We are delighted to invite the broad MIT community to attend a one day Public Scientific Workshop to discuss past, present and future COVID-19 Policies on May, 16, 2022 (8.30am-4.30pm) at the Wong Auditorium in E51 (here with the map).

Over the last two unprecedented years, highly controversial COVID-19 public health policies have dramatically impacted the lives of billions worldwide. Universities and academic institutions have adopted rules that have made it challenging to meet their research and teaching missions. Whatever position one takes about these policies, we hope we all agree on the importance of open, science-based discussions and respectful debates. Though such debate has not always occurred during the pandemic, it will be vital to ensure that science informs the assessment of what has happened and prepares us for future public health challenges.

The workshop will host a prestigious and diverse academics, scientists and medical professionals from leading universities, hospital systems in a series of lectures ad panels around time topics, such as:
1. Efficacy of non-pharmaceutical public health interventions (e.g., lockdowns, masking)
2. Vaccine efficacy, safety & immunity provided by COVID-19 recovery
3. Effect of COVID-19 policy on trust in science and public health
4. COVID-19’s impact on universities and their research and teaching missions
5. The way forword – future preparedness to manage global public health crisis.

The event is open to the broad MIT community that is invited to engage in these important discussions

We look forward to engaging with broader community!

Retsef Levi
J. Spencer Standish (1945) Professor of Operations Management
MT, Sloan School of Management

Jay Bhattacharya
Professor of Medicine at Stanford University

Steve Kirsch
MIT Alum (SB, SM, 1980)