"We live in a society where scientific illiteracy has devolved to scientific denialism. People simply declare their own truths: vaccines cause autism, climate change is a hoax, or creationism and evolution are equally valid hypotheses. As a consequence, science is losing its place as a source of truth. Now, more than ever before, it is important for scientists, clinicians, academics, and public health officials to stand up for science. We will discuss the challenges to communicating science to the media and to the public." - Dr. Offit

Paul Offit, MD is a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases and an expert on vaccines, immunology, and virology. He is the co-inventor of a rotavirus vaccine that has been credited with saving hundreds of lives every day. Offit is the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology, professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the Vaccine Education Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He has been a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Offit is a board member of Every Child by Two and a founding board member of the Autism Science Foundation (ASF). Dr. Offit is also the author of ten medical narratives, most recently, Bad Advice: Or Why Celebrities, Politicians, and Activists Aren’t Your Best Source of Health Information.