First International Symposium on Blue Zone Area Science

With the power of geographic information systems (GIS), we can become intentional about developing communities that help Build a Culture of Health. The 2017 Healthy People in Healthy Communities Conference is our concerted effort to connect and engage with people to embark on innovative pathways for improving the population’s health, enhance overall well-being, and foster greater equity in our society. We want to join the national shift toward building a culture of health in America and across our global communities.  

For the first time, research teams from the five demographically and epidemiologically confirmed blue zone regions will converge under the same roof to share their findings, and draw present day application for modern communities.  With this Symposium we want to underline the university’s legacy of promoting health, longevity and wholeness, while creating a platform for exploring the role of blue zone areas as a paradigm for public health practice.  We’ll strive to better understand the drivers of health and vitality for effective, multi-disciplinary public health action aimed at improving conditions that make us healthy. 

Other prominent and internationally renowned leaders are also on the docket to join the discussion. These include Dan Buettner, founder of the Blue Zones ™ Project and National Geographic Fellow, and Sandro Galea, MD, MPH, DrPH, Dean of the Boston University School of Public Health and one of the leading fore-thinkers in modern public health practice.