Ideas Matter | WashU

Is freedom of speech declining across the world? And if so, what does it take to reverse the trend? 

In this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and human rights advocate Jacob Mchangama, a research professor at Vanderbilt University, explore the essential role freedom of speech plays in a democracy. 

Should medicine be more broadly defined? Can an emphasis on our shared humanity lead to better treatments? And what about joy? 

In this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and the University of Chicago’s Geeta Maker-Clark, a physician and expert on integrative nutrition, explore how a more holistic approach to medicine can benefit us all. 

When Americans talk about rural America, what do they often get wrong? How do our perceptions of rural America differ from the reality of these communities? And should commonalities, rather than differences, be driving the conversation? 

In this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and USC’s Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, an expert on geographic and class divides, go beyond the caricature to explore the many commonalities transcending America’s urban–rural divide. 

After the dismantling of USAID, and with millions of lives at stake, what does the future of global health
look like now? And what compelled a USAID civil servant of over a decade to risk his job by exposing the
current administration’s choices to restrict foreign aid?

In this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and
former USAID civil servant Nicholas Enrich discuss how assisting other countries in maintaining public
health protects safety and stability across the globe—including here in America.

Why does global health matter for Americans? What kind of return can investing in global health yield? And will a more globalized approach help us meet the challenges of this moment?

In this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and the University of Michigan’s Josh Ehrlich explore how being more open to innovations from beyond our borders could benefit U.S. health. 

What drives inequality in America, and how can we level the playing field? 

In this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and Stanford University’s Lukas Althoff discuss socioeconomic inequality in the United States, and what efforts have the best return on increasing opportunity for all. Spoiler alert: enhancing the quality and accessibility of education is key. 

How can India’s caste system inform our efforts to address racism and injustice globally? 

In this episode of Ideas Matter WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Suraj Yengde explore the historical foundations of caste and the ways in which it mirrors the social dynamics of our world today. 

Journalism’s role in our daily lives has shifted dramatically in recent decades, so how can it best engage the public in this moment? 

For this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health and vice provost for interdisciplinary studies, and Lisa Gibbs, president and CEO of the Pulitzer Center, discuss what it takes for a news outlet to maintain public trust and adapt to new reporting methods.

As AI ushers in a fourth industrial revolution and universities face the onset of the demographic cliff, what does the future of higher education look like? 

In this episode of Ideas Matter, WashU’s Sandro Galea, dean of the Bursky School of Public Health, and Stanford University’s Mitchell Stevens discuss how higher education reached this crossroads and what kinds of institutional changes need to take place in order to create a more equitable society. 

In a post-pandemic era and with AI on the rise, restoring the public’s trust in science is critical—but what will it take to do so? 

In this episode of Ideas Matter, Sandro Galea, dean of WashU’s Bursky School of Public Health, joins Stanford Medicine’s John Ioannidis to discuss his famous paper, “Why Most Published Research Findings Are False,” and to explore how science can do better.