Pestival Urban & Public Health Case Competition

Pestival is an annual urban and public health case competition hosted by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio. The event typically focuses on real-world issues involving pests, environmental health, and community well-being—such as bedbugs, rodents, and other urban health challenges—and asks students to develop evidence-based, interdisciplinary solutions. High school and college students form teams to analyze a provided case, conduct research, and present recommendations to a panel of judges that may include public health professionals, faculty, and community leaders. Participants gain experience in public health, environmental science, policy analysis, and presentation skills, while engaging with current issues affecting urban communities. In many years, participation has been free or low-cost and has included an in-person component at or near the Case Western Reserve campus.