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The International EcoHealth Forum (IEF 2008) embraced the participation of students and young researchers. The future direction of research lies with them, and so the Communities of Practice in Ecohealth (CoPEHs) encourage students “to take our place in the evolution of ecohealth, and to bring new ideas,” said Mélanie Lemire.   The Forum, added Sarah Olson, sparked “an explosion of interest and [excitement] about research” among students.

 

There are already many ways for students to become involved with the CoPEHs, and “it’s going to grow,” Lemire said. CoPEH-CAN hosts an intensive ecohealth course for 20 students every summer. The course effectively engages students in the ecohealth field—half of the students who attended the 2008 course also attended IEF 2008.

 

IEF 2008 gave students the opportunity to make connections with each other and with senior researchers—“building connections both horizontally and vertically,” Olson said.

 

Links between students at disparate educational centres will facilitate future partnerships. These links are also important in ensuring that students do not feel as if they are the only ones taking an interdisciplinary approach, said Olson. Students “want to make transdisciplinary links, share their experiences, share their research stories.”

 

The wide range of international researchers attending the Mérida Ecohealth Forum provided students with a great opportunity for making contacts and identifying potential sources of support. “Applying an ecohealth approach in the field is uncommon and there [are often] no resources around to help,” Lemire said. “Meeting those people was an incredible experience.”

 

Olson and Lemire and other students are already capturing some of the energy and excitement generated at the Forum. The student section of EcoHealth is holding a retreat in August 2009. As well, a new social networking application called Ning, similar to Facebook, has been customized to form an ecohealth network. Students create profiles, load photos, and share information about their research. Potential future initiatives include Skype cafés that will allow students to participate in conference calls.

 

Students have an important role to play in advancing ecohealth. As a student, said Lemire, “you are free, you are a new mind—you can express yourself openly and be a bit naïve. If we want to bring new ideas, we can.” Olson agreed: “Students are able to explore new ways of communicating, getting the word out, and reaching new students. It’s the students who are out in front.”

 

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