Event: Death and Dying: A Population Health Perspective

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

8:30 a.m.–2:05 p.m.

DOORS OPEN, 8 A.M.

Hiebert Lounge
72 East Concord Street
Boston

Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People Provided

#BUSPHSymposia

Death is a universal experience. Yet we seldom discuss it, and even more infrequently do we discuss death at the population level. This symposium aims to change the conversation around death by examining different perspectives on death at the population level, focusing on dying, where and how people die, and how we react to death. Our hope is that by shifting the national conversation on dying, we can elevate our aspirations for living.

Featuring experts from around the world on how we talk about death—and how we can elevate our aspirations for living.

George Annas, Amy Appleford, Michael Balboni, Tracy Balboni, Christopher de Bellaigue, Barbara Ehrenreich, Sandro Galea, Chris Gill, Michael Hebb, Katherine Keyes, Jamila Michener, Susan Mizruchi, The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi Rinpoche, Jon Sawyer, Dan Sulmasy, Sallie Tisdale

Cohosted with Boston University Program for Global Health Storytelling, Boston University Center for the Humanities, Boston University College of Communication, and the Pulitzer Center.

Agenda

8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

OPENING REMARKS

Sandro Galea, Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor, Boston University School of Public Health

Jon Sawyer, Executive Director, Pulitzer Center

8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

PART ONE: LIVING-HOW WE THINK ABOUT DEATH

Barbara Ehrenreich, Author

Michael Hebb, Food Provocateur and Author

Daniel Sulmasy, Andre Hellegers Professor of Biomedical Ethics, Georgetown University and Acting Director, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University

Sallie Tisdale, Author and RN, Providence Elderplace

Jamila Michener, Assistant Professor, Government, College of Arts and Sciences, Cornell University

Moderator: TBD

10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

BREAK

10:30 a.m. – noon

PART TWO: DYING–STRATEGIES FOR EXERCISING CONTROL

Tracy A. Balboni, Associate Professor, Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School; Senior Physician, Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Clinical Director, Supportive and Palliative Radiation Oncology Service, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center

George Annas, William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor of Health Law, Ethics & Human Rights and Director, Center of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health

Amy Appleford, Associate Professor and Associate Chair Director, Medieval Studies Program, Boston University

Christopher de Bellaigue, Journalist

Moderator: TBD

noon – 12:30 p.m.

LUNCH

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

PART THREE: GRIEF–AFTER WE DIE

Christopher J. Gill, Associate Professor, Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health

Katherine M. Keyes, Associate Professor, Epidemiology and Co-Director, Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

Michael J. Balboni, Co-Director of the Initiative on Health, Religion, and Spirituality, Harvard University and Brigham & Women’s Hospital

Susan L. Mizruchi, Center Director, Center for the Humanities, Boston University

Moderator: TBD