International Medical Geology Association
NEWS DIGEST FOR 2015
December 24, 2015
Postdoc Planetary Health positions at Harvard
The Planetary Health Alliance at Harvard University has created The Rockefeller Foundation Planetary Health Fellows program to enable recent doctorate recipients to tackle complex planetary health issues. Two positions are advertised on ResearchGate at https://www.researchgate.net/job/862705_Rockefeller_Foundation_Planetary_Health_Fellows_Program_at_Harvard_University.
China-Ireland Concord has expanded leadership
The IMGA China-Ireland Concord has expanded the members of the co-chairs and appointed a secretary general of the Concord. Let’s warmly welcome Prof. Yanxin Wang and Dr. Yamin Deng on board! The contact details of the new Concord members are available here.
December 23, 2015
A December report for the Sweden Chapter by new Chapter Leader Robert Wålinder is available in the Chapters section.
December 20, 2015
Obituary: Prof. Abimbola Akinlolu Festus
The Medical Geology family in Nigeria, and indeed, globally, has lost a founding member of IMGA from Nigeria and Africa. Until his demise last year, he worked hard for the establishment of an IMGA Chapter in Nigeria. These efforts led to the inauguration of a Chapter, two years ago at the University of Ibadan, where he was elected the first Chairperson. Prof. Abimbola Akinlolu Festus was also the Vice Chairperson for the evolving Africa Division of the International Medical Geology Association. The IMGA family globally condoles with his family and wishes him a peaceful rest in the great beyond.
November 19, 2015
Job Opportunities: US Food and Drug Administration
Two post doctoral fellowship job opportunities in nanotechnology are available. For more information please refer to the following documents: Position 1 and Position 2.
November 16, 2015
6th International Congress on Arsenic in the Environment
Arsenic Research and Global Sustainability (As2016)
June 19-23, 2016
Stockholm, Sweden
Website: http://www.as2016.se/
The abstract deadline has been extended for As2016. Please visit their website for more information.
November 7, 2015
DUST 2016 | 2nd International Conference on Atmospheric Dust
June 12-17, 2016
Castellaneta Marina - Taranto, Italy
Website: http://www.dust2016.org
The Associazione Italiana per lo Studio delle Argille (AISA) and the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analyses (IMAA-CNR) invite the submission of abstracts for DUST 2016. Please visit the conference web site for details and address your abstract to one of the 44 sessions listed at this link. Online abstract submission closes 16 November 2015.
November 5, 2015
New Local Chapters and reports
We extend a warm welcome to the new IMGA Local Chapters in Spain, led by Dr. Elena Gimenez Forcada and in Nigeria, led by Dr. Femi Akinade Shadrach Olatunji. The Spanish and Nigeria Local Chapters were approved by the IMGA Executive Committee at the October 2015 board meeting.
6-month reports for Local Chapters (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Iran, Russia-NIS, Sweden, UK, Uruguay) and the China-Ireland Concord are available on their respective pages.
Medical Geology Newsletter 26 is now available in the member section.
November 2, 2015
ISEH 2016 & Geoinformatics 2016 joint conference
August 14-20, 2016
Galway, Ireland
Website: http://www.nuigalway.ie/iseh2016/
Abstracts are now being accepted for the IMGA co-organised ISEH 2016 and Geoinformatics 2016 conference, to be held at National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway, Ireland, during August 14 - 20, 2016. The joint international conference of ISEH (International Symposium on Environment and Health) 2016 and Geoinformatics 2016 provides a historic opportunity for international experts working in several closely related areas of environment, health, geographical information system (GIS) and agriculture, to meet and share the latest understanding of the ever growing challenges between humans and our changing environment. ISEH is an internationally leading conference series in environment and health held every two years. Geoinformatics is the annual conference of the International Association of Chinese Professionals in Geographic Information Sciences (CPGIS). The joint international conference is organized by NUI Galway (Ryan Institute GIS Centre and School of Geography and Archaeology) and CPGIS.
IMGA members are given the member rate for the conference. Information is available on the registration page of the conference website.
October 29, 2015
2nd International Medical Geology Symposium
November 12-15, 2015
Konya, Turkey
Website: http://medicalgeology2.org/
We're a little late hearing about the 2nd International Medical Geology Symposium in Konya, Turkey. It's November 12-15, 2015 but there is still time to register for what promises to be an interesting symposium. Visit their website at medicalgeology2.org.
Sweden, China-Ireland, NIS and Argentina
October 27, 2015
6th International Congress on Arsenic in the Environment
Arsenic Research and Global Sustainability (As2016)
June 19-23, 2016
Stockholm, Sweden
Website: http://www.as2016.se/
The second circular is now available for the 6th International Congress on Arsenic in the Environment, themed Arsenic Research and Global Sustainability (As2016), to be held in Stockholm, Sweden in June 2016. The abstract submission and registration portal is now open at the Congress website at http://www.as2016.se/.
October 19, 2015
IMGA Chapter Stimulus Contest – Deadline 31 May 2017
In 2013, IMGA was pleased to establish a Chapter Stimulus Contest to help support the activities of Local Chapters. The contest is run every two years in conjunction with the MEDGEO conference series. IMGA makes a US$1000 prize available to support a project carried out by a Local Chapter to promote medical geology in their country. The competition is open to all IMGA Local Chapters with at least 5 paid members of IMGA. The next Chapter Stimulus Contest will be run in conjunction with the MEDGEO2017 conference and the winner will be announced at the conference in Russia in 2017. The details of the competition are on the Local Chapters page in the member section.
October 15, 2015
WHO calls for urgent action to protect health from climate change
The World Health Organization calls on the global health community to add its voice to the call for a strong and effective climate agreement, that will save lives, both now and in the future. Download the campaign notice and visit the WHO Road to COP21 page at http://www.who.int/globalchange/en/.
September 27, 2015
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GEOLOGÍA CON VISIÓN SOCIOAMBIENTAL (in Spanish)
The September issue is an excellent history-in-brief of forensic geology by Ana María Rojas of the Colombian Chapter. If you missed the June issue read it here (1.4 MB PDF). |
September 3, 2015
35th IGC Early Registration Opens
Early registration is now open for next year's International Geological Congress (35th IGC). This major IUGS sponsored event will take place at Cape Town at the International Convention Centre from 27 August to 4 September 2016.
Find out all about the Congress field trips, registration information, and abstract submissions here: http://www.35igc.org/.
August 6, 2015
New member site access
The member site login page has been updated and credentials have been e-mailed to all members. If you have not received an e-mail with your new password, please e-mail the webmaster (webmaster@medicalgeology.org).
Webinar tomorrow!
See the full description below. If you have not received an e-mail invitation from “anymeeting” please contact IMGA Co-chair Maria Aurora Armienta (aurora.armienta@gmail.com).
July 19, 2015
Webinar: Medical Geology - What we need to do for a healthy future
by IMGA founders Dr. Robert Finkelman and Dr. Olle Selinus
August 7, 2015 at 10 AM (Mexico City and Central USA time), 3 PM (GMT)
Important! If you have not received an e-mail invitation from “anymeeting” please contact IMGA Co-chair Maria Aurora Armienta (aurora.armienta@gmail.com).
Medical Geology has grown rapidly since the formal emergence of this discipline nearly a decade ago. This growth is evidenced by: the formation of international, national, regional, and local geology and health groups; the establishment of a regular series of international conferences (MEDGEO) as well as national conferences and technical sessions at scientific conferences; and the publication of numerous books and articles on the topic. But, the discipline is not as healthy as it should be. Among other ailments it suffers from a paucity of jobs, sparse funding, a lack of formal educational opportunities, and an absence of recognition and acceptance by established organizations. What can we do to improve the health of the discipline? We should all make a concerted effort to communicate with the broader geoscience community in which some view us as a curiosity and volunteer to give talks on what geology and health is all about and how it is relevant. As individuals and organizations we need to reach out to the public health organizations to convince them that we can be valuable collaborators rather than competitors we should organize sessions and give talks at their conferences. We need to be more creative in seeking funding support for our research e.g. approach state, regional, local geoscience, public health, environmental, water and air quality organizations. We need to educate the decision makers at every level as to the value of input from medical geology researchers in addressing a wide range of environmental health issues. And most of all we need success stories and clear demonstrations of how we have reduced suffering from environmental health problems. This is a prescription for a healthier future for medical geology.
Bob Finkelman is Research Professor in the Geosciences Department at the University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson, Texas, USA.
Olle Selinus is the 1996-97 founder of medical geology, then working at the Geological Survey of Sweden. Since 2010 he has been associated with the Linneaus University as guest professor, Kalmar, Sweden.
July 14, 2015
Revised final MEDGEO2015 program available
Organizers of the upcoming conference have released a revised final conference program (PDF).
July 13, 2015
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Last minute MEDGEO2015 information for IMGA attendees
All members are invited to the IMGA Meeting on Monday, July 27 from 17:30 to 19:30. The final conference program is available here. |
June 29, 2015
Executive Committee announces Councilors and MEDGEO venues
The Executive Committee welcomes new councilors for the 2015-2017 term: Hector Rubio (México), Darren Beriro (UK), Cassio Da Silva (Brazil), Laura Bogel (Chile), Ester Sztein (USA), and Iosif Volfson (Russia). Their term of office will begin this summer at the MEDGEO conference in Aveiro, Portugal.
The venues for future MEDGEO conferences have been selected based on proposals and member surveys. MEDGEO2017 will be held in Russia and MEDGEO2019 will take place in China.
June 25, 2015
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GEOLOGÍA CON VISIÓN SOCIOAMBIENTAL
The June issue is an excellent history-in-brief of medical geology by Ana María Rojas of the Colombian Chapter. |
June 24, 2015
Local Chapter Reports
6-month reports for Local Chapters are now available on their respective pages.
MEDGEO2015: 26 July – 1 August 2015, Portugal
Website: http://medgeo15.web.ua.pt
Contact: Dr. Carla Patinha (cpatinha@ua.pt) or Dr. Eduardo Da Silva (eafsilva@ua.pt)
The conference will be held at the University of Aveiro, Portugal during the week of July 26, 2015. As with previous conferences, contributions from all fields of biomedical, public health, and geoscience research will be presented.
- Theme 1 – Environment, risk assessment and remediation technologies
- Theme 2 – Trace elements, metals and metalloids, organic pollutants, radionuclides, and gases in environmental health and disease.
- Theme 3 – Climate change and human health
- Theme 4 – Therapeutic uses of earth materials
- Theme 5 – Modelling, mapping, biomonitoring and remote sensing applications of environmental hazards and human diseases
- Theme 6 – Urban medical geology
- Theme 7 – Advances in analytical methods
- Theme 8 – Environmental Toxicology and epidemiology
- Theme 9 – Veterinary Medical Geology
MEDGEO2015 is organized by the IMGA Portuguese Chapter. For further information please contact Dr. Carla Patinha (cpatinha@ua.pt) or Dr. Eduardo Da Silva at (eafsilva@ua.pt).
ISEG10: Reduced registration fee for IMGA members
Website: http://iseg10.com
Contact: Dr. Ron Watkins (R.Watkins@curtin.edu.au)
The International Symposium on Environmental Geochemistry has announced a reduced registration fee for SEGH and IMGA members. The standard early bird rate (before December 7, 2015) is AU$880 and is reduced to AU$770 for members of SEGH and IMGA. The official information is available on the ISEG 10 website and registration brochure.
This symposium is a leading international forum for scientists, consultants and public managers, working on the broad area of environmental geochemistry and health. Symposium participants will convey expertise in a range of scientific fields, such as geochemistry, biology, engineering, geology, hydrology, epidemiology, chemistry, medicine, nutrition and toxicology.
The geochemical environment has evolved and is complex. This insight is essential to understanding natural systems and the influence of human activities in order to devise appropriate management strategies. ISEG10 provides a forum for presenting original and innovative research in the broad area of environmental geochemistry. We encourage scientists, consultants, regulatory authorities and other practitioners (public health / environmental health) with an interest in the links between environment and health to meet, discuss, and share their research and experience. The symposium will promote awareness, enable recognition of the trans-boundary nature of current environmental issues and assist management through the application of appropriate techniques and strategies
Symposium themes:
1. Environmental Impacts of Small Scale Mining and Industry in the Developing World
2. Geochemistry of Acidic and Alkaline Environments
3. Geochemical Aspects of Climate Change
4. Emerging Contaminants
5. Mercury and the Metalloids in the Environment
6. Urban Geochemistry
7. Water Resources and Aquatic Environments
8. Analytical Environmental Geochemistry
Important dates:
Abstract submission: August 3, 2015
Acceptance notification: mid-September 2015
Final abstract submission: October 12, 2015
Copyright form submission: October 12, 2015
35th International Geological Congress
August 27 – September 4, 2016
Cape Town, South Africa
Website: www.35igc.org
An exciting Scientific Programme relating to the three core topics of the Congress is being planned:
• Geoscience for Society
• Fundamental Geoscience
• Geoscience in the Economy
Key Dates:
31 May 2015 Symposia proposals close
1 July 2015 Opening of abstract submissions, and applications for the GeoHost Support Programme
1 September 2015 ‘Super Early-bird’ registration opens
1 October 2015 Third Circular released
2 November 2015 ‘Early-bird’ registration opens
31 December 2015 Workshop and Short Course proposals close
31 January 2016 Abstract submissions close
1 March 2016 Fourth Circular released
30 March 2016 GeoHost support scheme applications close
31 March 2016 Formal notifications to authors on their abstracts
7 April 2016 Successful GeoHost applicants to be notified
22 April 2016 Volunteer applications close
1 May 2016 Accommodation bookings close
9 May 2016 Successful volunteers notified
31 May 2016 Presenters' registration deadline and Field Trip bookings close
1 June 2016 Standard registrations open and ‘Early-bird’ registrations close
1 July 2016 Fifth Circular released — preliminary programme
27 August 2016 On-site registration
IMGA is organising a session on Medical Geology at this conference:
Medical Geology Session
Prof. Hassina Mouri, University of Johannesburg
Dr. Bob Finkelman, University of Texas at Dallas
Dr. Olle Selinus, Linneaus University, Sweden
Medical geology has only relatively recently become a recognised discipline. The publication of a number of books on the subject and the formation of several international bodies have contributed to this development. Geoscientists, public health/biomedical researchers, chemists, geographers and veterinarians now routinely focus attention on the health issues related to natural materials and natural processes. The focus of this session is on the progress made in understanding and mitigating the health problems caused by trace elements, minerals, naturally occurring organics, radionuclides and gases.
June 1, 2015
Payment of IMGA dues. All Members please pay your dues.
Difficulties with the Payment System. Since February there has been an intermittent 'false error message' occurring with our transaction processing. We're sorry if this has caused you inconvenience or distress. Members who have experienced this problem should know that we expect that your payment has been received. If you wish to verify please contact the Treasurer (treasurer@medicalgeology.org).
February 24, 2015
SECOND WEBINAR
Estimating human exposure to potentially harmful elements in soils
Dr. Mark R. Cave (IMGA Editor-In-Chief), British Geological Survey
March 4, 2015
3:00 - 4:00 PM London, UK time
Members are encouraged to sign up; follow the link sent to you by email. Interested members of the professions are encouraged to join IMGA and then sign up to these types of prestigious events.
January 30, 2015
DUES NOW PAYABLE - 2015 Membership
The difficulties with our on-line payment system have been fixed and Members should now be able to pay their Dues without problem. Please note: when you click the final "Next Step" button your transaction leaves the control of the IMGA website. There may then be delays with the payment system as it is handled by DIBS (outside of IMGA's control). Sometimes notification pages within the money transfer sytem take a long time to refresh and internet transmissions may be affected by various local and internet-related causes. These issues are not the responsibility of IMGA; you are strongly advised to wait for a "payment received" confirmation message before disconnecting your computer.
January 30, 2015
THE WORLD MULTIDISCIPLINARY EARTH SCIENCES SYMPOSIUM - WMESS 2015
This Symposium comes up in September 2015 and includes a "Medical Geology" Session, (the Convener of this session is: Professor Uriah Alexander Lar, Department of Geology and Mining, University of Jos - Nigeria; email address: laru@unijos.edu.ng). Abstracts should be submitted as soon as possible by creating an account to log in to the WMESS 2015 on-line system - use the address give below. Presentations will be published as "proceedings" of the symposium.
Website: http://mess-earth.org/registration.html
January 30, 2015
BIOREACTIVE CLAY MINERALS; IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN HEALTH
There will be a Geology and Health-related session at the Euroclay Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland (July 5-10, 2015).
Conveners: Lynda B. Williams (Arizona State University, USA); Timothy P. Jones (Cardiff University, United Kingdom); Fernando Rocha (Universidade de Aveiro, Aviero, Portugal)
Humans and animals have historically used clays to aid in digestion, protect skin, heal wounds and soothe musculoskeletal ailments. Pharmacopeias from the 17th century highlight medicinal uses of clay minerals, yet the mechanisms by which clays can be healthful or detrimental remain largely unknown today. Nano-technological advances in the last decade have revitalized research on the interactions of clays in mammalian systems. In this session we invite research that highlights new insights on the roles of bioreactive clays affecting human health. In particular we encourage research on medical or veterinary applications of clays and the mechanisms by which clays are beneficial or detrimental. Topics may include uses of clays in drug delivery, pelotherapy, hemostatic wound dressings, geophagy, antibacterial clays and clay toxicology. An important focus is the application of novel solutions to promote environmental and human health.
Website: http://www.euroclay2015.org