Dr. med. univ. Kathrin Zangerl
Specialist in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Working Group Leader for Planetary Child Health at Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH)
My research focuses on how climate change and environmental changes affect the health, development, and lived experiences of children and adolescents.
In addition, I explore how education, communication, and teaching can be used to convey knowledge about climate change and health in an accessible and action-oriented way. Our work combines “Climate Change Education,” Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), transformative teaching, and Public Child Health with interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches—including in the training of medical students, geography students, healthcare professionals, and educators.
Why I joined the HCE
For me, the HCE serves as a central platform for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary exchange on climate, environmental, sustainability, and public health research at Heidelberg University. For my work at the intersection of climate change, children’s health, and societal transformation, collaboration with colleagues from various disciplines is essential—particularly from the fields mentioned above, but also from geography, education, the social and political sciences, and philosophy.
What I particularly value about the HCE is the opportunity to jointly develop research, education, and knowledge transfer projects of high societal relevance and to bring together diverse academic perspectives. At the same time, the network provides an important space for innovative ideas, new collaborations, and interdisciplinary externally funded projects in the field of planetary health.
My highlights so far
Interdisciplinary and participatory projects at the intersection of climate change, health, and education have had a particularly formative influence on my work to date. A key focus has been on developing child-centered research and participation approaches in the field of climate change and health—ranging from qualitative and discourse-analytical studies to citizen science and co-creation projects with children. Collaborating with colleagues from geography, philosophy, political science, social sciences, and medicine has been particularly enriching.
I also find the opportunity to further develop innovative teaching and educational formats in the field of planetary health together with colleagues from the HCE to be particularly valuable. The interdisciplinary exchange within the network has contributed significantly to opening up new perspectives on research, teaching, and societal impact, and to initiating successful collaborations.
My key partners
I work closely with colleagues in the fields of health, education, social sciences, and the humanities.
In addition, I engage in national and international collaborations with research institutions, local governments, educational institutions, health organizations, and civil society actors at the intersection of climate change, health, and sustainability.