Race to Make and Use COVID-19 Vaccines lecture set Feb. 9

The popular Science and Society lecture series from the Lewes Public Library and Topical Seminars will return at 5 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 9.

The online discussion will focus on the science behind the global race to produce a vaccine against the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Veteran science journalist Jon Cohen will discuss how, in less than a year after scientists first identified SARS-CoV-2, a handful of highly effective vaccines were developed, exhaustively tested and approved for use. He will highlight the different approaches pursued around the world, the scientists involved in the pursuit, and the political and economic pressures surrounding the endeavor.

Cohen is a staff writer for Science magazine and has written extensively about COVID-19, with unparalleled access to leading scientists and public health experts.

Joining him in conversation will be Lewes residents Colin Norman, former news editor at Science magazine, and Fred Dylla, executive director emeritus of the American Institute of Physics and author of “Scientific Journeys.”

Cohen also is known for his coverage of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, infectious diseases, vaccines, immunology and new genetic technologies such as the genome-editing technique CRISPR. He is the author of four science-based books and the recipient of numerous science writing awards. His work has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post and Smithsonian.

The lecture is free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register, go to www.lewes.lib.de.us and visit Virtual Programs for Adults.