UCLA's Richard Jackson wins Heinz Award for his work on healthy design of cities

UCLA Health article
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Dr. Richard Jackson, a pediatrician, professor and chair of the department of environmental health sciences at UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health, has been honored with the prestigious Heinz Award for his environmental and public health research, which has sparked a national conversation about the relationship between the physical design of our communities and rising health risks.
 
The annual awards recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to solving some of society's most intractable problems.
 
Jackson, who is also a faculty member at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, has led a distinguished career calling attention to the high incidence of asthma, cancer, obesity, diabetes and depression among children and other vulnerable populations living in environments where they are exposed to harmful contaminants and where physical activity is discouraged.
 
Through his books, lectures and recent four-part PBS series, "Designing Helath Communities," Heinz has become a leading advocate for the smarter design of communities, in which public health issues are considered a priority in the construction of urban and suburban areas and in transportation.
 
The Heinz Awards, established by Teresa Heinz in 1993 in memory of her late husband, U.S. Sen. John Heinz, honor achievements in the arts and humanities; the environment (the category in which Jackson won); public policy; the human condition; and technology, the economy and employment. Each award carries an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. Nominations are submitted by invited experts, who serve anonymously, and are reviewed by jurors and the Heinz Family Foundation board of directors.
 
Jackson will join four other 2012 recipients in receiving the award on Oct. 11 at a ceremony in Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
Learn more about Jackson's work and the Heinz Award at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health website and the Heinz Awards website.
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