January 26, 2015
Higgs presents on 21st century diseases, 'The Ghost Map' for lecture series conclusion
On Wednesday, Jan. 28, Stephen Higgs, associate vice president for research and research director for the Biosecurity Research Institute, or BRI, will present on 21st century diseases in connection with the 2014 common book, "The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic — and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World" by Steven Johnson.
Higgs's lecture, "Diseases on the 21st Century Map," will take place at 4 p.m. in McVay Family Town Hall in the Leadership Studies Building. It is free and open to the public.
Higgs will explore how new diseases are emerging and old ones are re-emerging.
More than 150 years after the London cholera outbreak, pathogens still cause more than 25 percent of all human deaths worldwide. Instead of disappearing, they continue to expand their ranges, respecting no borders and adapting to new opportunities. Higgs will draw upon the work at the Biosecurity Research Institute to provide examples of emerging diseases and responses to them.
Higgs' lecture is the final one in a four-part series, "Ghostmapping: A Public Lecture Series." The lecture series has drawn upon the collective knowledge of the campus community to help everyone understand more about the issues raised in Johnson's book.
Read more information about the lecture series, Johnson's book, and the K-State Book Network on the K-State Book Network website.