Seminar Series on Health in a complex world – exploring systems thinking approaches
Amid the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, health professionals must urgently understand and be able to respond to its growing threats. In this interactive PhD seminar series, we explore the concept of planetary health and its connections to human health.
We will focus on and discuss the need for transformations and adaptations of the healthcare, food and urban sectors using systems thinking approaches and interdisciplinary work. We will also reflect on our own research in relation to these topics. No prior knowledge required, everyone is welcome!
To attend the seminar, register here
We recommend attending all four seminars, but you are welcome to participate even if you cannot join all four.
Speakers
Ester Gubi (PhD) works at the Stockholm Region Center for Epidemiology and Community Medicine and is affiliated to research at the department of Global Public Health, KI. She holds degrees in sociology, medicine and psychiatric epidemiology and teaches planetary health at different programs at KI.
Nikolaus Mezger (PhD) is affiliated with IMM and the Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Health (CESH) at KI, the German Climate and Health Alliance (KLUG), and works clinically in Region Stockholm. He holds degrees in medicine and public health and has been involved with research on climate change and health-system resilience, environmental and cancer epidemiology.
Charlotte Bunge (PhD) is a researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC), Stockholm University. She studied Public Health at Charité in Berlin (Germany), where she was active as a Planetary Health Campus Ambassador. She recently received her PhD in Sustainability Science from SRC, where she studied dietary transitions from a Planetary Health perspective.
Elodie Eiffener (PhD) is a postdoc at the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) at Karolinska Institutet with a background in public health. Her research now lies at the intersection of the environment, urbanisation, and health. She advocates for the One Health approach, has a keen interest in interdisciplinary teaching and writes for the KI Researcher's blog.
Schedule
Seminar 1 - Introduction to planetary and human health: interdisciplinary perspectives (Ester Gubi)
Thursday, 12 March 2026
10am-12pm
Flemingsberg
Seminar 2 - Climate extremes and resilient health systems (Nikolaus Mezger)
Thursday, 26 March 2026
14pm-16pm
Solna
Seminar 3 - Transitioning to Planetary Health Diets: the EAT-Lancet 2025 Commission (Charlotte Bunge)
Thursday, 16 April 2026
10am-12pm
Flemingsberg
Seminar 4 One Health for sustainable urban wellbeing: the need for systems thinking (Elodie Eiffener)
Thursday, 30 April 2026
10am-12pm
Solna
Arranged by Doctoral Programme in Health Care Science (PUF-V)