The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR), in collaboration with the Center for Public Health Initiatives, recently announced a photo contest on the theme of public health and the urban environmental landscape. The contest asks participants to submit images that emphasize ways that urban design has succeeded or failed to promote public health and well-being.

Submissions, accepted until Feb. 21, 2016, will be judged by a panel of public health and urban design experts. The first place winner will receive $200; two runners up will receive $50 each.

The contest is open to the public. To enter a photo, participants should tweet the image to Penn IUR (@PennIUR), along with a short description of the photo, the date and location that the photo was taken, and the hashtag #GreenHealth2016.

Winners will be announced on Thursday, Feb. 25 at the "Shaping the Urban Health and Environmental Landscape" symposium, to be held in the Fisher Fine Arts Library at the University of Pennsylvania. The symposium itself, which will run from 3-6 p.m., will focus on the link between urban design and public well-being, with presenters speaking about the latest research findings on best practices and health outcomes across the nation and how low-cost, place-based initiatives can transform health in urban areas. 

Speakers will include: 

• Charles Branas, Professor of Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania 
• Sara Heller, Professor of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania
• Rupal Sanghvi, Founder, HealthxDesign
• Bob Grossmann, Senior Director, Vacant Land, Philadelphia Horticultural Society

For additional information on the photo contest or to register for the symposium, visit the Penn IUR website.