Do you feel you can no longer talk with people who hold different opinions? Has anger become the predominant tone? If we want this to change, how can we as individuals, change the way we talk and connect when we differ?  

Dr. Francis Collins is a pro at stepping into spaces that many of us are avoiding right now. He’s remarkably good at finding common ground with people who think differently than he does.

You may know Francis as one of our nation’s greatest scientists. The former director of the National Institutes of Health and a physician-geneticist, he led the the National Human Genome Research Institute and successfully led the effort to sequence the human genome. He is also known for his landmark discoveries of the genes responsible for critical diseases like cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s Disease.

His recent book, The Road to Wisdom, centers on principles he considers essential for navigating today’s polarized society: truth, science, faith, and trust. He finds both faith and science as essential for exploring this challenging question of how we connect with each other across divides. For Francis, love, beauty and goodness lie at the foundation of who we should be as humans. We should use our time together to experience these with others.

In this episode of House Calls, Francis shares his own stories of finding common ground and establishing genuine friendships, even in the face of fundamental disagreement. Drawing from his experience as a scientist and as a man of faith, he offers strategies for building relationships that lean on a positive view of humanity, and that free our minds from the negativity of social media, to re-create a society that feels better to all of us. As Francis says, “We the people are the solution to what has happened to we the people.”

A talented musician, Francis ends our conversation by sharing a song he performed with famed opera singer Renée Fleming. Written during the Civil War, the song was created to bring the country together during a time a great division. It remains so relevant today.

(03:24)    Why is Francis Collins known as “The Singing Scientist?”

(05:21)    What’s the connection between music and the brain?

(12:07)    How does Francis Collins view the divisions in our country?

(18:25)    What can we, as individuals, do to build connections with people who think and feel differently?

(24:46)    What are some strategies for having meaningful conversations across differences?

(28:35)    How did a friendship blossom from a conversation referred to as “a meeting with an elitist and a deplorable”?

(35:11)    How can we remove hostility from our dialogue?

(43:05)    How has Francis Collins’ book club become a safe space for him?

(45:41)    Why is it important to Francis Collins to help people?

(48:37)    What is the role of faith in Francis Collins’ life?

(52:16)    What don’t people talk more openly about their faith experiences?

(54:43)    Why don’t we talk more about values?

(01:01:22)    Why is the Civil War-era song Francis Collins and Renée Fleming sing still relevant today?

Dr. Francis Collins, Scientist & Former Director, NIH

About Dr. Francis Collins

Dr. Francis Collins is a physician-scientist. Under his direction, the Human Genome Project produced the first finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book in 2003. From 2009 to 2021, Collins served under three Presidents as the Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world. Following a year in the White House as the President’s Acting Science Advisor, he oversees a research laboratory as a Distinguished Investigator in the intramural program of the National Human Genome Research Institute. He also leads a bold administration initiative to eliminate hepatitis C in the United States. His contributions to science, medicine, and society have been recognized by the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, and the Templeton Prize. His most recent book is “The Road To Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust” (Little Brown and Worthy, 2024).