Exploring Public Health Impacts of Climate Change on Water in Philadelphia Region Through Artistic Reflections

Please join us for an evening of conversation about art and public health with physician and public health expert Dr. Pouné Saberi and artist Dr. Pia De Girolamo, MD. They will explore the physical and mental health impacts of climate change and how creative expressions offer solutions. Ellen Schultz, FWWIC Director of Strategic Partnership will facilitate a dialogue between our featured speakers, followed by interactive audience participation.

Dr. Pouné Saberi, MD, MPH, has been a physician for more than 20 years currently specializing in Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. She is a member of the board of directors for Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania. She is a subject matter expert on environmental health, public health implications of sources of energy production, and nexus of climate change and human health.

Pia De Girolamo, MD is a painter whose primary medium is acrylic on canvas. She lives in the Greater Philadelphia area. Her work has referenced both natural and urban landscapes, botanical themes, and the figure. De Girolamo has had 14 solo exhibitions, in the US and in Italy. De Girolamo has a BA in Art History from Barnard College, Columbia University, an MD degree from the University of Rochester, and she specialized in Infectious Diseases at the University of Pennsylvania. She lectures on the relationship between art and medicine as well as the connections between art, nature, and health. Her awarded work has been acquired for collections by the Museo Mastroianni, Rome, PNC Bank, Pittsburgh, PA and Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.

This lecture is part of a series of discussions sparked by an exhibition titled SUBMERGED: A Changing Global Climate. This special exhibition’s theme centered on flooding and Global Climate Change is directed by Karen Young for the Fairmount Water Works and curated by Thom Duffy.

The exhibition’s purpose is to bring focus to historic and current extreme weather events impacting our region and the Planet’s struggle for survival.

The exhibition is brought to you in part by the Fund for the Water Works and the Ed F. Grusheski Water Literacy Foundation.