Dr. Allison McGeer, Microbiologist and Infectious Disease Consultant
Professor Kate Choi, Associate Professor of Sociology, Western University
Professor Erica Di Ruggiero, Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, UofT
Professor Christopher Rutty, Historian

Two years on from the start of the pandemic, we invite four distinguished scholars from four different academic disciplines and research traditions to consider the pandemic in perspective. Each panelist will offer an opening statement summarising their particular approach to the pandemic, the kinds of questions they’ve been engaged in and what they have learned so far following which Dr. Allison McGeer will lead a panel discussion among the four guests digging more deeply into some of the key issues and themes. There will be time at the end of the presentation for questions from the audience.

Afghanistan Six Months On: “Why are the Taliban back on top in Afghanistan? And how should the world respond?” Author and journalist Terry Glavin and former Canadian Ambassador to Afghanistan Chris Alexander will team up to offer their expert analysis of the situation in Afghanistan six months after the American withdrawal in August 2021. Their discussion will cover the origins of the Afghanistan conflict, the events leading to the Taliban’s restoration, and the consequences for Afghanistan and for the rest of the world. Glavin and Alexander will also provide an update on the ongoing humanitarian crisis as more than twenty million people face severe hunger through this cold Afghan winter.

One hundred years ago, Frederick Banting, MD had an idea in the middle of the night that culminated in the discovery of insulin, a ‘cure’ for certain death in patients with Type 1 diabetes. In this lecture Professor Patricia Brubaker will trace the origins of this discovery, covering not only the science and the individuals involved in this ground-breaking discovery, but also the process that led to the commercialization of insulin, enabling worldwide access to this lifesaving treatment.