Syllabus

Building upon the lessons below, learners will also critique assigned articles, participate in discussion boards, compose a comprehensive essay on the subject “How shall my nation better prepare against pandemic threats?” and participate in a comprehensive emergency pandemic control simulation.

 

 

Week 1: The Power of Seven and Lessons from the Bush

 

Lessons learned from Spanish flu, AIDS, Ebola, SARS, and Zika

Dangers posed by fear, denial, complacency, and self-interest

 

Week 2:  Lessons from the Barn and The Triple Threat

 

Threats posed by the global animal food industry

Perennial influenza and mad cow: the first man-made epidemic

Bioterrorism, bio-error, and unethical science

 

Week 3: The Costs of Complacency

 

Ricochet effect: scattered risks and amplified costs

Aversion behavior and epidemic cascade

The hit to education

 

Week 4: Lead Like the House Is on Fire, AND Resilient Systems and Global Security

 

DA Henderson and the end of smallpox

Pivotal leadership against AIDS, SARS, and Ebola

Nigeria’s response to Ebola

Ethiopia’s fight against aids

Governmental, NGO, and faith-based health leadership

 

Week 5: Active Prevention and Constant Readiness, AND Fatal Fictions and Timely Truths

 

Preventing mosquito-borne diseases

Vaccines: our most powerful protection

Early detection, rapid response, and protecting primary healthcare

The psychology of fear and distrust

The leadership-during-crisis tight rope

How mainstream media can help

Analysis and response to vaccine skepticism

 

Week 6: Disruptive Innovation and Collaborative Transformation

 

The proud history of innovation

Vaccines, mosquito control, rapid tests, early warning systems

Collaboration for critical innovations

 

Week 7: Invest Wisely and Save Lives

 

How “recency bias” trips us up

The political case for action

The business case for investments

 

Week 8: Ring the Alarm and Rouse the Leaders

 

Fighting ignorance at the top

AIDS denialism and the battle for HIV treatment

From local campaigns to a global movement to end epidemics