APH is offering 6 Sustainability Booster Grants to APH researchers, each with a value of maximum €5.000,-. The booster aims to strengthen sustainable research practices within APH. To compete for this booster grant, you have to submit an eligible booster plan and attend the APH Annual Meeting on November 25, 2025. At the end of the Annual Meeting, 6 winners will be selected during the plenary closing ceremony based on random selection.

Sustainability in Public Health
The concept of sustainability is often described through the three Ps: people, planet, and profit. This framework considers the social dimension (people), by ensuring that health initiatives benefit communities and reduce inequalities; the environmental dimension (planet), by promoting healthier environments and reducing negative ecological impacts; and the economic dimension (profit), by ensuring that outcomes hold economic value. In public health research, the focus is on particularly the people and planet aspect.

Sustainability in public health can be approached from multiple angles. It includes what is being studied, how it’s being studied and the role of the researcher, institutions and systems within the research landscape. From this broad perspective, we can distinguish three complementary angles:

  1. Research at the intersection of planetary and human health – studies and projects on measures and interventions that benefit both planetary and human health, such as active transport and sustainable mobility, urban greening and mental health, and sustainable food consumption patterns.
  2. Research on the health impacts of climate change – projects that examine the consequences of climate change on population health, for instance through shifting patterns of infectious diseases, heat stress, and air quality, and that develop strategies to mitigate risks and inequalities, and strengthen community resilience.
  3. Initiatives promoting sustainable behavioral change within the academic community – projects that stimulate more sustainable practices among APH researchers, for example by improving the sustainability of food provision within the organization, encouraging greener travel choices, and reducing energy or material use.

Examples of relevant sustainability in public health topics that can be incorporated in a Sustainability Booster Plan are:

  • Healthy and sustainable living environments, i.e., projects that contribute to cleaner air, greening of neighborhoods and stimulate active mobility.
  • Sustainable health care practices, i.e., initiatives to reduce waste, stimulating re-use and reducing ecological footprint of health care or research processes
  • Sustainable food systems, i.e., activities on promoting health, local and plant-based food in communities.
  • Creating awareness and education, i.e., campaigns and training programs to increase awareness on sustainability among researchers, professionals and citizens.
  • Sustainable collaborations and knowledge exchange, i.e., establishing networks and collaborations that focus on innovations in sustainability in public health (research).
  • Digital solutions, i.e., development and implementation of digital tools that support sustainable behavioral change.
  • Inclusive, participative, and resilient social communities, i.e., projects to maintain and empower social systems.

Examples of Booster plan activities include small research projects, organizing network events, creating working groups, seminars, dissemination campaigns, training and education projects and developing (digital) tools, platforms, guidelines or materials.

APH Sustainability Booster Plan

Your booster plan should consist of title, a short motivation, a clear description of your sustainability in public health booster plan, and a budget plan. Before submitting, consult your supervisor(s) or other relevant colleagues about the feasibility of your plan. Download your booster plan application form below, and submit it via aph@amsterdamumc.nl before Monday October 13, 2025 (12:00 hrs).

All booster plans will be judged on eligibility by the APH Support Office based on the conditions below. You will be informed latest October 30 whether your plan will participate in the random selection lottery during the plenary closing ceremony at the APH Annual Meeting.

Conditions

  • Your booster plan fits within the ‘Sustainability in Public Health’ scope as described above and is feasible.
  • Your booster plan should be executed and the budget must be spent before 1 December 2026.
  • Only actual costs made as laid out in the budget plan will be paid/reimbursed.
  • You are a junior or midcareer researcher affiliated with APH (checked in PURE, see affiliation instructions here).
  • Submit your plan via e-mail with your supervisor in cc.
  • You are present at the Annual Meeting in the morning to submit a printout of your booster plan.
  • You are present at the Annual Meeting’s closing ceremony during the plenary afternoon session to receive the grant if you are randomly selected. If you are not present, another booster plan will be selected.
  • You can submit only one booster plan.
  • Each booster plan should be unique, the same proposal cannot be submitted multiple times by different applicants.