Anthropology and Engineering: Technological Innovations in Global Health

Sunday, February 19, 2012: 8:30 AM-11:30 AM
Room 215-216 (VCC West Building)
Recent technological innovations for global health that involve interdisciplinary teams of engineers, epidemiologists, social scientists, and others hold great promise for surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment. These technological innovations can reduce disparities in health care across the globe. For example, the proliferation of mobile communication devices and innovations in these devices provide the opportunity to reach remote populations with inadequate access to health care. This step will dramatically improve the quality of life and economic well-being of these populations. This symposium will feature several innovations that are in use or being tested for point-of-care technology to address problems in infectious diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, or gastrointestinal diseases related to contaminated water sources. This symposium will present case studies of various innovations to make health care more affordable in both developing and developed nations. Speakers will include the inventors of these new technologies, public health experts, and anthropologists who will discuss issues related to culture, equity, ethics, and use.
Organizer:
Margaret Bentley, University of North Carolina
Co-organizers:
Ram Sriram, National Institute of Standards and Technology
and Don Giddens, Georgia Institute of Technology
Speakers:
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