Public Trust in Science (free/registration required)
November 12 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Next up in Honors’ Global Challenges — Interdisciplinary Thinking (GCIT) event series …
“Public Trust in Science and Why It Matters”
Nov. 12, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Kane Hall 130
FREE (registration required)
Register for Global Challenges 2025
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Event Description
As it becomes increasingly woven into our daily lives, public trust in science— or the lack thereof — matters more than ever. Join a dynamic conversation among UW Interdisciplinary Honors faculty whose scholarship and teaching engage natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities, as they explore what happens when scientific research and scholarship are misunderstood, mistrusted or misused. This is our eleventh Global Challenges — Interdisciplinary Thinking event, a series that inspires our community to imagine how conversations among people versed in different areas of knowledge can better investigate real-world problems.
About Our UW Honors Faculty Speakers
As pictured left to right, top to bottom:
K.C. Cole (Physics/Journalism)
Honored for her writing by the American Institute of Physics, Cole is known for her ability to convey complex scientific ideas with a human touch, as in her best-selling book: The Universe and the Teacup: The Mathematics of Truth and Beauty. Currently “senior senior” columnist for popular media outlet, Wired, Cole has developed interdisciplinary courses bridging science, technology and culture at USC, UCLA, and now at the UW. She regularly teaches two popular UW Honors courses: “The Art of Understanding Science” and “The Science of Human Values.”
Maralyssa Bann, M.D. (Medicine)
A hospital-based Internal Medicine physician at Harborview Medical Center and Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Dr. Bann focuses on inpatient care rooted in equity, harm reduction, and patient-centeredness. She brings a global and interdisciplinary lens to her Honors course on “Safety-Net Hospitals in the U.S.” and study abroad program “Honors London: Socializing Medicine,” which explores the social, historical, and economic dimensions of healthcare systems around the world.
Dr. Michelle Koutnik (Environment/Glaciology)
A glaciologist whose research focuses on Greenland, Antarctica and Mars, Dr. Koutnik studies how glaciers and ice sheets respond to climate change. She’s been an active part of the UW Honors teaching community for over a decade, bringing planetary science and climate literacy to students through fieldwork-inspired courses and previous Global Challenges panels. Her most recent Honors course in Spring 2025 was “Polar Places and Spaces: Exploring the Greenland Ice Sheet.”
Dr. Jon Herron (Biology)
Dr. Herron, a Teaching Professor in Biology, is the author of Evolutionary Analysis, a widely used textbook now in its 5th edition. He designs virtual biology labs and has taught for UW Honors since 1996, leading courses like “DNA and Evolution” and “Evolution and Human Behavior.” Beloved by students, he’s a multi-year recipient of the Honors Excellence in Teaching Award — recognized for his impressive ability to inspire “non scientists” to embrace scientific discovery and thinking.
Moderator: Clara McAdams (Interdisciplinary Honors Student)
Clara is majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Bioethics and plans to attend medical school to prepare for her work in pediatric neurology. As a Peer Facilitator, she helps new Honors students learn how to navigate the UW with an interdisciplinary mindset. Clara also leads campus tours, conducts research in the UW Medicine NICU and volunteers with the “Grey Matters” undergraduate neuroscience journal — conducting outreach that makes science more accessible to younger students.