Past Episodes

Miss an episode when it first aired, or just want to watch it again? Catch up on past episodes of the special series, Coexisting with COVID-19, here. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified when new episodes are added.

View the COVID-19 playlist here

Season One

COVID and the Truth

The 24-hour news cycle can be overwhelming. While we want to be informed, we also want to know that what we are learning is accurate and our information sources are trustworthy. Join UW professors, Jevin West and Kate Starbird for a talk about how we can be best informed in the face of often conflicting information. Originally aired on May 7, 2020.

Failures of the Public Safety Net

The emergence of COVID-19—from its rampant spread and staggering fatality rates, to the lack of protective equipment for first responders—caught us all off guard. As a nation with so many resources, many of us assumed a public infrastructure would be in place to better handle this crisis. What we’ve learned is to not make that assumption, and that some communities are even more fragile than we had ever imagined. Originally aired on May 14, 2020. Featuring Edwin Guillermo Lindo, Graham Pruss, and Aaron Katz.

Love in the Time of COVID

We are two months into ‘social distancing’ and while we shelter in place 24/7 we wanted to check in with you about how your relationships are holding up. For the unattached looking for their quarantine cutie, we also want to talk about what finding a potential partner looks like as we remain respectfully socially distant. Originally aired on May 21, 2020. Featuring Pepper Schwartz, John Gottman, and Julie Gottman.

Supply Chains: Where’s All the Toilet Paper?

Prior to COVID-19, we could walk in to just about any grocery shop and find whatever was on our lists. Today, however, we are experiencing shortages from a lack of flour and yeast to yes, even, toilet paper. This week, we’ll talk about supply chains and maybe discover where all the toilet paper has gone. Originally aired on May 28, 2020. Featuring Adam Drewnowski, Jennifer Otten and Joe Heim.

The New Essential Employee

This week, we’ll salute our graduating classes! In honor of their hard work and achievement, we’ll spend some time talking about the new ‘essential’ employee, the gig economy, and consider what future career trends they can look forward to. Originally aired on June 4, 2020. Featuring Anita Ramasastry, Kevin Mihata and Briana Randall.

COVID and Mental Health

It’s no secret that the experience of living in the middle of a global pandemic has taken its toll on our mental health. This week we’ll talk to the some of the people who are on the forefront of making sure we’re all going to be alright. Originally aired on June 11, 2020. Featuring Jonathan Kanter and Liliana Lengua.

History of Global Pandemics

COVID-19 is not the first global pandemic to ever wash up in the United States. This week we’ll learn about the history of global pandemics and what makes this one so unique. Originally aired on June 18, 2020. Featuring Ann Marie Kimball and Steven Goodreau.

COVID-19 Models & Predicting the Future

The University of Washington has been at the forefront of creating the statistical models of how this disease spreads. This week we’ll talk to the individuals responsible for these models and find out just how accurate the science has been. Originally aired on June 25, 2020. Featuring Christopher Murray and Ali Mokdad.

Season Two

Are We There Yet?

Welcome back! It’s been almost three months since our last livestream and there’s been plenty of news about the global pandemic. In this episode, we’ll catch up with some of UW’s top experts who will update us on relevant advances and discoveries that may help us realize there is, in fact, a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. Originally aired on September 10, 2020. Featuring Dr. Christopher Murray and Dr. Helen Chu.

COVID-19 and Risk

Every day, COVID-19 requires us to weigh the risks we are willing to take to maintain a sense of normalcy. Should you wear a mask or not? Is heading out to get a pedicure an ‘essential’ trip? Ready to sit in a restaurant for your anniversary? Or maybe you just want to stay home, hide under the covers and wait until this is all over. This week we’ll talk with experts who can help us better understand decision making in these uncertain times. Originally aired September 17, 2020. Featuring Nidhi Agrawal, Linda Ko and Susan Joslyn.

Stand Up and Be Counted!

We have a great deal riding on both the election and the Census. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we ensure every vote and every person is counted. In this episode, we’ll talk to some experts who can help us understand how COVID-19 plays a role in ensuring every voice and every person is heard and counted. Originally aired on September 24, 2020. Featuring Lisa Marshall Manheim, Sara Curran and Michele Storms.

Art in the Time of Illness

Join our arts and culture experts, Valerie Curtis-Newton (UW School of Drama) and Priya Frank (Seattle Art Museum) for a compelling conversation about creativity in times of strife. Moderated by Hanson Hosein. Originally aired on January 7, 2021.

Are the Kids Gonna Be Alright?

How have kids fared during the pandemic? From lockdowns, to home school, from the lack of school shootings, to friend group bubbles, we’ll hear from experts on the challenges and possible surprise benefits the lockdown has had on today’s youth. Featuring Jill Locke, Janine Jones and Liliana Lengua; moderated by Hanson Hosein. Originally aired January 14, 2021.

No Really, Are We There Yet??

Dr. Helen Chu (UW Flu study) and Dr. Vinay Gupta (UW IHME) discuss the latest updates on COVID-19. Perhaps we’ll discover there is a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel? Moderated by Hanson Hosein. Originally aired January 21, 2021.

The End?

As we close out this series, we ask UW’s Dr. Ali Mokdad, and Washington state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah: Is this the end of the pandemic? Originally aired May 20, 2021.

Looking for more Office of Public Lectures content? Visit our Lectures Library to listen to some of our favorite archival lectures.