11th Annual One Health Symposium

Migration & One Health Solutions

The University of California, Davis One Health Institute and Students for One Health will host the 11th annual One Health Symposium on Saturday, October 19, 2024 from 9AM-5PM PDT at the UC Davis ARC Ballroom.

Join us for this in-person event filled with insightful discussions and networking opportunities. Don't miss out on this chance to learn from experts in the field and connect with like-minded individuals passionate about the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health.

Registration: $15 admission (includes lunch and networking reception)

Agenda At-A-Glance

8:00 Welcome
Breakfast and registrant check-in
9:00 Opening Remarks
❯ Michael Ziccardi, DVM, MPVM, PhD (Executive Director - One Health Institute)
9:30 Plenary Speaker
❯ Fonna Forman, JD, PhD (Director - UC San Diego Center on Global Justice)
Fonna is a Professor of Political Science and Founding Director of the Center on Global Justice at the University of California, San Diego. She is known internationally for her revisionist research on Adam Smith, recuperating the ethical and public dimensions of his thought. Since 2009 she has served as Editor of the Adam Smith Review, the premier international journal of Smith’s thought. FULL BIO HERE
10:30 Session 1: Human Displacement + Refugees
❯ Keith Watenpaugh, PhD (Professor & Director - Human Rights Studies, UC Davis)
An American historian and theorist of human rights and humanitarianism, Watenpaugh is an expert on genocide, and the role of the refugee and the forcibly displaced human in world history. He is a leader of international efforts to defend the human rights of displaced and refugee university students and scholars, primarily those affected by the wars and civil conflicts in the Middle East, South Asia and East Africa.
FULL BIO HERE

❯ Mohammad Sediq Hazratzai, MD, MPH (Program Director - Center for Immigrant & Refugee Health, Public Health Institute)
Mohammad Sediq Hazratzai MD, MPH is the director of PHI’s Center for Immigrant and Refugee Health (formerly known as the Sehat Initiative), which was established in response to humanitarian and healthcare needs of refugees. CIRH focus is to improve the health and well-being of refugees in California and throughout the United States. Founded by medical and public health experts from within the refugee community, it serves as a crucial bridge between refugees and their wider medical and social environment. CIRH projects are implemented in close collaboration with refugees, community-based organizations, research, and academic institutions.
FULL BIO HERE

❯ Osman Sharifi, PhD (UC Davis School of Medicine)
Osman Sharifi, PhD is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Lasalle Lab at the School of Medicine, where he explores the genetic, epigenetic, and molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and Rett syndrome. His research lies in the field of Neurogenomics, which bridges neuroscience and cutting-edge genomics tools to understand how genetic disruptions influence brain development and function. During his PhD, Osman conducted extensive research in neurogenomics, focusing on the pathways that drive Rett syndrome disease progression, with the goal of informing therapeutic strategies. Originally from Afghanistan, Osman migrated to the United States as a refugee in 2001. This journey has shaped his academic and personal life, fueling his interest in advocacy for marginalized communities. Beyond his research, he is passionate about mentoring young scientists and promoting diversity and inclusion in the scientific community.
12:00 Lunch
Catered lunch, interactive booths, multimedia contest voting, and live music

Participating booths: Society for Conservation Biology, California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET), Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), UC Davis Global Affairs, Knights Landing One Health Clinic, Rx One Health, Heartworm Association, California Carnivores, UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, One Health Workforce Academies, UC Agriculture & Natural Resources
1:30 Session 2: Drivers of Wildlife Movement
❯ Fernando Nájera, MSc, PhD (Project Lead - California Carnivores)
Fernando recently joined the team as the Co-Director of the California Mountain Lion Project. Fernando completed his veterinary medicine degree at the Complutense University of Madrid, and after graduation worked in private practices, zoological institutions, and wildlife rehabilitation centers in different countries. He also completed an internship in Zoological, Exotic and Wildlife Medicine at the Oklahoma State University.
FULL BIO HERE

❯ Christine Wilkinson, PhD (Postdoctoral Scholar - UC Santa Cruz & California Academy of Sciences)
Christine Wilkinson is a conservation scientist, carnivore ecologist, and science communicator at the California Academy of Sciences and University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research is focused on the social-ecological drivers of human-wildlife interactions and carnivore movement through human-dominated landscapes in Kenya and California. Broadly, Dr. Wilkinson integrates participatory community engagement, wildlife ecology, and an environmental justice lens to better understand what may constitute equitable, just, and lasting human-nature relationships globally.
3:00 Session 3: Emerging Avian Influenza
❯ David Bunn, PhD (Conservation Policy Consultant)
David served as Director of the California Department of Conservation from 2015 to 2019. The Department of Conservation manages programs to conserve agricultural lands and watersheds, has oversight of mine reclamation, geological and seismic programs, and regulates oil, gas and geothermal resources. Previously, David served the State as Deputy Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife and as a natural resources policy consultant for the State Senate and Assembly.
FULL BIO HERE

❯ Maurice Pitesky, DVM, MPVM, DACVPM (Associate Specialist - UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)
Maurice Pitesky is a faculty member at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine-Cooperative Extension (UCCE) with an appointment in poultry health and food safety epidemiology. Pitesky’s research interests are focused in three major areas: 1) GIS based mapping/modeling to understand how avian diseases move in time and space. 2) novel data analysis and visualization tools to gain insights into poultry production and food safety and 3) gaining a better understanding of non-conventional commercial poultry production.
FULL BIO HERE
4:30 Group Reflection + Closing Remarks
❯ Michael Ziccardi, DVM, MPVM, PhD (Executive Director - One Health Institute)
5:00 Reception
Includes light refreshments and networking opportunities