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Since the global pandemic hit earlier this year, Canadians and global citizens have been confronted with a myriad of questions – from how to understand and treat the virus, to how to cope with life in quarantine, and what life will look like when we surface from this international crisis.

A new virtual event series, Conversations Confronting COVID-19, has been launched as part of the Discover Research@Queen’s campaign to examine these questions at the forefront of our minds and assess both challenges and unique opportunities the situation has presented.

Launching on Wednesday, June 24 at 11:30 EDT, the first installment of the monthly series will focus on the theme of Innovation Pivots and feature members of the Queen’s community who have effectively pivoted their research and programs to come up with creative and innovative solutions to the pandemic.

The open, free session, moderated by Jim Banting, Assistant Vice-Principal (Partnerships and Innovation), will take a deep dive into three initiatives that are working to confront various aspects of COVID-19:

• The Mechanical Ventilator Milano initiative, an international project aimed at developing a low-cost, easy-to-build ventilator to treat COVID-19. The project has gained international media attention, and the Canadian arm of the collaboration is being led by Queen’s Nobel Laureate, Dr. Arthur B. McDonald. Represented by Dr. Tony Noble, Professor, Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy, and Scientific Director, Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute

• The Hand Sanitizer Initiative mobilized by Queen’s researchers and industry partners to support Kingston hospitals. Represented by Ms. Emily Albright, PhD Candidate, Chemistry, and Dr. Richard Oleschuk, Professor, Chemistry

• The Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre's Spread Innovation Challenge that inspired 150 innovators across the globe to tackle pressing challenges caused by COVID-19. Represented by Ms. Lesley Sikapa, Mastercard Foundation Scholar (University of Toronto) and participant in the DDQIC Spread Innovation Challenge

“We are excited to share, with our alumni and the greater Queen’s community, the important work that our researchers, students, and affiliates are doing in our fight to understand and confront the challenges associated with the pandemic,” says Karen Bertrand, Vice-Principal (Advancement).

The Conversations Confronting COVID-19 series is free and open to the public. To register for the event on Wednesday, June 24, please visit the Queen’s Alumni website. To learn more about the projects featured in the event, visit the Research@Queen’s website.