WHAT: University of Nebraska at Kearney Science Café
HOSTED BY: Sigma Xi The Scientific Research Honor Society
TITLE: “Vaccine Development and Communicating Sound Science”
TOPIC: The coronavirus pandemic has impacted science, medicine, political discourse and social interactions. In addition to understanding some basics about COVID-19, its viral transmission, prevention and therapy, we have learned more about the importance of communication to the public regarding controversial and complex subjects. This virtual presentation will cover the virus and the status of vaccine development, including some of the controversies and ways to counter misinformation. It will be conducted in a question-and-answer format, with Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures Executive Director Amanda McGill Johnson moderating.
PRESENTER: David Crouse is president of the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures and a professor emeritus in the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy.
A native of Canton, Illinois, Crouse received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and Master of Science degree in zoology from Western Illinois University, followed by a doctorate in radiobiology from the University of Iowa. After three years of postdoctoral research at the Argonne National Laboratory outside Chicago, where he studied the late effects of radiation, Crouse joined UNMC as an assistant professor in 1977. His research interests, mostly funded by the National Institutes of Health, were related to the redevelopment of the immune and hematopoietic systems following radiation exposure and bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.
Crouse took a lead role in promoting an understanding of the science and ethics that relate to stem cell biology, as well as developing programs and teaching courses related to “responsible conduct in research” and other important career issues for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and junior faculty. He spent 17 years in the Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies offices at UNMC, serving as interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and interim dean of graduate studies for a total of nearly five years.
Since retiring in fall 2012, Crouse has served as president of the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures and Research Nebraska Inc. He has been on the board of directors for these two organizations since 2007.
TIME: 5:30 p.m.
DATE: Monday, Sept. 28
REGISTRATION INFO: Register for the Zoom webinar using this link: https://bit.ly/2RS8Npc
CONTACT: Allen Thomas, UNK associate professor of chemistry, 308.865.8452, thomasaa@unk.edu
