Welcome the fall semester with an urgent talk on August 25th at 4pm by Wen-Ying Sylvia Chou, PhD, MPH.
Censorships and attacks on academic research have spurred a new generation of resistance in defense of science, academic freedom, and democracy. Inside the National Institutes of Health (NIH), civil servants organized and released the Bethesda Declaration in June 2025, an open letter raising concerns over the damage caused by the Trump administration’s policies and practices. Their whistleblowing and advocacy efforts have intensified since then. In this forum, Wen-Ying Sylvia Chou (SPH, class of 2008), a former NIH program official, health communication scholar, and a Bethesda Declaration organizer and signer, will discuss the perils facing health research in and outside the NIH, highlighting opportunities to resist censorship (or anticipatory compliance), engage in honest conversations, and defend academic freedom. Dr. Chou will share personal reflections and lessons learned on building and growing a community in collaboration with media, legislative, and academic partners.
Dr. Chou is a prolific health communication scholar with over 125 publications. She holds expertise in social media, health misinformation, and patient-provider communication. Resigning from a program official position at the National Cancer Institute in protest, Chou is an organizer and signer of the Bethesda Declaration and has continued to organize efforts to uphold the integrity of academic research.