Program Directed by
Julian Hartmann-Russell
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
Dive into issues of climate, medicine, and health alongside peers, educators, and leading professionals from the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard Chan C-CHANGE). Choose an Action Focus based on your interests and explore how climate change is intertwined with science, public health, medicine, economics, and policy. Gain perspective from researchers, health practitioners, policymakers, youth activists, climate creatives, and clean energy innovators at the forefront of tackling the climate crisis. Take what you have learned and transform your ideas into a Community Action Plan, and return home ready to address these issues in your own community.
Students will receive a Certificate of Completion from the director of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE at the end of the program, and a written evaluation from their action focus instructor—as well as a new network of peers, professionals, and friends.
This program was developed with the support of Gina McCarthy, the former National Climate Adviser in the Biden-Harris Administration and former Director of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE.
- Program Highlights
• Meet Harvard experts working at the forefront of climate issues and public health
• Discover how climate science can be used to predict health outcomes and mitigate challenges
• Join workshops with climate influencers and engage with guest speakers
• Explore your Action Focus in depth through field trips and excursions around Boston
• Visit the Boston Museum of Science and Harvard’s campus museums
• Discover how climate science can be used to predict health outcomes and mitigate challenges
• Join workshops with climate influencers and engage with guest speakers
• Explore your Action Focus in depth through field trips and excursions around Boston
• Visit the Boston Museum of Science and Harvard’s campus museums
“The knowledge and advice I got from this program will be invaluable to my activism.”
—Otto E., Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood, NJ
Your path
Choose an Action Focus
Each student chooses an Action Focus based on their interests—Communications; Entrepreneurship; Global Health; Healthcare; or Policy & Advocacy. This Action Focus acts as the lens through which students view the challenges of climate change and public health.
While the scientific consensus around climate change is clear, polarized media outlets and an abundance of misinformation have prevented a shared public understanding of the facts. How do mainstream and alternative news outlets narrate stories of climate...
What roles do technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and scientific advancement play in mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects? What current technologies have already been employed and what developments are on the horizon? Delve into...
Learn how climate solutions are health solutions. How does extreme weather impact health around the world? In what ways can climate mitigation and adaptation strategies be designed to improve health outcomes, particularly for communities most vulnerable...
Explore the ways in which climate change intersects with healthcare. Where and how is clinical practice impacted by emerging climate and public health realities? What responsibility do doctors and other healthcare providers have in addressing and raising...
How does policy impact progress on climate change? How can you get involved and be an advocate for climate action? How can you get involved and be an advocate for climate action? What policies have been implemented and/or rolled back that accelerate or...
Featured
Instructors
Our instructors are accomplished academically and professionally. They bring to each seminar deep content knowledge and experience in their field, as well as enthusiasm for their subjects, a passion for teaching, and a proven capacity to connect with and inspire students. They are dedicated and caring individuals who also live in dormitories with students, sharing in their lives and fully participating in extracurricular activities.
Guest Speakers
Guest lecturers bring to the program diverse backgrounds with high-level, real-world experiences and insights. Each speaker structures their lecture to relate to the various Action Focuses and their area of expertise. For example, an expert in air quality and pulmonary disease might discuss how air quality is directly linked to climate change and how communities of color in urban areas are the most affected by pollution and a lack of access to healthcare. They might expand on how health issues stemming from poor environmental health can be addressed in a local community, on a global scale, or through policy changes that will have a direct impact on the future spread of infectious disease. Meet last year’s speakers below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Review specific program questions here. For more general information, visit our full FAQ:
Harvard
Learn from experts at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, as well as policymakers, academics, and scientists working in fields related to climate change and public health. Participate in workshops, attend lectures, and take advantage of all Boston has to offer.
Guest Speakers
Gain inspiration from the experiences and perspectives of the Director of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE, Harvard professors, former and current policymakers, journalists, advocates, and clean energy innovators.
Community Action Plan
Develop a Community Action Plan based on your interests and round out the program with a presentation to your peers, sharing your vision for practical action to make lasting change when you return home.
Outcomes & Final Projects
Attain critical climate change and public health content knowledge. Develop a Community Action Plan that can be implemented in your school or town, or inspire your life path. Grow a network of peers and youth leaders to continue the work started at the summit.
Activities & Excursions
In addition to thematic program activities, students have the opportunity to explore all the culture, history, and cuisine that Boston, Cambridge, and Harvard have to offer, from the Boston Common and the North End to the Harvard science museums and Harvard Yard. Stroll the streets of Harvard Square, kayak the Charles River, or play frisbee on the Harvard Medical School quad.
Community
Become part of a community of high school students and instructors with diverse interests and a shared passion for implementing climate solutions. Students hail from across the U.S. and around the world, creating a vibrant and dynamic community of motivated, driven individuals, each bringing a unique perspective and life experience.
Accommodations & Meals
Students and residential instructors live in a traditional residence hall at Simmons University, a short walk from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Rooms are singles, doubles, and triples, and are assigned by age; genders are separated by floor; and staff reside on the same floors as students. Residence halls have 24-hour front desk security, high-speed wifi, air conditioning, and on-site laundry facilities.
Program structure
A Day in the Life: Boston​
Due to the traveling nature of this summer program abroad, each day is different. Here is a snapshot of a day during our time in Torshavn.
- Morning
9:00am
Enjoy breakfast with your group
10:00am
Meet with your Action Focus group on campus to discuss topics for the day
- Afternoon
12:00pm
Break for lunch at the Harvard Chan School with friends and your instructor
1:00pm
Meet with a guest speaker, then venture around Boston and explore your Action Focus topic in the field
4:00pm
Participate in group activities or work on independent projects
- Evening
6:00pm
Enjoy a summer barbeque on the quad, or have dinner with around Boston
8:00pm
Community meeting to discuss the day and upcoming schedule
“I’m constantly inspired by the young people whose creativity and passion have led the climate movement forward to where it is today. They understand better than anyone what’s at stake for health with climate change and know that we must have strong public health systems to meet the challenges we face. Our goal is to equip students with the science and communications skills they need to put their passion into practice, so they can make their communities healthier and stronger.”
—Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Interim Director, Harvard Chan C-CHANGE
Featured
Alumni in the News
From lobbying local selectboards to developing sustainable agriculture plans, Youth Summit alumni come away from the program with actionable plans that can be implemented in their home communities. Here are just a few of our Summit alumni in the news.
Scholarships​
Full and partial need-based scholarships will be available for the 2026 Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit on Climate Science, Medicine, & Health. The scholarships provide opportunities for underrepresented students to become the next generation of climate and public health leaders.
How to Apply for a Scholarship
To be considered for a scholarship, candidates must meet eligibility criteria and complete an application. For more information and to access application materials, please visit the Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Scholarship Opportunities page.
