Debate, Debrief, and Dessert: Competing Perspectives on COVID-19 and Responding to the Next Pandemic

Debate, Debrief, and Dessert is a new series which seeks to strengthen the Harvard community’s capacity to engage in respectful, substantive dialogue across differences. Join us for the first session on March 9.

In a conversation moderated by Brinda Adhikari of the podcast Why Should I Trust You?, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, 19th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will sit down with Dr. Monica Gandhi of the University of California San Francisco Department of Medicine to discuss their differing — and at times conflicting — perspectives on America’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the appropriate mitigation steps for future respiratory outbreaks.

Following the conversation, Professor Julia Minson will lead the audience in a facilitated debrief focused on how the discussion unfolded — examining moments of constructive engagement and missed opportunities.

Featuring:

• Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH
  19th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
  Affiliated Faculty Member, Harvard Kennedy School
• Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH
  Professor of Medicine and Associate Chief, Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine
  Director, UCSF-Bay Area Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)
• Brinda Adhikari (Debate Moderator)
  Co-Host, Co-Creator, and Executive Producer, Why Should I Trust You?
• Julia Minson (Debrief Moderator)
  Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
  Author, How to Disagree Better

Please register with a valid Harvard email address. The Debate portion of this event will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.