Presentation to explore intersection of geographical mapping and public health

Russell Kirby, Marrell Endowed Chair in Down Syndrome Research in the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida, will present “Spatial Perspectives on Public Health” from 12:30 to 2 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 5, in the College of Health and Human Services, Room 145.

Kirby will discuss how geographical methods, GIS and spatial analysis can lead to new insights in epidemiology, social determinants of health and other aspects of public health. The presentation will focus on mapping exposure, spatial clustering and accessibility to health care. Kirby will illustrate concepts with modeling performed on analyses of children with birth defects in Florida.

Co-investigator of a multisite study funded by the March of Dimes Foundation (UNC Charlotte is the primary study site), Kirby is a prolific scholar with an extensive background in maternal and child health. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and has won many prestigious awards for his contributions to the field of public health and birth defects.

The College of Liberal Arts + Sciences’ Department of Geography and Earth Sciences and College of Health and Human Services’ Department of Public Health Sciences are cosponsoring this presentation.