Lecture spotlight: COVID Endgame; Fetterman; Jazz Talk

COVID Endgame: What happens next?
4 p.m. April 9

Now one year after COVID-19 disrupted our lives, the epidemic appears to be coming under control. Yet the future is still uncertain. Amy Hartman, of the Center for Vaccine Research and an associate professor of Infectious Disease & Microbiology in the School of Medicine will discuss SARS-CoV-2 immunology and vaccines, and the ongoing emergence of variants of concern. Don Burke, Professor of Health Science and Policy, Epidemiology, in the Graduate School of Public Health, will discuss likely future scenarios of the epidemiology of COVID-19, both in the USA and around the globe. Register through the University calendar for Zoom information. 

 

Pitt-Greensburg Leadership Series: Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman
3:30 p.m. April 12

John Fetterman, the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, will speak with students as part of the Pitt-Greensburg Leadership Series. The series is designed to highlight different leaders within our community and bring them to campus to interact with students. Fetterman will discuss how he became lieutenant governor, the challenges he faced to get his position, what a day in his life looks like, and what he plans to do next. He has already announced he will run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Pat Toomey. This event is co-sponsored by the Political Honor Society. Please register to receive access to this Zoom event.

 

Lunch & Learn: “Black, Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation”
Noon-1:30 p.m. April 13

In collaboration with the NSF INCLUDES Alliance: The STEM PUSH Network, Dr. Ebony McGee will discuss her book "Black, Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation" which brings together more than ten years of research on high-achieving, underrepresented racially minoritized (URM) students and faculty in STEM fields. She will offer a deep appreciation of what it means to be a STEMer of color and academically successful in contexts where people of color are few and negative beliefs about our ability and motivation persist. She will explore questions such as these: How do some students manage to survive brutal academic climates, and what does it cost them? Why do schools continue to recruit URM people into disciplines whose climate regularly drives them away? How does excluding people of color from STEM disciplines limit innovation? Register here.

 

Jazz Talk Episode 3: Universal Tonality
6-8 p.m. April 19

Episode 3 of Jazz Talk hosted by Director of Jazz Studies Nicole Mitchell Gantt will feature bassist and visionary William Parker and his biographer Cisco Bradley to discuss the release of Parker's new biography titled "Universal Tonality: The Life and Music of William Parker," which highlights his life as an influential leader in jazz and creative music. The discussion will be followed by a workshop on finding self-sound for creative human beings. Register here.