Do True: Boundary Spanning to Impact in Climate and Health

The medical humanities equip us with tools of resilience, meaning-making, and new way of thinking as we navigate the costs and consequences of a warming planet. This talk is an invitation to journey into environmental health along a nurse scientist's pathway integrated with narrative storytelling, art, and humanities. This pathway illuminates how medical humanities can enhance traditional basic and clinical research to greater societal impact. Jessica Castner, PhD, RN-BC, FAEN, FAAN serves as 2025-26 Executive in residence - Climate Leader at Duke University as a distinguished expert in nursing leadership and health policy. A board certified emergency nurse, Dr. Castner's scholarly impacts address the environmental drivers of emergency health outcomes. As the National Academy of Medicine's 2021-22 Distinguished Nurse Scholar in Residence, Castner contributed to evidence-based policy development at the federal level related to climate change, disasters, environmental health, clinician wellbeing, and artificial intelligence applications. Dr. Castner joins Duke University from the University at Albany where she is a full Professor.