Dr. Anthony Fauci, the world-renowned infectious disease expert who has spent decades on the front lines in the fights against HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Zika and now COVID-19, will deliver the 67th Beatty Lecture in an online event on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, as part of McGill University’s virtual Homecoming festivities. Following the lecture, he will be given an honorary doctorate – Doctor of Science, honoris causa – from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
“McGill University’s honorary degrees are the means by which the University expresses its highest ideals, recognizing individuals whose accomplishments are of such excellence that they provide inspiration and leadership to the community,” said Suzanne Fortier, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University. “A world-renowned scientist, Dr. Anthony Fauci undoubtedly exceeds these criteria. He is a pioneer in the research of pathogenesis and treatment of immune-mediated and infectious diseases, and he has served as the Chief Medical Advisor to seven U.S. presidents.”
Dr. Fauci will share his insights and his remarkable life story with the McGill community as the world remains in the grips of a deadly new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Fauci has served as Director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984, and has overseen the country’s efforts at researching, diagnosing, and treating infectious diseases. He was also one of the main architects of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) – a program which has saved millions of lives in the developing world since it was launched in 2003. He has also led research efforts to combat all kinds of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, as well as newer diseases such as the Ebola and Zika viruses.
His expertise and his statements on COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020 have helped make him a household name around the world. Dr. Fauci brings to the Beatty podium his well-known ability to communicate the science behind the current global crisis.
The event will be emceed by Nahlah Ayed, the host of the CBC Radio One program IDEAS.
The Beatty Lecture is one of the longest-running lecture series in North America. It was established in 1952 and named after Sir Edward Beatty, McGill’s Chancellor from 1920 to 1943. Recent past Beatty Lectures have included nature conservation advocate Jane Goodall, cultural critic Roxane Gay, and philosopher Charles Taylor.
The event is free and open to the public, though advance registration is required. To register, click here.
An anthology of past Beatty Lectures, With the World to Choose From: Celebrating Seven Decades of the Beatty Lecture at McGill University, is now available in bookstores, including McGill’s Le James Bookstore.