Credit: iStock/Irina Shibanova

New COVID-19 Webinar Series: How will Coronavirus Change the World?

School of Global Policy and Strategy experts to highlight disruption pandemic has caused to democracy, climate change, the economy and more

In this time of fear and uncertainty, many seek to understand how the novel coronavirus will change the world permanently. From massive job losses, to an overrun health care system, and increased tensions among nations, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts have seeped into and disrupted every major sector of society. To help understand where we might be headed as a global community, UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) is sponsoring a weekly webinar series on Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m., now until June 4.  

Topics of the Global Impacts of COVID-19 - A GPS Webinar Series range from successful containment strategies in Asia, to the pandemic’s impact on the U.S.-Mexican border and climate change, as well as discussion about if the global economy can stabilize in the wake of a pandemic. The events are free and open to the public.

“The diversity of our faculty experts makes our school poised to offer critical analysis and proposed solutions to this unprecedented global crisis,” said Peter F. Cowhey, dean of the School of Global Policy and Strategy. “Our scholars create better design and evaluation for public policy around the globe on issues such as immigration, healthcare, global incomes, fair elections and more. This work helps all facets of society more effectively meet the coronavirus challenge.”

GPS faculty collaborate with far-reaching networks of government, industry and nongovernmental organizations, and regularly engage with policymakers and practitioners around global challenges. Some of the collaborators who will take part in the weekly discussions include Richard Verma, who previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to India; Robert Hormats, vice chairman of Kissinger Associates; and Emiliana Vegas, co-director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, among others.

The webinars are recorded and the full-length videos of each series will be posted the next day on the Global Impacts of COVID-19 website. A full listing of events is below:

April 16: COVID-19 Global Impacts: How Nations Respond
Responses to the novel coronavirus and the proliferation of COVID-19 cases have varied by country and regime type. Guided by national leaders with dramatically different styles, scholars will take a look across nations and see how Japan, India and other Asian countries outside of China have rolled out their national strategies for containing the pandemic; and take a closer look at who is considered among the best performers.
Confirmed speakers: Stephan Haggard, Lawrence and Sallye Krause Professor of Korea-Pacific Studies, Ulrike Schaede, professor of Japanese business, Richard Verma, former U.S. Ambassador to India.
Register for How Nations Respond

Rafael Fernández de Castro

April 23: COVID-19 Global Impacts: The Border
In this time of crisis, dialogue between the United States and Mexico is essential. What best practices have been implemented to improve collaboration between government, the private sector and civil organizations to ensure the people of both nations are protected against this growing pandemic? The director of the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies and his colleagues will discuss this important issue.
Confirmed speaker: Rafael Fernández de Castro, director of its Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies (USMEX).
Register for The Border

Renee Bowen

April 30: COVID-19 Global Impacts: The Global Economy
Millions are unemployed, there is an unprecedented supply and demand shocks while stock market losses and massive government spending take place. How will the global economy survive in the wake of the most devastating pandemic of the modern era?
Confirmed speakers: Renee Bowen associate professor of economics, Gordon Hanson, professor in urban policy at Harvard University, Robert Hormats, vice chairman of Kissinger Associates.
Register for The Global Economy

Joshua Graff Zivin

May 7: COVID-19 Global Impacts: Healthcare and Biomedical Research
It’s all over the news – if we don’t flatten the curve, healthcare systems will be overrun by COVID-19 cases, jeopardizing the nation’s ability to treat patients. Are the shelter-in-place measures proving effective? Is there hope to be found in biomedical research?
Confirmed speakers: Joshua Graff Zivin, professor of economics, Gordon McCord, associate teaching professor of economics, Drew Senyei, MD and managing director of Enterprise Partners Venture Capital.
Register for Healthcare and Biomedical Research

May 14: COVID-19 Global Impacts: Energy and the Climate
With a rapid shift of policy attention to the virus and economic recovery, how will the energy system change? And what will happen to climate emissions and policy?
Confirmed speakers: Michael Davidson, assistant professor at GPS and Jacobs School of Engineering, David Victor, professor of political science.
Register for Healthcare and Biomedical Research

Liz Lyons

May 21: COVID-19 Global Impacts: Labor
With millions of people forced to remain at home, the labor sector is experiencing historic levels of unemployment. Firms and organizations are mobilizing to accommodate remote work locations - will this become the new normal? And will it be enough to keep the global economy from utter collapse? Confirmed speakers: Joshua Graff Zivin, professor of economics, Liz Lyons assistant professor of management.
Register for Labor

June 4: COVID-19 Global Impacts: Education Systems Respond
Millions of school-aged children are at home. Universities and school districts are moving to online education in the U.S. What about in the rest of the world? GPS faculty and expert practitioners will delve into the different ways the education systems around the world are responding to the pandemic, and working to ensure our students stay on track.
Confirmed speakers: Agustina Paglayan, assistant professor of political science, Justin Sandefur, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, Emiliana Vegas co-director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution.
Register for Education Systems Respond