On Friday, April 28, Franklin students and faculty welcomed Dr. Rochelle Walensky to hold this semester’s Honors Guest Lecture, organized by the Director of the Honors Program, Dr. Marcus Pyka. Dr. Walensky is an influential scholar whose pioneering research has helped advance the U.S. national and global response to HIV/AIDS. She is also a well-respected expert on the value of testing and treatment of deadly viruses. In the past few years, she served on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic and conducted research on vaccine delivery and strategies to reach underserved communities.
Dr. Walensky’s talk, entitled “Modernizing Public Health: Future Visions and Current Challenges”, asked listeners to consider what is necessary for public health infrastructure in the U.S. and around the world for the infectious and non-infectious threats of the future. She discussed the actions taken and what is needed to update, modernize and rebuild, including workforce development, data modernization, and infrastructural support such as laboratory capacity and wastewater treatment. Throughout the talk, she addressed public health challenges from the last several years, including COVID-19, pox, and polio. After the lecture and Q&A session, Dr. Walensky joined students for a reception and dinner for continued stimulating conversation. Having the opportunity to follow up the lecture in an informal setting was an invaluable experience for students.
The Honors Society at Franklin is an inclusive group that holds one-hour salon-style talks called “learned conversations”, such as this one with Dr. Walensky at the helm. Open-ended questions and discussion are encouraged for the sake of intellectual debate. This occasion was a unique opportunity for students to meet and interact with an influential leader at the top of the public health field. The Franklin community learned a great deal from Dr. Walensky, not only about the theory behind how public health functions but also the practical applications that must follow for us to thrive in a post-pandemic world.
Find more info about this semester's Honors Guest Lecture here.