Ebola the subject of Nov. 4 Omaha Science Cafe

Ali Khan, M.D., M.P.H., dean of the UNMC College of Public Health

Ali S. Khan, M.D., M.P.H., dean of the UNMC College of Public Health, will give an overview of Ebola at the next Omaha Science Cafe, to be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St.

A former assistant surgeon general, Dr. Khan served at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 23 years before retiring as the director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response.

In that role, he managed the $1.5 billion public health security program and was responsible for all of CDC’s public health preparedness and response activities.

Dr. Khan joined the CDC and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps in 1991 as an epidemic intelligence service officer and over the past decades has led and responded to numerous high profile domestic and international public health emergencies, including hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, monkeypox, avian influenza, Rift Valley fever, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Asian Tsunami in 2004, and the initial public health response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

As dean of the UNMC College of Public Health, Dr. Khan’s vision is for the college to play an integral role in making Nebraska the healthiest state in the union.

Science Cafes involve a face-to-face conversation with a scientist about current science topics. They are open to everyone (21 and older), and take place in casual settings like pubs and coffeehouses. Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. A scientist gives a brief presentation followed by a question and answer period.

Pizza will be provided by The Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures for the first 50 people. For more information about Science Cafes, click here. Podcasts of previous Science Cafes also are available on the website or available for download on iTunes here.