Futures Forum on Preparedness by Schmidt Futures + SSRC

January 2021. Virtual

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested our modern public health infrastructure like never before. On January 12 - 13, 2021, Schmidt Futures and the Social Science Research Council hosted the Futures Forum on Preparedness to bring together health, science, and policy leaders from across the globe to debut groundbreaking research on the global COVID-19 response, reimagine the future of public health, and generate innovative, interdisciplinary solutions.

The highly informative program included six keynotes, numerous panels, one-on-one conversations with top public health leaders, and remarks by Schmidt Futures co-founders Eric and Wendy Schmidt. Notable speakers included Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization; Dr. Jim Yong Kim, Former President, World Bank Group; Dr. Fareed Zakaria, Host, CNN; U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME); Dr. George Gao, Director-General, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Vivek Murthy, Co-Chair of President-Elect Biden’s COVID-19 Advisory Board; Former U.S. Surgeon General; Dr. Matthew Hepburn, Vaccine Development Lead, Operation Warp Speed, among others.

Working on an accelerated timeline, and entirely remotely, Empire’s team of producers, creatives, and technical directors supported Schmidt Futures and the Social Science Research Council, handling logistics for more than 50 participants from around the world, technical production, and livestream broadcast into a Zoom webinar.

Schmidt Futures is a philanthropic initiative that bets early on exceptional people making the world better. The Social Science Research Council aims to foster innovative research, nurture new generations of social scientists, and mobilize necessary knowledge on important public issues.

Empire is honored to work with Schmidt Futures and support its critical mission.

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