Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky will speak at Luther College for the 2023 Dr. David J. Roslien Distinguished Lecture, as announced in a press release on October 17.
“Reflections on a Pandemic: A Fireside Chat with Dr. Rochelle Walensky” will be held on November 1 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Main Hall of the Center for Faith and Life (CFL). Walensky will discuss the intersection between ideology and science, and will also reflect on her time spent with the CDC during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will also feature Dr. Michael Osterholm (‘75), current Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Regents Professor and McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health at the University of Minnesota.
In a statement provided to CHIPS, Walensky said that she was “delighted” to join Osterholm for a conversation.
“I believe so much in giving back to those who have been amazing colleagues and friends,” Walensky said in an email. “Among the silver linings of my last three years were the amazing people I met, people who were willing to offer their wealth of expertise and wisdom during difficult times, even when we did not always agree. For me, Dr. Osterholm was one of those people.”
Osterholm had his own praise for Walensky, saying he has “tremendous respect” for her. He highlighted the unusual but unique opportunity the Luther community will have to listen and ask questions of Walensky, who was a major figure on the international stage throughout the pandemic.
“I think you’re going to get a first hand experience of what it’s been like to respond to [the COVID-19] pandemic on the frontlines of it,” Osterholm said. “Dr. Walensky can provide a view of that like few can. So, trying to understand where we’ve been, where we’re at, where we’re going with COVID-19 is in everyone’s interest. I think she will provide a very telling picture of what that’s all about.”
According to PBS, Walensky left her position as CDC director after two and half years with COVID-19 deaths at their lowest number in the United States since the beginning of the pandemic. Notably, the CDC distributed 676 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine under Walensky’s leadership; she also launched Moving Forward, a reform program designed to strengthen the CDC’s communications and response operations in response to criticism of the agency’s pandemic response.
Walenksy currently serves on the board of directors at Mass General Brigham, previously holding positions as Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. Osterholm is a member of Luther College’s Board of Regents and a previous member of President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board.
This is the fifth Roslien Distinguished lecture in Luther’s history. The lecture is hosted by the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPE) and is named after Professor Emeritus of Biology Dr. David J. Roslien. Guests are selected for the lecture based on their scientific impacts to society or leadership contributions to Luther.
Director of the CEPE and Associate Professor of English Dr. Andy Hageman expects Walensky and Osterholm to address the complex dynamics of science and policy in the contemporary United States during their conversation. He also views the event as “an extremely powerful opportunity to learn.”
“We have witnessed polarization in recent years that has questioned or even rejected health science and taking care of, and responsibility for, the health of folks in our communities,” Hageman said in an email. “[‘Reflections on a Pandemic’] is a rare chance for insights from someone who’s been working at the top levels of both health science and government. I am extremely proud to help facilitate this for the students, staff, and faculty of Luther College and for anyone in the area who can make it to the lecture.
Osterholm has twice previously taken part in a Roslien Distinguished Lecture, presenting the first-ever Roslien lecture in 2017 and hosting the lecture in 2022. Dr. Roslien — or “Doc” as Osterholm affectionately knew him when he was Roslien’s advisee — held numerous positions outside of teaching during his time at Luther including Head of Admissions, Vice President and Interim President. Osterholm credited Roslien for his “amazing” teaching and advising, and acknowledged how impactful he was in helping students achieve their career goals.
“When you were at Luther, with all PhDs and all the ‘Doctors of Such’ on campus, there was only one ever known as ‘Doc’ — and when you said Doc you knew it was David Roslien,” Osterholm said. “He turned out a lot of students who owe their success in their careers to his early and very wise advising.”
Walensky echoed similar thoughts about Roslein, expressing her overall excitement to converse with both Osterholm and Roslien.
“I know Dr. Osterholm cares dearly about his alma mater and I look forward to meeting Dr. Roslien, who I understand epitomizes the spirit of giving back and shaping and motivating the next generation of leaders,” Walensky said in an email. “I am so looking forward to meeting him and joining [Luther] in that spirit.”
“Reflections on a Pandemic” is free and open to the public. More information about the event, as well as Dr. Walensky, Dr. Osterholm and the Roslien Distinguished Lecture can be found here.
