The Flint Water Crisis was not just a failure of infrastructure — it was a failure of public health systems, government accountability, and the basic social contract that says your water should not poison you. And it is not over. Communities across the country face similar risks from aging infrastructure, inadequate monitoring, and environmental injustice.
Dr. Paul Kilgore conducted research on the Flint Water Crisis as a Wayne State University professor and epidemiologist. His work examined the health impacts of lead and other contaminant exposure on affected communities — contributing to the evidence base that documented one of the most significant environmental health disasters in modern American history.
This session tells the story of Flint through the lens of epidemiology: how the crisis unfolded, how researchers identified and quantified the damage, what the long-term health consequences are for exposed populations, and what systemic changes are needed to prevent the next Flint. Dr. Kilgore connects the Flint case to the broader field of environmental health — showing how water quality, air quality, soil contamination, and built environment factors shape population health in ways most people never see.
Attendees leave with a deeper understanding of environmental health risks, the tools to evaluate their own community's vulnerabilities, and a renewed sense of urgency about prevention.

Format: Keynote or panel. Duration: 45–60 minutes. Target audience: Public health professionals, environmental health advocates, government officials, community organizations, university audiences, journalism and media professionals. AV needs: screen, microphone, HDMI.