From vaccines to seat belts, public health measures have significantly impacted our lifespans and quality of life for decades.

And yet, the work itself is often underfunded, undervalued, and misunderstood.

The Invisible Shield, a new four-part documentary series on PBS – produced by RadicalMedia and made possible by Bloomberg Philanthropies, explores the hidden public health infrastructure that makes modern life possible. Featuring interviews and insights from public health leaders and global experts, the series examines the field’s major achievements and the dedication of the public health sector in times of crisis.

On this episode, Katherine Oliver sits down with two public health experts featured in The Invisible Shield, Dr. Sandro Galea, Dean of the Boston University School of Public Health, and Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, to discuss how they started their careers, the importance of data collection, and the biggest obstacles to implementing public health policies.