HxA COVID
Summit
A Heterodox Academy Research Symposium
Held on February 23, 2024, at the Stanford Faculty Club
The COVID-19 pandemic put academic researchers in the center of a fast-moving global crisis. An international scientific community rallied to understand a new threat and develop interventions at remarkable speed, but there remains a furious debate about the decisions, medical outcomes, and societal impacts that followed.
This one-day symposium explored how the academic norms of open inquiry were followed, or not, in response to COVID, with the benefit of hindsight and the evidence gathered to date. Did researchers come to conclusions too quickly, or too slowly? Did governments do their best with limited evidence, or look for research to match their positions? Did corporations, news media, or politicians skew the scientific process? Did citizens put too much trust in science, or not enough–or is that the wrong way to think about it?
The event was held on February 23, 2024 at the Stanford Faculty Club. Part of the HxA Initiative on Open Inquiry in STEM.
Coming soon: More videos of the day's presentations!
Watch Keynote Address by Vinay Prasad, MD, MPH.
Interested to learn more about COVID and Public Health?
Listen to Heterodox Out Loud Episode 10.
Sandro Galea, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H, provides insights that challenge us to confront the post-pandemic skepticism clouding the scientific community.
Join our community of faculty, staff, and students in our efforts to improve the quality of research and education in universities through viewpoint diversity, open inquiry, and constructive disagreement.
Complimentary membership includes access to the new HxA Portal — a private online forum for HxA members and HxCommunities — invitations to members-only events, funding opportunities, professional development opportunities, members-only discounts to HxA Summits, and more.