A Systems Approach to Climate Change, Health, and Education

This interdisciplinary global field intensive centers on Brazil, serving as a critical laboratory for examining the convergence of public policy, global health, and climate-induced insecurity. As a vast and ecologically diverse nation uniquely vulnerable to accelerating Amazonian deforestation, extreme weather anomalies, and severe urban flooding, Brazil provides a localized yet globally significant context to analyze how intersecting identities, including indigenous heritage, socioeconomic status, and geographic proximity to vulnerable biomes or favelas, dictate the specific health, security, and educational vulnerabilities of marginalized communities. By moving beyond traditional lecture formats and into a collaborative academic environment with local university and institutional partners, students will work alongside UN professionals, local government, and civil society leaders to bridge the gap between high-level international frameworks and community-rooted emergency responses. Using systems thinking and implementation science, the course challenges participants to co-create science-driven, human rights-focused strategies that address the securitization of clean water, sustainable food systems, and environmental sanitation. Ultimately, the Brazilian context demands that students design interventions that are not only evidence-based but culturally centered, ensuring that communication and behavioral strategies elicit meaningful engagement from the stakeholders living at the heart of the climate crisis.