From: Nicole Ruggiano [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 3:01 PM Subject: LAST CALL: Conferece Track on Urban Health at the 2015 Meeting of the Urban Affairs Association Call for Papers for the: FIU Track on Urban Health Abstract Deadline: October 1, 2014 The Academic Health Center at Florida International University (FIU) is sponsoring a conference track on Urban Health at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Urban Affairs Association. When: April 8-11, 2015 Where: The Intercontinental Hotel, Miami, Florida For Details about the Conference: http://urbanaffairsassociation.org/conference/conference2015/ Growth and conditions of urban areas directly impact the health of individuals and communities across the globe, presenting both opportunities and challenges to promoting health, mental health, wellness, and health equity. Factors that may impact health in urban environments include: characteristics of urban populations and neighborhoods; local governance and politics; the built and natural environments; availability of health, mental health, and social services; current state of technology; preparedness of local providers; social and economic development; and food security. The goal of this track on Urban Health is to promote interaction and sharing of knowledge between researchers and practitioners whose work and interests relate to health in urban environments. The track welcomes participants from all disciplines addressing urban health problems, issues, interventions, and policy. Topics of interest are varied and may include: * How social, economic, technological, and environmental factors influence health and mental health among urban populations. * Innovative models use by hospitals, clinics, and other institutions to address the needs of urban populations that are diverse, multicultural, multilingual, transient, and/or aging in place. * Multi-disciplinary approaches (especially those involving urban planning, transportation, and social/economic development) for addressing health issues among urban population. * The role of policy, such as the Affordable Care Act, in addressing access to health and social services in urban areas. * Training and education models that prepare professionals to address the changing needs of urban community in the medical, public health, nursing, social work, psychology, dietetics/nutrition, health economics, biomedical engineering, and other health-related fields. * How spatial segregation and other neighborhood characteristics contribute to: physical and mental health disparities; access to health and social services; and types of available nutrition. * Characteristics of international, border, and port cities that influence health and wellness. * The role that advocacy and community organizing play in citizens’ efforts to promote health and wellness within their own urban communities. Abstract Proposal Formats The conference allows each participant to engage in one of the following formats: 1) individual paper presentation, 2) individual poster presentation, 3) informal breakfast roundtable, 4) pre-organized panel consisting of 4-5 individual papers, or 5) pre-organized colloquy session. Please refer to the UAA conference website for full descriptions of these formats. http://urbanaffairsassociation.org/conference/conference2015/submit-a-proposal/ All abstracts and session proposals must be submitted online using the UAA website. By October 1, 2014 at 12 mid-night Central Daylight Time or 5:00am GMT). Late proposals are not accepted. About The Sponsor: As Miami’s first and only four-year public research university, Florida International University (FIU) is Worlds Ahead in its service to the community. This special track on Urban Health is sponsored by the FIU Academic Health Center, with specific contributions from: * The Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, whose vision is to advance and integrate health and social welfare by seeking excellence in education, research, and service for diverse communities and a dynamic population. * The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, which strives to be South Florida's leader in providing clinically competent physicians to the local communities, and in discovering innovations in the science and delivery of medical care. * Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, which aims to be globally recognized as the higher education destination organization that is innovative, inquiry- driven and technologically advanced; drawing diverse top-class faculty, students, staff and others for positive transformation of society with a focus on the health care needs of underserved populations. * The Biomedical Engineering Department, which is committed to research excellence and innovation in clinical medicine and biomedical industry applications and lead education, research, and technology development in Florida. * The Center for Children and Families, a multidisciplinary team of researchers and service providers at Florida International University that is committed to working to improve the lives of children suffering from mental health problems and their families. Questions about the Track? Contact Dr. Nicole Ruggiano at [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> For questions about the conference send email to: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> About UAA: The Urban Affairs Association (UAA) is the international professional organization for urban scholars, researchers, and public service providers. Founded in 1969, the Urban Affairs Association is dedicated to creating interdisciplinary spaces for engaging in intellectual and practical discussions about urban life. Through theoretical, empirical, and action-oriented research, the UAA fosters diverse activities to understand and shape a more just and equitable urban world. Today, UAA includes over 700 institutional, individual, and student members from colleges and universities throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.