Short Term 2025: Practicum in Planetary Health
Practitioner-in-Residence: Jennifer Rasmussen ’07, RN, MPH
Brief Description: This course offers an introduction to planetary health – a field that explores the interconnectedness of human health and the natural systems that sustain it. Students will examine global environmental changes and their impacts on human well-being, while reflecting on how planetary health connects to their major or intended career. Activities include reflection journal entries, current event reviews, class discussions, and a final project presentation. Field trips and guest speakers will offer hands-on experiences and diverse perspectives on current challenges and solutions. By the end of the course, students will understand the critical links between environmental and human health and be equipped to apply planetary health to their academic and career paths.
Learning Goals:
- Understand the Foundations of Planetary Health
Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of planetary health, including its principles, key topics, and relevance to global environmental changes and human well-being. - Examine the Impacts of Environmental Changes on Health
Students will explore how global environmental changes, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, impact human health and well-being, with a focus on health inequities and environmental justice. - Engage with Diverse Perspectives and Practices
Through guest speakers, field trips, and activities, students will learn about diverse approaches to planetary health, including Indigenous knowledge and systems thinking, while identifying actionable solutions. - Connect Planetary Health to Individual Academic and Career Paths
Students will reflect on and identify connections between planetary health concepts and their own academic interests, professional goals, and personal experiences. - Foster Motivation, Hope, and Resiliency
Students will develop a sense of motivation, hope, and resiliency, inspiring them to take meaningful action on planetary health challenges in any career they pursue.
Class Schedule: Mon, Tues, Thurs 10-12 and 2-4
Instructor Bio
Jennifer Rasmussen, RN, MPH, is a registered nurse with over 12 years of experience in community health and home care. Since 2020, she has dedicated her professional work to the field of planetary health, focusing on education, advocacy, and global engagement. In 2022, she was selected as an Environmental Health Nurse Fellow with the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, where she worked alongside Boston-based organizations on climate change, health equity, and environmental justice. Currently, as an Education Fellow with the Planetary Health Alliance, Jennifer develops educational resources on planetary health and contributes to the Education Action Plan Group for the Planetary Health Roadmap, advancing planetary health principles across curricula, communities, and governance. Passionate about public health and protecting natural ecosystems, Jennifer has lobbied for improved air quality standards on Capitol Hill, written about eco-anxiety and environmental justice for respected publications, and has given presentations at national and international conferences. Jennifer holds a BA in Psychology with a minor in Anthropology from Bates College, a BS in Nursing from Simmons University, an MPH from UMass Amherst, and a certificate in Climate Change and Health from Yale University.