How are "expert" perspectives formed in relation to the pandemic? How is research done and what resources are needed? In this series, library and departmental faculties will explore approaches and methodologies for researching the impacts of Covid-19 as well as issues relating to the disruption and potentials of academic research during a pandemic.
Researching During a Pandemic: Librarian Perspectives
Sept. 30, 3-4:30pm (Wed)
Speakers: Maria Sclafani, Coordinator of Library Instructional Services and Assistant Professor; Nathan Filbert, Instruction and Research Services Librarian and Assistant Professor; Ethan Lindsay, Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian and Assistant Professor; Meghann Kuhlmann, Instruction and Research Services Librarian and Assistant Professor; Aaron Bowen, Instruction and Research Services Librarian and Assistant Professor;
Moderated by Ginger Williams, Associate Dean for Academic Engagement and Public Services
While researchers have spent the summer investigating Covid-19 and its impacts on society, the pandemic has created challenges and opportunities for how that research is conducted and disseminated, including an expanded reliance on digital resources and an increased use of pre-print scholarship. In this panel, subject expert librarians, who operate at the center of multiple academic disciplines, will share their unique perspectives on how the pandemic has affected scholarly communication.
Public Health Information and Misinformation in the Wake of Covid-19
October 14, 3-4:30pm (Wed)
Speakers: Jeff Jarman, KHF Distinguished Chair, Elliott School of Communication; Sonja Armbruster, Health Sciences Educator; Amy Chesser, Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences;
Moderated by Aaron Bowen, Instruction and Research Services Librarian and Assistant Professor
Researchers have learned a lot about Covid-19 since it first appeared in December 2019, but there is still so much about it that is unknown. Despite the limits of the scientific community’s knowledge, countless news reports about this virus have been written, aired on TV and radio, and recorded in other formats. Either unintentionally or intentionally, much of this content presents misleading information about the virus, leaving many people wondering what is factually known about it, and which voices they can trust to comment on it. This panel seeks to demystify the virus. It will address what is known about it, versus what is speculative or unknown. It will also address techniques people can use to separate fact from misleading information.
Social Inequality and Covid-19: Understanding the Impact
Nov. 12, 3-4:30 (Thu)
Speakers: Breanna Boppre, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice; Robert Weems, Willard W. Garvey Distinguished Professor of Business History
Moderated by Maria Sclafani, Coordinator of Library Instructional Services and Assistant Professor and Ethan Lindsay, Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian and Assistant Professor
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed several types of social inequality already present in American and global societies. For example, this pandemic has impacted communities such as African Americans, Native American Indians, low-income families, and incarcerated persons in a disproportionate manner. In this panel, social scientists will join with subject librarians in a discussion of approaches and research methods used to explore social inequality in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.
