Science Festival sessions to showcase UW expertise on global issues

The International Division at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has put together two sessions for the upcoming Wisconsin Science Festival to showcase UW-Madison’s expertise on some of the most pressing global issues.

Global Wisconsin Idea, Thursday, October 22, from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.: Seven scientists, with expertise ranging from geography to genetics, will share their groundbreaking work in five-minute flash talks covering topics from the origins of human life to the 2022 World Cup.

Presenters: John Hawks, anthropology; Lori DiPrete Brown, Global Health Institute; Annemarie Schneider, Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment; Samer Alatout, community and environmental sociology; Hussain Bahia and Paul Block, civil and environmental engineering; and Jerry Yin, genetics, and director, Wisconsin China Initiative.

This session will be moderated by Richard Keller, associate dean, The International Division

Ebola in Context, Saturday, October 24, from 3 to 4:45 p.m.: A group of world-renowned experts will revisit the recent Ebola crisis and discuss developing strategies to confront future global health emergencies. Presenters include virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka, research fellow Alhaji N’jai, and historian of science Gregg Mitman, who will present excerpts from his gripping short documentary In the Shadow of Ebola.

Both sessions will be held in the Discovery Building, 330 N. Orchard St., Madison.