When it comes to researching planetary health, UCSB geography professor David López-Carr is at the forefront. In October 2016, he cofounded the Planetary Health Center of Expertise, under which interdisciplinary researchers from the UC system and beyond study the complex interaction of human and natural forces.
Funded by the National Science Foundation and the Gates Foundation, the team is underwriting $1.5 million in creative projects to tackle complicated problems around the globe. One such project is López-Carr’s work with UCSB zoology professor Armand Kuris and two Stanford researchers: They’re introducing prawns (which eat the snails that host parasitic worms that cause disease) to key river systems in sub-Saharan Africa, a problem initially created by the building of dams.
This spring, the center will begin awarding seed grants to candidates from the 10 UC campuses who are studying the consequences of environmental change, particularly in the developing world. The grants will range from $1,000 to $10,000, and López-Carr hopes to distribute between $50,000 and $100,000 annually.