North Central College Launches Free Summer Webinar Series

North Central College is offering a free summer webinar series centered on the COVID-19 pandemic and the many ripple effects it has in our lives and throughout our communities, as well as within a broader cultural and historical context. North Central faculty from 13 academic programs will offer a total of 17 informative sessions in their areas of expertise, many of which will include live Q&A sessions with the professors.

The free webinars are open to the public, as well as to North Central College students and other members of the campus community.

“North Central College faculty have such a vast range of expertise, and the COVID-19 pandemic lends itself to examination from multiple perspectives,” said Stephen Maynard Caliendo, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at North Central College. “What has emerged throughout this project is a rich, multi-disciplinary exploration of this important moment in world history. North Central students will be excited to see some of their favorite professors doing what they do best, and the community at large will benefit from the information and invitation for discussion. This series captures the essence of the North Central experience by combining real-world events with deeper academic exploration.”

The webinar series will begin next Tuesday, June 30, with Dr. Michael Blight, assistant professor of communication, presenting on "Social Media and Misinformation," and will conclude on Thursday, August 20, with Dr. Mary Groll, professor and program director of health sciences, presenting on "COVID-19 and Our Youth: Where We Are Now, and Where Are We Going?"

There will be two new webinars released each week at northcentralcollege.edu/webinar-series, with live Q&A sessions a day later at either 12 p.m. or 7 p.m. The full Q&A schedule is below. Note that dates and times are subject to change. Each webinar will be archived at the webpage above as well as the North Central College YouTube channel and available to view on-demand at least until January 1, 2021.

WEBINAR SCHEDULE, TOPICS AND PRESENTERS (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):

• Social Media and Misinformation
  • June 30, 7 p.m. CDT | Dr. Michael Blight, assistant professor of communication
• The Chinese Response to COVID-19 in Three Stages
  • July 1, 12 p.m. CDT | Dr. Jinai Sun, associate professor of Chinese
• How Epidemics Have Shaped Chicago's History
  • July 2, 12 p.m. CDT | Dr. Ann Durkin Keating, Dr. C. Frederick Toenniges Professor of History
• The Epidemiology of Coronaviruses
  • July 7, 7 p.m. CDT | Dr. Greg Ruthig, associate professor of biology
• The Invisible Pandemic
  • July 9, 12 p.m. CDT | Judith Broadhead, associate professor of English
• COVID-19 and The Constitution
  • July 14, 7 p.m. CDT | Dr. Thomas Cavenagh, Schneller Sisters Professor of Leadership, Ethics, and Values; Director of Leadership, Ethics and Values program; co-director, Center for Social Impact
• The Individualistic Root of the Resistance to Prevention in the U.S.
  • July 16, 12 p.m. CDT | Dr. Yadong Ji, assistant professor of communication
• Thucydides? Again?
  • July 21, 7 p.m. CDT | Dr. Michael de Brauw, associate professor of classics
• Voting During a Global Pandemic
  • July 23, 12 p.m. CDT | Dr. Suzanne Chod, associate professor of politic science; Dr. William Muck, professor of political science
• The Black Death, 1348-1352
  • July 28, 7 p.m. CDT | Dr. Bruce Janacek, professor of history, executive director, sixteenth century society & conference
• How the Pandemic Threatens Local Journalism (and What Might Be Done About It)
  • July 30, 12 p.m. CDT | Dr. Steve Macek, Professor of Communication
• From the Plague to COVID-19: Responding to Pandemic in Stories
  • August 4, 7 p.m. CDT | Dr. Jennifer Smith, associate professor of English; chairperson, Department of English
• The Chemistry of Anti-Viral Drugs Used to Treat COVID-19
  • August 6, 12 p.m. CDT | Dr. Nicholas Boaz, assistant professor of chemistry
• Understanding the Physiological and Psychological Aspects of COVID-19
  • August 11, 7 p.m. CDT | Dr. Leila Azarbad, Professor of Psychology; Dr. Maggie Gill, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience; Dr. Alexis Chambers, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience; Dr. Michael Stefanik, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience
• COVID-19 and the Environment
  • August 13, 12 p.m. CDT | Dr. Rebecca Sanders, assistant professor of chemistry; Dr. Paul Bloom, associate professor of physics
• From Global to Local: Supply Chain Structure Evolution and COVID-19
  • August 18, 7 p.m. CDT | Dr. Esen Andic-Mortan, assistant professor of management
• COVID-19 and Our Youth: Where We Are Now, and Where Are We Going?
  • August 20, 12 p.m. CDT | Dr. Mary Groll, professor and program director of health sciences