Penn State experts are at the forefront of research on the social and educational impacts related to the coronavirus pandemic as well as of studying what societies of the future may entail — from mental health, changing family dynamics, and the educational impact social isolation mandates to health policy, and racial inequities.
Evan Pugh Professor of Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies
Health & Medicine, Social Sciences
Assistant Professor of Public Policy
Health & Medicine, Law and Policy, Politics & Policy
Professor of Sociology, Demography, and African Studies
Health & Medicine, Social Sciences
The coronavirus pandemic is impacting societies across the globe in ways far beyond the immediate health concerns. Penn State faculty are looking at the long-term consequences of these areas — all with an eye on how we can cope and what our changing societies may look like in the future.
Evan Pugh Professor of Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies,
Director, Child Study Center
Contact Karen Bierman with questions about: the challenges faced by children and their families during the transition to online K-12 schooling during the coronavirus pandemic as well as mental health concerns for children during this time.
Distinguished Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Contact James Dillard with questions about: the role of emotion in persuasion and the dynamics and impact of fear during epidemics like the coronavirus.
Assistant Professor of Public Policy
Contact Simon Haeder with questions about: COVID-19 vaccine policy implementation, equity issues related to vaccine distribution, and whether companies and schools should require employees and students to be vaccinated. He can also discuss the ways in which partisan politics challenge our handling of this national health emergency, Finally, Haeder can comment on U.S. healthcare system policies and preparedness, generally.
Palmer Chair in Telecommunications,
Director of the X-Lab
Contact Sascha Meinrath with questions about: the coronavirus pandemic's impacts on Internet connectivity. He can also comment on voting security, technology policy, privacy, surveillance, civil liberties, broadband mapping and artificial intelligence.
Professor of Sociology, Demography, and African Studies
Contact Kevin Thomas with questions about: how prejudices against immigrants and Asian-Americans may be occurring during the coronavirus pandemic. He recently published a book about the Ebola crisis and prejudice against certain groups of people associated with it.
Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences
Contact Kathleen Keller with questions about: family/child nutrition during social isolation and school transitions to remote learning.
Penn State expertise spans far beyond those that we have currently featured on the site. Call us at 814-865-7517 or contact a member of the media relations staff
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