June 2026 Apothek Dispatch
Decoding the signal: health x environment x technology
Welcome to the June 2026 Apothek Dispatch, where we decode the signal on health, environment, and technology.
This month I’ve been working on a new article on health insurance in the United States. It explores the history of patchwork regulation behind our fragmented, inequitable system that increasingly leaves people without access to the care they need. A recent Gallup poll found that “...fewer than half of Americans can consistently afford healthcare.” The article I’ve been writing (alongside co-author Alison Hoover) tries to explain how we got here. It will be co-published here on the dispatch and with Science Politics on June 29… so stay tuned!
In the meantime, June has no shortage of important stories for this month’s dispatch from the health, environment, and technology sectors. The Ebola virus outbreak has continued to grow in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Meanwhile, closer to home we’re seeing negative consequences for our health system associated with intensified immigration enforcement. It’s also tick season, so we’ll discuss how to enjoy the outdoors while avoiding Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses. From the environment sector, the El Niño cycle is officially here, and we’ll dive into what this means alongside a new report on the impacts of extreme heat for cities. Finally from the technology sector, I’ll summarize a few recent publications showing the surprising growth of AI use among students, physicians, and patients.
We’ll close with current opportunities: jobs, consultancies, fellowships, and grants for those working at critical frontiers.
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Health: Global Vital Signs and Personal Wellness
The case numbers and death toll of the Ebola virus outbreak continues to rise in the DRC and Uganda. Officials from the Africa CDC have warned that, without urgent action, this could become the worst outbreak of the disease on record. Public health physician and Ebola survivor Dr. Craig Spencer shared his perspective via the Substack post below:
His main points are that we’re likely underestimating the case count and we’re not doing enough contact tracing. Jeremy Konyndyk, a former US government official I worked with on the USAID COVID-19 task force, agrees, noting in his NYT op-ed that the “United States has undermined its ability to help by shuttering U.S.A.I.D., cutting staff at C.D.C. and withdrawing from the W.H.O.”
Closer to home here in the US, immigration enforcement has crossed into clinical spaces with compounding public health consequences, as reported by this article in Science Politics. In early 2025, the administration rescinded the Sensitive Locations Policy expanding enforcement actions to hospitals, clinics, schools, and churches. Since then, undocumented individuals have increasingly avoided seeking medical care. Even naturalized citizens are skipping appointments. The consequences of foregone or delayed care are obvious and fall on the wider health system: simple clinical presentations progress to medical emergencies, missed immunization doses lead to preventable community outbreaks, and the burden associated with uncontrolled disease is shifted to the most expensive, least effective points of care.
On the theme of personal health, this looks like a bad year for ticks. Warmer winters are expanding tick populations and ranges, with the lone star tick pushing further north into New England, the gulf coast tick extending its footprint across the Southeast, and even mid-atlantic cities feeling the impact. Nearly 500,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, making it the most common vector-borne disease in the country, and the federal government has taken notice with new funds allocated toward public awareness, prevention, treatment, and an ambitious goal of reducing Lyme incidence by 25% over the next decade. A vaccine remains a distant hope, as the only FDA-approved Lyme vaccine was withdrawn in 2002 following anti-vaccine pressure. The closest candidate in the pipeline showed 73% efficacy in trials but has not yet reached the market. In the meantime, personal protection is your best bet: treat your shoes and clothing with permethrin, tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants, use insect repellent with DEET, and do a full body tick check after every outing. The ticks may be small, sometimes as small as a poppy seed, but the consequences of a missed bite are not.
Environment: Climate Risks and Planetary Solutions
The El Niño cycle is now here, and this one could be the strongest we’ve seen this century. The downstream consequences for agriculture are serious: India, which produces the majority of the world’s rice, is projected to have a weaker monsoon season, while drier and hotter conditions could reduce maize yields across southern Africa. These pressures compound an already strained global food system, with farmers worldwide facing higher input costs following recent disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, a new report from People’s Courage International — Hot Cities Make Hard Work Harder — documents how extreme heat is hitting urban informal workers in South and Southeast Asia. 70% of those surveyed reported that rising heat had significantly disrupted their lives and livelihoods. Extreme heat was found to be a factor in rising levels of debt and lower worker productivity. The urban heat island effect amplifies the problem, with informal settlements bearing the worst exposure alongside the least resources towards mitigation.
Technology: Innovation and Evolving Frontiers
Three surveys published this Spring paint a consistent picture of how deeply AI has penetrated everyday life, and served as timely references for a public lecture on AI and health I delivered at Georgetown in April. RAND found that 62% of students from middle school through college reported using AI for homework help, with 67% of them having enough self awareness to note that increasing AI use harms their critical thinking skills. Among physicians, the AMA found that more than 80% now use AI professionally. And KFF reported that more than 30% of adults are turning to AI chatbots for health information and advice. The throughline across all three reports: AI adoption is outpacing any coherent framework for using it well, in classrooms, clinics, and living rooms alike.
Opportunity Signals
For RIF’d public servants from the foreign affairs community, the DACOR Bacon house is offering free “privileges of the house” that includes access to events at member pricing, the ability to reserve guest rooms, and “stop by/in” rights to the house during business hours.
Looking for a co-working space in DC? Former Gov and Eaton House are providing a weekly co-working space for the former government and military community on Tuesdays from 9a-5p. This is also a chance to connect with colleagues from Career Pivot for resume review or a mini-coaching session. Sign up here. [EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 2026]
Fellowships & Grants:
GSA Office of Evaluation Services Fellowship Deadline June 24, 2026.
ReNew Democracy Fellowship Deadline June 30, 2026 (Program runs January - September 2027).
DARPA Innovation Fellowship No Deadline specified.
American India Foundation AI Impact Fellowship: For US citizens and permanent residents or citizens of India. Program dates: September 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
Senior Roles:
Unit Head AI and Frontier Technologies (WHO) Deadline July 1.
Executive Director (American Hiking Society) No deadline specified.
Director of Evidence and Impact Analytics (DIV Fund) No deadline specified.
Health Program Director (National Governors Association): No deadline specified.
Executive Officer, National Academy of Medicine: No deadline specified.
Senior Manager (Instiglio): (Kenya based) No deadline specified.
Director, Tobacco Control, Africa Region (Vital Strategies) No deadline specified.
Mid-Career Roles:
Technical Officer – Digital Health and AI (WHO) Deadline June 29.
Senior Associate, Public Health Data Improvement (PEW) No deadline specified.
Deputy Director of Health Policy (The American Legion) No deadline specified.
Call for Applications: Health Systems Strengthening Experts (MSH)
Call for Applications: Health Service Delivery Experts (MSH)
Call for Applications: Health Economics and Financing Experts (MSH)
Call for Applications: Supply Chain & Pharmaceutical System Strengthening Experts (MSH)
Senior Program Officer- Market Shaping (R4D) No deadline specified.
Emergency Preparedness & Response Manager (Arlington County) No deadline specified.
Environment & Health Data Scientist, Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (Vital Strategies): No deadline specified.
Program Officer, Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (Vital Strategies): No deadline specified.
Multiple mid-career contractor roles with the State Dept-GHSD Bureau: No deadline specified.
Manager, Public Policy Support, Safer Chemicals Project (Pew): No deadline specified.
Senior Associate, Private Sector, Safer Chemicals Project (Pew): No deadline specified.
Senior Associate, Communications and Digital Media, Global Health Advocacy (UN Foundation): No deadline specified.
Early Career Roles
Communications Intern (WRI) Deadline June 30, 2026.
Community Health Worker (CVS) Deadline July 28, 2026.
Associate Director of Research (CFR) No deadline specified.
Social Research Internship (TurnItIn) No deadline specified.
Environmental Health Specialist (Arlington County) No deadline specified.
Intern, Policy, U.S. Climate Alliance (UN Foundation) No deadline specified.
Program Associate, Tobacco Control (Vital Strategies) No deadline specified.
Program Assistant (PSI) No deadline specified.
Intern, Federal and External Affairs, U.S. Climate Alliance (UN Foundation): No deadline specified.
Johns Hopkins U: Developer II (International Health) [requires computer science skills] No deadline specified.
Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine: Program Analyst (Clinical Affairs) [PMP certification preferred] No deadline specified.
Conferences / Training
International Conference on Urban Health, October 13-17, 2026 in Mexico City.
Global Digital Health Forum conference December 2-4, 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand. Submit abstracts by June 30, 2026.
Planetary Health MOOC (free)
Next Steps for Nature Webinar Featuring Prof Doug Tallamy Click link for recording link! The presentation is titled “How Can I Help? Saving nature with your yard.” See also this Gardenista article on lowering your carbon footprint in your outdoor space.
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