U humanities experts available to
discuss issues surrounding COVID-19

May 14, 2020 – Humanities disciplines provide the cultural tools and human perspective to help society understand and explain the COVID-19 epidemic. Below is a list of faculty in the University of Utah’s College of Humanities with expertise relevant to the current pandemic. Notably, the college has top-ranked expertise in the history of medicine and disease, ethics, philosophy of science, health communication and science communication.

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History of Medicine and Disease

Nadja Durbach, professor of history: history of medicine, the body and 19th century diseases

Hugh Cagle, assistant professor of history: history of science, technology and medicine

Elizabeth Clement, associate professor of history: infectious disease, disparities and vulnerable populations

Ryan Moran, assistant professor of history: health, insurance and global context

Greg Smoak, associate professor of history: Native American history, disparities and public history

Ethics and Philosophy of Science

Erin Beeghly, assistant professor of philosophy: equity, social impacts and stereotyping in public policy

Stephen Downes, professor of philosophy: philosophy of science and the role, use and misuse of science models

Leslie Francis, Distinguished Professor of philosophy: equity and ethics in healthcare, law and public policy

James Tabery, associate professor of philosophy: conspiracies, ethics of triage, medical genomics research and public policy

Carlos Santana, assistant professor of philosophy: philosophy of science, epidemics and science communication

Peggy Battin, Distinguished Professor of philosophy: bioethics, medical ethics and end-of-life care

Health and Science Communication

Tae Lee, assistant professor of communication: interventions, adherence and disparities

Marouf Hasian, Distinguished Professor of communication: global messaging, legal issues and media

Sara Yeo, assistant professor of communication: social media, journalism and science communication

Jakob Jensen, professor of communication: interventions, dissemination of findings and disparities

Avery Holton, associate professor of communication: social media, ethical messaging and dissemination of findings