Experts delve into life beyond coronavirus in new web series

The University of Melbourne has launched a new six-part web series tackling some of the major coronavirus (COVID-19) issues facing the world.

The Life Beyond Coronavirus – The Expert View series, hosted and moderated by Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Health) and Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Dean Professor Shitij Kapur, will feature a diverse range of academics from across the University, as well as community leaders and other expert guests.

Each episode will convene a multidisciplinary discussion to inform, educate, and contribute to the global conversation, and will draw on questions from University students and staff, as well as the general public.

Professor Kapur said the series aims to provide important information about current issues related to COVID-19, the response, and the likely impact to our way of life.

“The series will look beyond the virus itself to how it’s affecting the world – from its impact on the economy to how people are coping with the measures enacted to stop its spread,” Professor Kapur said.

“Each episode will delve into a different topic and provide new perspectives from experts in various fields.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Maskell said the University is committed to engaging with the community and contributing to public knowledge.

“The University of Melbourne takes a great deal of pride in the work of our researchers, who are all highly respected academics in their various fields, and in their commitment to informing and helping the community while making significant contributions and a real difference in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis,” Professor Maskell said.

“As we work collectively to fight COVID-19 and map out what’s required for the future, this series will provide a unique forum for discussion of the issues that have emerged as a result of the pandemic.”

The series has kicked off with a discussion about “flattening the curve”, with panellists including Sharon Lewin, the Director of the Peter Doherty Institute and Professor of Medicine, James McCaw, Professor of Mathematical Biology in the Faculty of Science, Ian Harper, the Dean of the Melbourne Business School and Professor of Economics, and Joy Damousi, Professor of History in the Faculty of Arts.

Life Beyond Coronavirus – The Expert View will be filmed at the ABC’s Melbourne studio and will run fortnightly. The hour-long episodes will be promoted on the University’s social media sites and can be viewed on YouTube.