Organizers are Temini Ajayi, Duke University, Nick Brazeau, UNC-Chapel Hill, Stephanie Folkerts, NCSU, and Melissa Manus, Duke University. As the field of evolutionary medicine continues to expand, there is an increased need for incorporating evolutionary perspectives and approaches in the medical field and educational setting. This importance of including evolutionary medicine in the medical school curriculum has been recognized recently by several evolutionary medicine leaders and efforts are being made to promote awareness and fuse the fields. However, few medical schools have formally incorporated evolutionary medicine into their curriculum or offer institutes focused on evolutionary medicine. The research triangle area is in the unique position to support evolutionary medicine collaborations among educational and research institutes by drawing on the strengths of the Triangle Center for Evolutionary Medicine (TriCEM). In addition, the research triangle is surrounded by top-ranked schools of medicine (Duke), global and public health (Duke Global Health Institute and UNC-Gillings), and veterinary sciences (NC-State). Thus, this groups aims to provide medical students, veterinary students, and graduate students with exposure and access to the field of evolutionary medicine through collaborations, seminars, and social gatherings.
