The COVID-19 pandemic has produced massive amounts of information that require an accurate analysis to predict outcomes and design solutions rapidly. It also has required experts from many different backgrounds to rally around in the quest for rapid responses in the race to save lives.
Many of the most prominent of these researchers are from Michigan, and a significant number of them are computational scientists who addressed questions such as: What measures should be taken to minimize contagion? Is it safe to ride a bus? How are supply and demand chains being affected?
This virtual symposium will bring together researchers from the state of Michigan to share their past and future insights into the pandemic.
This is a free Zoom event, open to the general public. Please register to attend.

University of Michigan President Mark S. Schlissel
Opening Remarks
F. DuBois Bowman
Dean, School of Public Health
Professor, Biostatistics
University of Michigan
Sessions and Speakers

Session 1 | A Year in Review: Lessons Learned and Best Practices
Even as the first smattering of cases were being reported from around the world, Michigan researchers shot to the forefront of collecting data and building models to aid decision making in the state, the U.S. and abroad.
Featured Speakers
![]() Biostatistics University of Michigan |
![]() Epidemiology University of Michigan |
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![]() Biostatistics University of Michigan |
![]() Physics University of Michigan |
![]() Physics, Mathematics University of Michigan |
![]() Epidemiology University of Michigan |

Session 1 | A Year in Review: Lessons Learned and Best Practices
Even as the first smattering of cases were being reported from around the world, Michigan researchers shot to the forefront of collecting data and building models to aid decision making in the state, the U.S. and abroad.
Featured Speakers
Bhramar Mukherjee
Biostatistics
University of Michigan
Jonathan Zelner
Epidemiology
University of Michigan
Joe Eisenberg
Epidemiology
University of Michigan
Peter Song
Biostatistics
University of Michigan
Thomas Schwarz
Physics
University of Michigan
Sabrina Corsetti
Physics, Mathematics
University of Michigan
Andrew Brouwer
Epidemiology
University of Michigan

Session 2 | Moving into the Vaccine Era
Researchers are modeling the outcomes of vaccination strategies and their impacts on community-wide responses to the disease, including possibly permanent changes to certain aspects of daily life.
Featured Speakers
![]() Industrial and Operations Engineering University of Michigan |
![]() Epidemiology University of Michigan |
![]() Mathematics, Complex Systems, Public Policy University of Michigan |
![]() Pediatrics, Health Management and Policy University of Michigan |
![]() Health Management and Policy, Industrial and Operations Engineering University of Michigan |

Session 2 | Moving into the Vaccine Era
Researchers are modeling the outcomes of vaccination strategies and their impacts on community-wide responses to the disease, including possibly permanent changes to certain aspects of daily life.
Featured Speakers
Siqian Shen
Industrial and Operations Engineering
University of Michigan
James Koopman
Epidemiology
University of Michigan
Carl Simon
Mathematics, Complex Systems,
Public Policy
University of Michigan
Lisa Prosser
Pediatrics,
Health Management and Policy
University of Michigan
David Hutton
Health Management and Policy,
Industrial and Operations Engineering
University of Michigan

Session 3 | Modeling in a Campus Context
COVID-19 changed every aspect of our lives, and this was not different for higher education institutions. Modeling and simulation have been the backbone of a vast majority of the decision making and planning for campus activities.
Featured Speakers and Panelists
![]() Mechanical Engineering University of Michigan |
![]() Industrial and Operations Engineering University of Michigan |
![]() Epidemiology and Biostatistics Michigan State University |
![]() Epidemiology, Mathematics, Complex Systems University of Michigan |
![]() Epidemiology University of Michigan |
![]() Industrial and Operations Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Michigan |
![]() Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Michigan State University |
![]() Computer Science and Engineering University of Michigan |
![]() Complex Systems, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan |

Session 3 | Modeling in a Campus Context
COVID-19 changed every aspect of our lives, and this was not different for higher education institutions. Modeling and simulation have been the backbone of a vast majority of the decision making and planning for campus activities.
Featured Speakers
Jesse Capecelatro
Mechanical Engineering
University of Michigan
Amy Cohn
Industrial and Operations Engineering
University of Michigan
Gustavo de los Campos
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Michigan State University
Marisa Eisenberg
Epidemiology, Mathematics, Complex Systems
University of Michigan
Seth Guikema
Industrial and Operations Engineering,
Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Michigan
Jade Mitchell
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Michigan State University
Jenna Wiens
Computer Science and Engineering
University of Michigan
Luis Zaman
Complex Systems, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Michigan
Emily Martin (Moderator)
Epidemiology
University of Michigan
