Chesley Bonestell, “The Exploration of Mars” (1953), oil on board, 143/8 x 28 inches, gift of William Estler, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Reproduced courtesy of Bonestell LLC.

Events

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

Advances in Bee Health

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.