Kash, PhD, MBA, FACHE – Director, Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist Research Institute Professor, Department of Health Policy Management, Texas A&M University
Karla M. Kurrelmeyer, MD, FACC, FASE – Medical Director, Department of Cardiology,
Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center
Aron Bhatnagar, PhD, FAHA – Professor of Medicine and Director, Diabetes and Obesity Center, School of Medicine, University of Louisville

10:10 AM

Assessing Long-Term Exposure to Urban Nature and its Health Benefits

Perry Hystad, PhD – Assistant Professor, Spatial Health Lab, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University

10:45 AM

Nature and Health: NIH Funding Examples, Opportunities and Challenges

David Berrigan, PhD, MPH – Program Director, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

11:20 AM

Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative

Florence Williams – Journalist, Author, Podcaster, and Public Speaker

12:30 PM

Speaker Panel

Moderator

Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson, JD – Treasurer, Board of Directors, Texan by Nature & Co-Chair, Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center Council

Panelists

David Berrigan, PhD, MPH – Program Director, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Aron Bhatnagar, PhD, FAHA – Professor of Medicine and Director, Diabetes and Obesity Center, School of Medicine, University of Louisville
Perry Hystad, PhD – Assistant Professor, Spatial Health Lab, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University
Florence Williams – Journalist, Author, Podcaster, and Public Speaker

1:05 PM

Urban Green (Infra)structure for Pedestrian Health

Chanam Lee, PhD, MLA – Professor, Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University

1:30 PM

Virtual Reality Gardening and Stress Prevention for Oncology Patients: Bring Nature Indoors

Renee Stubbins, PhD – Senior Oncology Dietitian, Houston Methodist
Xiaohui Xu, PhD – Department Head and Associate Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University

2:10 PM

Developing a Tool for Measuring Landscape Performance on Public Health

Galen Newman, PhD, ALA, APA – Associate Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University

2:35 PM

Influences of Virtual Window on Hospital Patients’ and Caregivers’ Health & Well-Being

Zhipeng Lu, PhD, LEED AP BD+C – Associate Director, Center of Health Systems & Design and Senior Lecturer, Department of Architecture, Texas A&M University

3:00 PM

Vision Panel

Moderator

Bita Kash, PhD, MBA, FACHE – Director, Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist Research Institute Professor, Department of Health Policy Management, Texas A&M University

Panelists

Gregory Bratman, PhD – Assistant Professor, Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington
Jay Maddock, PhD, FAAHB – Dean, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University
Marcia Ory, PhD, MPH – Associate Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University & Regents & Distinguished Professor, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University
Annette Ridenour – Founder and President, Aesthetics Inc.

3:30 PM

Closing Remarks

Laura Bush – Former First Lady of the United States Founder, Texan by Nature
Bita Kash, PhD, MBA, FACHE – Director, Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist Research Institute Professor, Department of Health Policy Management, Texas A&M University

3:45 PM

Healing Garden Design Poster Review

Trevor Maciejewski
Chenjun Su
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