Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed

Between Science to Society

How does our science shape policy—and what’s our responsibility to translate it? How should scientists think about engaging with politics? Dr. Abdul El-Sayed began his career as an academic scientist. He left the academy to rebuild Detroit’s Health Department. He went on to run for governor of Michigan and currently works in public health policy translation as an author, podcast host of America Dissected, and a commentator on CNN. In this conversation, he reflects on his experiences between policy, politics, and public discussion and the critical role scientists must play in this moment.

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is a physician, epidemiologist, educator, author, speaker, and podcast host. His newsletter, The Incision, cuts to the heart of the trends shaping our moment. He is a commentator at CNN. His three books include Healing Politics, calling for a politics of empathy to cure our epidemic of insecurity, and Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide with Dr. Micah Johnson. He is the host of “America Dissected,” a podcast by Crooked Media, which goes beyond the headlines to explore what really matters for our health. He is a Senior Fellow at the FXB Center for Health & Human Rights at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, and a Scholar-in-Residence at Wayne State University and American University, teaching at the intersection of public health, public policy, and politics. He is formerly the Health Director for the City of Detroit and candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2018.