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SLU to Host Summit for Water, Featuring Mona Hanna-Attisha, M.D., Leader in Uncovering and Addressing Flint Water Crisis

Mona Hanna-Attisha, M.D., one of the world's most influential pediatricians, scientists, activists and authors, headlines Saint Louis University鈥檚 Summit For Water, where she will be the keynote lecturer for the event. The SLU Summit for Water will be held on May 1 (in person), and May 2 (virtually), focusing on water research to build community resilience and engage stakeholders across multiple sectors and disciplines.

鈥淭his year's Summit For Water is about breaking down the silos of academia and fostering conversations around how research can translate meaningfully to community resilience and environmental sustainability in the real world,鈥� said Amanda Cox, Ph.D., director of the SLU WATER Institute. 鈥淎 big part of that is listening to and learning from community leaders and environmental organizations. We aim to explore how we can collaborate more effectively across sectors, and so we are excited for many of the sessions that are designed for that purpose including the incredible keynote from Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha.鈥� 

Dr. Hanna-Attisha was vital in uncovering the Flint water crisis and helped lead the charge for the recovery efforts. Since the discovery, Dr. Hanna-Attisha has traveled to Washington D.C. to testify in front of Congress about the need for safe water throughout the United States and the world, and is known as a leading expert on the topic. For her incredible work and activism, Dr. Hanna-Attisha was named one of Time magazine鈥檚 100 Most Influential People in the World and was recognized as one of USA Today鈥檚 Women of the Century. Her book, What the Eyes Don鈥檛 See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City, was also named one of The New York Times鈥� 100 most notable books. 

With concentrations in environmental health and health policy, Dr. Hanna-Attisha received her bachelor鈥檚 degree and Master of Public Health degree from University of Michigan. She completed her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and her residency and chief residency at Children鈥檚 Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. She is also the recipient of several honorary degrees and serves on several advisories/boards to advance the causes of health equity and social justice including the Flint Child Health and Development Fund, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) and Abraham Lincoln Brigades Archives (ALBA). 

鈥淲e are so honored that Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha will be a part of this year's summit,鈥� Cox said. 鈥淗er role in exposing the lead water crisis in Flint, Mich., and continuing to advocate for her community even when she faced daunting obstacles to do so, is an incredible example of using research and resources for community resilience and environmental justice. Her experiences and expertise will help connect the issues we are discussing here regionally to a broader, national level as we explore the theme of 鈥榳ater research to build community resilience,鈥� and we hope sharing her story will inspire people across sectors, experiences and communities to engage with these issues and advocate for change.鈥�

The first day of the summit, May 1, will be hosted in person at Saint Louis University's Midtown campus and will feature panels, networking opportunities, Dr. Hanna-Attisha鈥檚 keynote and more. Following her keynote, Dr. Hanna-Attisha will be available to sign copies of What The Eyes Don鈥檛 See, which can be purchased in limited quantities from the SLU bookstore, among other book retailers.  The second day of the summit, May 2, will be hosted virtually and feature faculty and student research presentations.

Topics covered at the summit will include conversations on climate change, PFASs, pollution, flooding, and microplastics, among many others. Visit the summit website to see the full agenda. 

The summit is free, but registration is required. 

Event Details

When: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. on May 1 - 2, 2023

Where: Monday, May 1: Busch Student Center, Saint Louis University, 20 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63103

Tuesday, May 2: Virtual Only

The WATER Institute would like to thank Culligan for its contribution and partnership for the 2023 SLU Summit for WATER. A full list of the event's sponsors and partners can be found here. 

About the Saint Louis University WATER Institute

The Water Access, Technology, Environment and Resources (WATER) Institute at Saint Louis University is an interdisciplinary research institute with the mission of advancing water innovation to serve humanity. To learn more, please visit www.slu.edu/water.