THE HOT ZONE
Upcoming event
THE HOT ZONE: An evening with Nancy and Jerry Jaax
Kansas State University and Johnson County Community College are hosting an evening with Lenexa residents Nancy and Jerry Jaax, two Kansas State University veterinarians and leaders whose response to an Ebola-related outbreak inspired the recently released National Geographic series, THE HOT ZONE. Watch clips from the series and listen to the Jaaxes describe the real-life events.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Monday, July 15, 2019
4 p.m.
Presentation begins at 4 p.m. A networking event with light refreshments will follow around 5:30 p.m.
Location: Nerman Museum, Hudson Auditorium at Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd.
Overland Park, KS 66210
K-State connections
Download the above photo.
Nancy and Jerry Jaax both graduated with veterinary medicine degrees from Kansas State University and served in medical defense with the U.S. Army, during which time they became involved in the events depicted in THE HOT ZONE.
Following the events of 1989 and after stellar military careers, Jerry and Nancy returned to Manhattan. Jerry joined the university and served in a prominent research leadership position to further the university's biodefense mission. Nancy participated in innumerable infectious disease initiatives at the university.
Both Jerry and Nancy played important roles in the development of Kansas State University's biocontainment facility called the Biosecurity Research Institute, or BRI, at Pat Roberts Hall. Nancy inspired the need for a training lab based on her experience with Ebola. They also assisted in winning the national competition for the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, or NBAF, which is under construction north of the university's Manhattan campus. Once NBAF becomes operational in 2022-2023, it will be America's foremost animal disease research facility.
K-State advance screening
On May 7, Kansas State University hosted an advance screening and panel discussion of THE HOT ZONE.
Watch the below video of Kansas State University President Richard Myers leading a panel discussion with THE HOT ZONE real-life subjects, Nancy and Jerry Jaax, and showrunners, writers and executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders.
View photos below from the panel discussion.
Other videos
Watch the above video of real-life subjects Nancy and Jerry Jaax discussing THE HOT ZONE at the Los Angeles premiere.
View a K-State video of Nancy and Jerry Jaax discussing safety.
