For Maine. For the Nation. For the Planet.
The David Evans Shaw Institute for Public and Planetary Health at the University of New England is inspired by David Shaw’s legacy. From the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic to the accelerating impacts of climate change leading to the degradation of vital ecosystems, recent events have underscored how human health and planetary health are inextricably woven together. They are, in effect, one and the same, with the health of one contingent on the health of the other. We are also living at a time when universities are being asked to do more than confer degrees. We are being challenged to serve, to lead, and to respond to the needs of our communities and of our shared future. The Institute for Public and Planetary Health is our answer to that call. It is rooted in science. It is inspired by our mission, and it is driven by the belief that the health of people and the planet depends on our ability to innovate and to work across boundaries.
Academic Programs
The David Evans Shaw Institute for Public and Planetary Health fosters an environment of self-discovery, growth, and community — where interdisciplinary collaboration prepares students to address the complex planetary challenges of our time.
Business, Sustainability, and Entrepreneurship
Lead organizations and launch ventures that balance innovation, impact, and growth through interdisciplinary programs uniting strategy, sustainability, and entrepreneurship to drive industry and community change.
Climate Change Leadership
Lead the response to climate challenges with an online, multidisciplinary program that spans science, business, and public health — building the skills to influence policy, drive sustainability, and create lasting, innovative solutions for healthier communities and ecosystems around the world.
Environmental Science
Study the systems shaping our natural world through science-driven, experiential learning, developing the skills to analyze complex environmental challenges, inform policy, use geospatial tools to guide decision-making, and protect ecosystems and communities for generations.
Marine and Ocean Science
Study coastal and ocean systems through hands-on learning in Maine's marine environment and prepare for careers in ocean health and conservation.
Nutrition
Create or advance your career in nutrition with flexible pathways — bachelor’s and master’s — that prepare you to meet today’s individual and community needs.
Public Health
Build the knowledge and skills to advance health equity and drive change in policy, education, and practice through interdisciplinary learning and real-world experience.
Institute for Public and Planetary Health Research
| Extramurally Funded Research and Training | Award Amount |
|---|---|
| Principal Investigators | 33 |
| Active Projects | 67 |
| Total Awards | $35 million |
| Focus Areas Supported by Extramural Funding | Research Focus |
|---|---|
| Environmental Exposure and Health | Studies impacts of environmental conditions on population health |
| Food Systems, Policy, and Planetary Health | Examines sustainability, nutrition, and food policy intersections |
| Climate Change, Resilience, and Restoration | Focuses on adaptation, restoration, and climate resilience planning |
| Workforce Training and Development | Strengthens public health capacity through education and training |
| Behavioral Health and Addiction | Addresses mental health, substance use, and access to care |
Transformative Leadership: The Legacy of David Evans Shaw
David Evans Shaw is a visionary leader whose life work has been about building bridges between entrepreneurial achievement and the public good — through innovation with purpose, collaboration with competition, and passion with optimism. One of Shaw’s guiding principles is to question conventional wisdom and challenge conventional paradigms.
Interdisciplinary Centers and Offices
Leading research, innovation, and policy to support aging populations
Center for North Atlantic Studies
Building sustainable communities across the North Atlantic and Arctic regions
Center for Public Health Practice
Advancing community health through applied research, innovation, and policy
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Fostering cross-disciplinary innovation to turn ideas into real-world impact; home of the Shaw Innovation Fellows
Office of Sustainability
Creating collaborative solutions for a thriving planet and equitable future
UNE faculty collaborate across colleges — from medicine and marine science to AI and business — and contribute to national and global networks, including Planetary Health Alliance.
For UNE Students: Clear interdisciplinary pathways to advanced degrees, experiential learning opportunities, planetary health competencies, and the chance to be part of something larger
For UNE Faculty: A community for collaboration and innovation across disciplines
For Maine: A strengthened workforce prepared to address urgent state needs
For the World: Contributions to national and global solutions redefining what health means in the 21st century
Institute Leadership
More About the Institute of Public and Planetary Health
By design, the David Evans Shaw Institute of Public and Planetary Health unites expertise in health sciences, public health, environmental and marine science, and sustainable business to solve planetary health challenges, such as coastal resilience, sustainable farming and ocean food systems, mental health, and healthy aging. For our students, the Institute of Public and Planetary Health provides a sense of identity, purpose, and community within a multidisciplinary learning environment. For our faculty and professional staff, the Institute of Public and Planetary Health serves as a launching pad for collaboration and innovation. And for our external partners, the Institute of Public and Planetary Health will become a hub for productive collaboration across Maine, the region, and the globe. It will strengthen our service to the community, educating a workforce for Maine that understands how to simultaneously care for people, the communities in which they are embedded, and our shared planet.
Through deep and intentional collaboration, we will engage diverse external partners and prepare students as systems-level thinkers, leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers. The Institute of Public and Planetary Health is committed to educating future leaders who understand and act collaboratively on grand challenges; create value for people, society, and the planet; and blend professional achievement with a passion for stewardship and impact. By bearing his name, the David Evans Shaw Institute of Public and Planetary Health will highlight David Shaw’s extraordinary legacy of boldly transcending boundaries to address the biggest challenges of our time.