Illinois-Njala Global Health Symposium

The Illinois-Njala Global Health Symposium will take place on May 14, 2015. It will be held at the I-Hotel Conference Center in Illini Room B from 2 – 7 PM.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Aiah Lebbie from Njala University in Sierra Leone where he is the head of the Department of Biological Sciences. Dr. Debbie earned his BSc from the University of Sierra Leone in 1989, and his MS in Conservation Biology & Sustainable Development (1995) and PhD in Forest Ecology & Management (2001) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on integrating biological knowledge in addressing conservation/biodiversity issues in Liberia and Sierra Leone with an emphasis on human interactions with tropical ecosystems and understanding social consequences. His research encompasses sacred groves (cultural & biological), ecology of tropical plants and understanding the context in which health, disease, traditional knowledge and medicinal plants converge. He has taught and researched for Njala University College, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Njala University, and the Environment Foundation for Africa.

The symposium will have opening remarks by Dr. Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela, who is the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Vice Provost for International Affairs & Global Strategy. In addition, there will be a history of the Illinois-Njala Global Health Partnership, the introduction of the Illinois-Njala Global Health Certificate, and roundtable discussions. Dinner will be provided. Please RSVP at the following link: https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/5961857.

This symposium is sponsored by a Focal Point grant from the UIUC Graduate College, the College of Agricultural, Cultural and Environmental Sciences (ACES), and the Center for Global Studies with funding from the US Department of Education Title VI Program.