Khan to deliver Thompson Forum lecture on public health

Dr. Ali S. Khan, dean and tenured professor of epidemiology in the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health, will present “Putting the Public Back in Public Health: A Global Perspective” at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.

The event is part of the 2022-23 E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. Tickets, which are free, can be reserved through the Lied Center by clicking here, calling 402-472-4747 or visiting the Lied’s box office, 301 N. 12th St. Forums are general admission, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

Khan, a retired assistant surgeon general, served for 23 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He was one of the main architects of the CDC’s public health bioterrorism preparedness program, which was crucial in limiting the scope of the first anthrax attack. He founded the CDC’s Public Health Matters blog and was engaged in Guinea worm and polio eradication efforts. While directing global infectious disease activities, he designed the laboratory component of the CDC’s field epidemiology and training program. He also helped design and implement the CDC component of the $1.2 billion, five-year President’s Malaria Initiative.

In 2016, Khan published the book “The Next Pandemic: On the Front Lines Against Humankind’s Gravest Dangers” with William Patrick.

Khan’s presentation is part of Community Climate Awareness Week, which also features the Nebraska Youth Climate Summit on Oct. 7. Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird issued a proclamation recognizing the special week “to broaden our community’s awareness of our changing environment and highlight our desire for a more resilient and sustainable future.”

This year’s Thompson Forum series, “Creativity to Solve Global Challenges,” focuses on elevating people and ideas addressing global concerns with vision and innovation. Khan is the second of five mainstage speakers for the 2022-23 season.

The E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues is a cooperative project of the Cooper Foundation, Lied Center and the university. It was established in 1988 with the purpose of bringing a diversity of viewpoints on international and public policy issues to the university and people of Nebraska to promote understanding and encourage discussion.

For more information and the link to livestream, click here.