Dr. Rasmussen is a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan and is a prolific science communicator writing for the Washington Post and New York Times.

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Could misinformation and conspiracy theories make the next pandemic deadlier than the virus itself?

How might the next global health threat unfold?

What can we do to avoid being caught unprepared?

Angela Rasmussen is a virologist with the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, which operates the world's largest and most advanced biosafety level 3 facility for research into human and animal diseases.

Dr. Rasmussen investigates how emerging viruses – from influenza and Ebola to coronavirus – become global threats.  Her research focuses on the molecular triggers that determine whether a virus fizzles out or sparks a pandemic.

In addition to her scientific expertise, Dr. Rasmussen is a leading voice on pandemic preparedness and science communication.  She writes for the Washington Post, New York Times, and Guardian, while also countering misinformation on social media.  She has been scorchingly critical of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as a visit to her account on X will reveal: https://x.com/angie_rasmussen

Before coming to Canada, Dr. Rasmussen held faculty positions at Columbia University and the University of Washington. She sits on editorial boards for journals such as Vaccine and Cell Reports, serves on World Health Organization expert committees, and collaborates internationally through pandemic preparedness networks. 

In a world of misinformation and conspiracy theories, public panic could amplify a biological threat as much as the virus itself. Dr. Rasmussen is an expert on the interplay of science, communication, and societal fear, and how a future pathogen might exploit not just our biological vulnerabilities but also our psychological ones.

Whether discussing viral evolution, public health strategy, or the perils of panic, Dr. Rasmussen’s visit to the Salt Spring Forum will be highly informative, deeply thought-provoking, and potentially life-saving.

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Samir Gandesha is Professor of Modern European Thought and Culture & Director of the Institute for the Humanities at Simon Fraser University.  A leading scholar of modern European thought and critical theory, his work examines the psychological and political forces that drive populism, authoritarianism, and the resurgence of fascist ideas in contemporary life.

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Why are populist movements gaining unprecedented power across democracies?

Is liberal democracy under attack?

What do the MAGA movement and growing authoritarianism in the United States mean for politics in Canada?

As witnessed in the United States and other liberal democracies, Professor Gandesha traces how identity-based movements can both empower and divide, and how populist leaders exploit these tensions to consolidate power.

A widely published public intellectual, Professor Gandesha contributes to the Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, and international publications. Professor Gandesha is the editor, most recently, of Spectres of Fascism: Historical, Theoretical, and International Perspectives (Pluto Press, 2020).

Join us for a timely, accessible, gripping discussion about democracy’s vulnerabilities and the urgent task of resisting authoritarian drift.