Christine Vatovec, PhD, is an environmental health social scientist who studies the interconnections between human health and planetary health. She serves as the Planetary Health Lead at the University of Vermont Osher Center, is a researcher in the Larner College of Medicine, and teaches in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. 

Dr. Vatovec grew up on a small organic dairy farm in upstate New York and spent most of her time as a child outside cultivating a deep appreciation of the environment. When she was in 10th grade, she took her first college-level course in environmental science at the local university. “I’ve always had a deep appreciation for nature,” said Dr. Vatovec. “When I learned you could study the environment as a career, I knew that was my path.”

When she was in college, Dr. Vatovec’s father was diagnosed with cancer. A neighbor and fellow farmer was in remission and credited her health to therapies such as exercise and adopting a plant-based diet. “So, my dad became the world’s first vegan organic dairy farmer,” she joked. “But really, this was my introduction to integrative health care.” 

While her father was going through chemotherapy treatment, he asked a question that would influence the course of Dr. Vatovec’s life and career. He said, “We know what chemotherapy does to the body, but what does it do to the land?” Dr. Vatovec went on to write her dissertation on the topic, fueled by her interest in the then-nascent field of bioethics and the philosophical connection between healthcare and the environment.  

Dr. Vatovec’s current research focuses on identifying opportunities to align healthcare with planetary health through interventions that improve outcomes for patients, providers, and the natural environment. She is currently working with colleagues across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine to secure grant funding to understand how residents in New England experience climate change as it relates to primary care. “We want to learn what tools physicians need to address community concerns related to climate change,” said Dr. Vatovec. “Climate change is a threat magnifier, especially for rural communities, which make up so much of New England.” 

Dr. Vatovec is on the planning committee for two planetary health events happening this fall. The Osher Center at University of Vermont is hosting a hybrid Planetary Health Summit: Whole Health for People and Planet on October 17 which will bring together the perspectives of clinicians, educators, researchers, and policy makers to discuss actionable next steps in the field. The Osher Collaborative is hosting a virtual symposium: Healthy People, Healthy Planet on November 8 focused on educating the public on the reciprocal relationship between human health and planetary health. Details on how to register for both events are included in this newsletter. 

Dr. Vatovec is an active member the Osher Collaborative’s Planetary Health Working Group. “I feel at home in a way that I haven’t felt in my entire career,” she said. “The field of planetary health needs the philosophical conversations, and we also need the practical on-the-ground work. The Collaborative brings these sides together so we can move towards a positive future.”