JR.; M.; Arriaza, Bernardo T.; Bendrey, Robin; Blevins, Kelly Elaine; Gottdenker, Nicole L.; Gowland, R. L.; Klaus, Haagen D.; Lagia, Anna; Littleton, Judith; Maasch, Kirk A.; Marques, Carina; Moore, Joanna; Nelson, Elizabeth A.; O’Donnell, Lexi; Roberts, Charlotte Ann; Sandweiss, Daniel H.; Santos, Ana Luisa; Schuenemann, Verena J.; Shin, Donghoon; Stone, Anne C.; Tomasto-Cagigao, Elsa; van Schaik, Katherine D.; Walser, Joe W.; Webster, Emily; Wilson, Jordan A.; Wissler, Amanda; Zuckerman, Molly Kathleen; Robbins Schug, Gwen; Uhl, Elizabeth W.; & Buikstra, Jane Ellen. (2026). Assessing the effectiveness of the one paleopathology workshop. Evolution, Medicine and Public Health, 14(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoaf041
“One Paleopathology” is a new concept in the study of ancient diseases that applies the One Health approach—linking human, animal, and environmental health—to historical populations. A workshop at the University of Durham, UK, held before the 2024 International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health meeting, aimed to both define and expand this concept and encourage cross-disciplinary research and outreach. Two surveys—one immediately after the workshop and another a year later—measured both tangible outcomes, such as new research projects, and changes in participants’ understanding and use of transdisciplinary approaches.
The workshop successfully met its goals. Participants embraced the One Paleopathology framework, and eight new research projects were launched as a result. Over the following year, participants reported applying cross-disciplinary methods in their ongoing research, demonstrating a lasting impact. Overall, the workshop sparked new collaborations and research agendas and encouraged the integration of transdisciplinary thinking into long-term work, showing that it had a meaningful and sustained influence on the field.
Figure 1
The logic model used for the One Paleopathology workshop with specific goals, we were able to evaluate the outputs (direct products) as well as outcomes (the changes in attitude or knowledge that reflected the accomplishment of those goals.