The Community's Conversation

Has science literacy ever been more important to Ohio than now?   

Science literacy is critical to a healthy and growing Ohio economy. It’s even a social determinant of health: consider the value of being able to read and understand a drug label or take basic measures to protect one’s health.   

Companies like Intel will be relying on Ohio to turn out legions of young people excited about science. The 2022 return of the in-person COSI Science Festival is also showcasing Ohio’s current commitment to science literacy through an array of public and private partners.

This CMC forum explores the very high stakes of science literacy and education in Ohio.

This CMC forum was recorded live on May 4, 2022.  

The speakers are:  

Dr. Frederic Bertley, President and CEO, COSI   

Lou Von Thaer, President and CEO, Battelle   

Joanna M. Pinkerton, President/CEO, COTA  

The host is Angela An, News Anchor, WBNS 10TV

This forum was sponsored by The Tom E. Dailey Foundation and The Robert Weiler Company. 

Good health is about more than good medicine. Even communities with the latest in medical technology may struggle to improve the overall health of their nearby populations. That’s because other factors are at work in determining health care outcomes. This week’s CMC forum unpacks the “social determinants of good health.” 

This CMC forum was recorded live on April 27, 2022.  

The speakers are: 

Perry Gregory, Senior Vice President for the National Center for Urban Solutions  

Amy Headings, Director of Research and Nutrition for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective  

Mike Premo, Director of Engagement with Community Development for All People  

Jesse Reed, Director of CareSource-Life Services Ohio  

The host is Greg Moody, Director of Professional Development and the State of Ohio Leadership Institute at the Ohio State University’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs.  The presenters of CMC’s Optimal Health Series are The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. 

CMC welcomes the Democratic candidates running for Ohio governor, who will face each other in the Democratic primary on May 3, 2022. The winner will appear on the November 2022 ballot alongside a Republican opponent.

This forum is sponsored by Hannah News Service. The forum partners are The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus and NBC4.

This CMC forum was recorded live on April 20, 2022.

The speakers are:

John Cranley, Former Mayor of Cincinnati

Nan Whaley, Former Mayor of Dayton

The host is Colleen Marshall, NBC4 Anchor

The pandemic took its toll on Columbus’ favorite activities, and no activity was more impacted than dining out in the city’s restaurants. If there’s one thing Columbus residents love, it’s the vibrant “Cbus” food scene. While takeout kept many restaurants busy and let patrons support their favorite spots during the pandemic, Columbus restaurants now seemed poised for a major comeback.  

This CMC forum was recorded live on April 13, 2022.  

The speakers are: 

Rich Terapak and Steve Stover, Co-hosts of All Sides Weekend: Chefs in the City on 89.7 NPR News, 

Jim Budros, Restaurateur, and Founder, Budros, Ruhlin & Roe 

The host is Ann Fisher, Executive Producer and Host of WOSU Public Media's "All Sides with Ann Fisher.” 

Once regarded as one of the most statistically average cities in America, Columbus has stepped on the accelerator in the last decade.  Almost every year Columbus adds the equivalent in population of a new Bexley, and in the last ten years, nearly every Franklin County census tract became more diverse. This week’s CMC forum will unpack Columbus’ population growth and its growing diversity. 

This CMC forum was recorded live on April 6, 2022.  

The speaker is: 

Michael Wilkos, Senior Vice President of Community Impact, The United Way of Central Ohio 

The host is Autumn Glover, Senior Director, Community Health Partnerships, OhioHealth 

The forum is sponsored by The Robert Weiler Company and Regionomics. 

Experts say there’s never been a labor market like the one we’re seeing now. Following a pandemic that upended the working world, Ohio’s current labor market is filled with openings for high-tech jobs, low-tech jobs, and everything in between.

This week’s CMC forum explores the connections between Ohio’s workforce and the state’s chances for future prosperity. 

This CMC forum was recorded live on March 23, 2022.  

The panelists are: 

Ola Snow, Chief Human Resources Officer for Cardinal Health 

Steve Stivers, President and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce 

The host is Lisa Patt-McDaniel, President and CEO of the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio  The Ohio Chamber of Commerce provided special support for this forum. 

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is reshaping the international world order in real time. It has also created a life-threatening crisis for the Ukrainian people. What are the short-term and long-term implications of this costly conflict? This week’s CMC forum will examine the causes and impact of this ongoing conflict with an expert panel. 

This CMC forum was recorded live on March 18, 2022.  

The panelists, all from The Ohio State University, are: 

Christopher Gelpi, Ph.D., Director and Chair of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution with the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, and a Professor of Political Science 

Philip Kopatz, graduate student at The Center for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies 

Myroslava Mudrak, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus with the Department of History of Art 

Mykyta Tyshchenko, graduate student in the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures 

Our host is Angela Brintlinger, Ph.D., Director of The Center for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies 

The forum’s presenting partner was the Columbus Council on World Affairs and was sponsored by The Ohio State University. 

This week’s CMC forum looks at the race to develop multi-million-dollar cell and gene therapies in Central Ohio. 

Central Ohio is rapidly becoming a key player in cell and gene therapy, promising to turn the state into a Silicon Valley for this cutting-edge medical technology.   

Cell and gene therapy are related fields that share the goal of modifying genetic material to fight diseases or to improve the way the body functions. The potential is enormous, both in patient outcomes and investor profit.     

This CMC forum was recorded live on March 16, 2022.  

The panelists are: 

Samantha M. Jaglowski, MD, Physician and Associate Professor-Clinical in Leukemia Research, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University  

Timothy J. Miller, Ph.D., CEO, President, and Co-Founder, Forge Biologics 

Eli Phillips Jr., PharmD, Vice President for Specialty Solutions, Cardinal Health 

The host is Eddie Pauline, President and CEO of BioOhio. 

CMC’s Optimal Health Series is presented by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and by Nationwide Children's Hospital. This forum was sponsored by Cardinal Health, BioOhio, Armatus Bio, Andelyn Biosciences, and by JobsOhio

Experts say diversity is the presence of differences that may include ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, political perspective, and other factors.   

This week’s CMC forum explores what diversity – plus equity and inclusion - means for organizations and companies that are interested in understanding the true meaning and value of DEI and in doing the right thing.  

This CMC forum was recorded live on March 9, 2022.  

The panelists are: 

Angela Bretz, SVP and Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, Nationwide   

Tanny Crane, President and CEO of Crane Group  

Jona Hilario, Ph.D., Statewide Co-Director, OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership  

Anthony Wilson, Ph.D., Chief Diversity Officer, Columbus Metropolitan Library  

The host is Ralph Smithers, Jr., AVP, Diversity Equity, Inclusion and Community Relations, Encova Insurance 

Today’s forum is sponsored by Barnes and Thornburg, CoverMyMeds, Crane Group, and Encova Insurance, with support from WBNS 10TV.   

This week’s CMC forum unpacks a new report focused on Ohio’s post pandemic economy that’s built around questions for the next Ohio governor. Our panelists will discuss the profound changes the state has faced since the last report in 2018 and what the future holds for a post-pandemic Ohio.

This CMC forum was recorded live on March 2, 2022.

The panelists are:

William Shkurti, Distinguished Adjunct Professor with The Ohio State University’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs

Fran Stewart, Ph.D., Researcher and Writer with The Ohio Manufacturing Institute and The Ohio State University’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs

The host is Tom Suddes, Assistant Professor of Instruction at Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, and a Member of the Editorial Board at The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com.

CMC’s Political Series is presented by The Ohio Farm Bureau and sponsored by Hannah News Service. Today’s forum partner was The League of Women Voters of Metro Columbus.