National Academy of Sciences 157th Annual Meeting
The National Academy of Sciences will hold its 157th annual meeting online this Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and April 26. The following events will be webcast live (all times EDT):
Saturday, April 25
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM: NAS President’s Address
NAS President Marcia McNutt will deliver her annual address to NAS members.
12:45 PM – 1:30 PM: Book and Author Talk: Carl Zimmer
Distinguished science writer Carl Zimmer is the author of She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity. Winner of the 2019 National Academies Communications Award for best book, it is a “sweeping yet engaging examination from a personal perspective of the evolving nature of the scientific understanding of heredity across the centuries.”
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM: COVID-19 Update
Invited experts will discuss developments in the COVID-19 pandemic, including U.S. and international perspectives; the state of diagnostics, treatment, and vaccine development; and communication efforts. Panelists include:
Anthony S. Fauci (schedule permitting), director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Jeremy Farrar, director, Wellcome Trust
George F. Gao, director-general, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Susan R. Weiss, professor of microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Richard J. Hatchett, CEO, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations
Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent, CNN
Sunday, April 26
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: Concurrent Science Sessions
New Approaches to Solving the Plastics Dilemma
Attracting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce: Context Can Build Trust
Discovering and Imaging Black Holes
Thawing Arctic Permafrost: Regional and Global Impacts
1:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Symposium: “Grand Challenges in Science”
Organized by NAS President Marcia McNutt, participants will explore the potential benefits of the NAS developing a set of Grand Challenges in science. What are today’s big unknowns that will inspire the next generation of students and attract them to research careers? What are the characteristics of 21st century educational programs that will equip students to address the major issues of our time?
4:30 PM – 5:15 PM: Awards Ceremony
Recipients of the 2020 NAS Awards will be honored for their outstanding contributions to science. The ceremony will conclude with the presentation of this year’s Public Welfare Medal to Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the University of Pennsylvania.
Follow the annual meeting on social media using the hashtag #NAS157.
The full program is available here. To register for the webcasts, click the registration link, where details for viewing the webcasts will be posted in advance of the sessions.