Unit 1: Setting the Stage

In this video, Melissa Ramirez, Ph.D. provides a preview of Unit 1: Setting the Stage in Wicked Problems, Wolfpack Solutions: Pandemics.

Kevin Gross, Ph.D. will help us to understand how and when potential pathogens move from non-human animals to humans, called spillover. Spillover events are rare, but given enough opportunity, rare events eventually occur.

Archaeologists Tate Paulette, Ph.D. and Kathryn Grossman, Ph.D. describe the stories of the first settlements and cities and the circumstances that spawned many of the diseases we still battle today.

Are ALL viruses dangerous? Many play important roles for humans. They help us (and ask little in return). Anne Madden, Ph.D. will briefly describe a few. You might be surprised to find out what’s living on your face!

Sometimes challenges confront our society in ways that call upon all of the expertise we have to both make sense of the phenomenon and to take the necessary actions. The virus that causes COVID-19 is one such challenge.