March 25, 2025

A new exhibit, “Interconnected: A One Health Exploration,” from Georgia Southern University’s Institute for Health Logistics & Analytics (IHLA) opens at the Georgia Southern Museum today, March 25, and runs through January 2026. The public is invited to join the opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight, with remarks at 5:30 p.m. by featured speaker Bruce Conn, Ph.D., from the One Health Center at Berry College.

One Health is a concept that highlights how human health is intricately connected to the health of animals, plants and the shared environment. 

The exhibit examines these connections, giving visitors an up-close look at how the health of one part influences the rest. The “Interconnected” exhibit is divided into four sections—human, animal, plant and environment—each demonstrating how changes in one can directly impact the others through vivid imagery and color.

“We hope visitors leave the exhibit with a deeper understanding of how improving health on a global scale leads to better health and well-being for all of us, as well as how they can make a positive impact at home in their own communities,” said Jessica Schwind, Ph.D., director of IHLA. “Understanding this interconnectedness is vital to our collective well-being.”

Young visitors will receive a One Health Explorer Journal activity booklet and have the opportunity to become a “One Health Hero,” with materials designed by IHLA’s Learning Experience Designer Michelle Tremblay. Every child who participates will receive a small prize. In addition, the exhibit will feature four hands-on activity stations designed to be fun and deepen visitors’ understanding of One Health.

“Interconnected: A One Health Exploration” also features an interactive animated series, which follows a group of One Health explorers as they learn how to improve health and well-being in their town. The series is presented on iPad stations throughout the exhibit that were custom-designed by Georgia Southern graphic design students Chantel Bailey and Haylie Hawkins. The series will also be available on the IHLA website. 

Collaborating with students to bring the One Health explorers to life helped exhibit developers combine storytelling and education in a captivating new way.

“Georgia Southern senior design practice students developed the design concept for this exhibit last fall,” said Brent Tharp, Ph.D., director of the Georgia Southern Museum. “We collaborated closely with IHLA to refine the content and design, ultimately creating an engaging and informative experience.”

As visitors leave the exhibit they can add their pledge for improving health through small, meaningful actions.

“Over the past year, we’ve worked diligently to develop an exhibit program that connects the public with ways they can positively impact both their own health and the health of others,” said Deborah Harvey, IHLA exhibit lead. “Exhibits like this, as well as our ‘Outbreak’ exhibit and traveling ‘Emergency Preparedness’ exhibit, are an effective way to inspire change and raise awareness about the importance of our collective well-being.”

For more information about the exhibit, visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu/ihla and look for the exhibits page.