Contagion: Science. Art. Film. Series (2 of 4)

CONTAGION

2011 | DCP | USA | D: Steven Soderbergh

Thursday, 1 September, 2022 at 6 PM
Arc Cinema, NFSA
This event is free.

Beware the bat in the pig farm...   
While we have all certainly had our fill of viruses in our everyday lives over the past few years, there has not been enough cross-disciplinary, science-based debate about our cultural fantasies about infectious diseases and why they play a significant role in our current pandemic. Together with ANU virologist Professor David Tscharke and Professor Meru Sheel (University of Sydney) we will watch "Contagion" and discuss both the actual science and the general "mood" or feel of pandemic times - and what it means that films about viruses have an uncanny attraction.  

Speakers: Professor David Tscharke, Professor Meru Sheel and Dr Anna-Sophie Jürgens  

David Tscharke is a virologist and immunologist, originally from Adelaide and who arrived at ANU in 2006 via Oxford, Washington DC and Brisbane. He is an expert on poxviruses (yes, think monkeypox), the virus that causes cold sores and understanding how our white blood cells fight virus infection. 
  
Associate Professor Meru Sheel is an epidemiologist and a global health researcher at University of Sydney. Meru's work spans responding to emergencies and conducting applied research that helps policy and practice answer questions relevant to vaccines and outbreaks. Meru is a passionate science communicator & an advocate for gender and diversity in leadership roles. In 2019, Meru won the Science and Medicine Award for 40 Under 40 Most-Influential Asian Australians. 

Anna-Sophie Jürgens is a Lecturer in Popular Entertainment Studies at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (ANU). Her research explores the cultural meanings of science.