Every global crisis leaves behind two legacies. One is the visible, measurable toll it takes—lost lives, fractured systems, economic decline. The other is trickier to perceive: how well-prepared we were, and how effectively we communicated amidst chaos. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw firsthand that having accurate data and responsive policies wasn’t enough. What failed too often wasn’t just our infrastructure, but our ability to communicate well, build trust, and work across disciplines. These deficiencies were costly.

Ann-Elisabeth Samson sits down with Dr. Prativa Baral, a 2021 alumni scholar of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and Assistant Professor at McGill University. Dr. Baral's research intersects global health, crisis leadership, and the role of effective science communication. With experience advising the WHO, World Bank, and UN, and as co-founder of Let Science Connect, she unpacks what happens when misinformation flourishes and public trust falters, shedding light on why science communication is as critical as the data itself.

Resources

• Let Science Connect Website
• Canadian COVID-19 Immunity Task Force Website
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Website
• McGill University, Department of Global and Public Health Website
• Medicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) Website
• Your Local Epidemiologist by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina Website
• Learn more about Dr. Prativa Baral

Dr. Prativa Baral is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Global and Public Health at McGill University and a Faculty Associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As an infectious disease epidemiologist and science communicator, her work explores the intersection of global health, crisis leadership, and public trust. She has advised organizations including the WHO, World Bank, and United Nations on pandemic preparedness, health systems resilience, and misinformation.

Dr. Baral is the co-founder of Let Science Connect, an initiative equipping researchers to communicate clearly across disciplines and with the public. Her research focuses on building early warning systems, strengthening crisis leadership, and designing responsive public health infrastructures. A 2021 Scholar of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, she brings a systems-level approach to both science and policy—working to ensure societies aren’t just reacting to emergencies, but actively shaping their readiness.

Dr. Baral holds a PhD from Johns Hopkins University, MPH from Columbia University and a BSC from McGill University. She is currently developing McGill’s Pandemic and Emergency Readiness Lab with Dr. Joanne Liu, former international president of Médecins Sans Frontières.

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There is power in the pen — and that’s a power that everyone with a platform must learn to wield responsibly. In regions where the radio is still the main media format, grassroots journalism becomes a force to be reckoned with. Moved one way, it can instigate conflict and inflame a region to war. But used correctly, ethical journalism can become a powerful force for peace, a bulwark against misinformation, polarization, and othering.

In this episode, host Ann-Elisabeth Samson talks with Dr. William Tayeebwa. Dr. Tayeebwa’s research draws on the body of work written by giants of peace journalism — Johan Galtung, Jake Lynch, Annabel McGoldrick, and Ross Howard — to create courses that promote ethical journalism within war-torn regions of Africa. Far from being an academic locked away in a university, he performs fieldwork that has reduced violence while elevating the standards of media giants in the country.

Resources

• UNESCO: Website
• Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD): Website
• Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA): Website
• United States Agency for International Development (USAID): Website
• “Peace Journalism” by Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick
• “Journalism in Conflict and Post-Conflict: Worldwide Perspectives” edited by Dr. William Tayeebwa and Rune Ottosen
• Uganda Radio Network: Website
• Renzori Media Development Foundation: Website

About Dr. William Tayeebwa

Dr. William Tayeebwa is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Communication at Makerere University and Managing Editor of Makerere University Press. A 2008 Trudeau Foundation Scholar, he holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Concordia University, where his research focused on peace journalism and the transformative role of community radio in post-conflict Uganda. With over two decades of experience across academia, civil society, and international organizations like UNESCO, NORAD, and the EU, Dr. Tayeebwa designs media training programs for journalists and influencers throughout Africa. His work spans conflict-sensitive reporting, climate change communication, refugee and migration coverage, and ethical media practices in an AI-driven era. From grassroots radio stations in the Great Lakes region to UN-backed broadcasts across Central Africa, his research investigates how media can shift public discourse from violence to reconciliation. Through both university teaching and hands-on fieldwork, he equips a new generation of journalists to center truth, peace, and justice in their storytelling.

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How do technologies shape the stories we tell? How do they influence the daily lives we share? Digital platforms and generative AI now play a big role in journalism. They affect how news is created and shared. This interplay raises critical questions about who controls these systems. It also impacts how communities connect and discuss shared issues. Understanding this dynamic is important to ensuring the media serves the public good and to help maintain open, inclusive dialogue in our society.

In this episode of From Research to Impact, we talk with Dr. Mike Ananny. He is a 2006 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation scholar. He is also an associate professor of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. Mike’s research dives into how digital infrastructures, algorithms, and AI shape journalism. He explores how these tools affect our daily lives. He also examines ways to make them better serve public interests. From designing tech-enhanced toys to advising on CBC/Radio-Canada’s future, Mike offers a unique view. He highlights the power and responsibility of those building media technologies.

Resources

• Explore the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation’s Website and Scholarship Program.
• Center on Generative AI and Society (at USC)
• Center of Science Technology and Public Life (at USC)
• Read “On Tyranny” by Timothy Snyder

About Dr. Mike Ananny

Dr. Mike Ananny is an Associate Professor of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School, with a courtesy appointment in Cinematic Arts. His research explores how digital infrastructures, algorithms, and generative AI shape journalism and even our daily lives. However, he emphasizes that these systems can better serve public interests. He co-directs the Media as Socio-Technical Systems collective and the AI for Media and Storytelling initiative at USC’s Center on Generative AI and Society, and serves on the steering committee of the Center of Science, Technology, and Public Life.

With a background in system design, Dr. Ananny has built technologies for community storytelling, from tech-enhanced toys at MIT’s Media Lab to participatory media projects in Europe. His work bridges technical innovation with cultural and ethical questions, influencing journalism’s response to emerging technologies. He is the author of Networked Press Freedom and co-editor of Bauhaus Futures, with contributions to outlets like The Atlantic, WIRED, and Harvard’s Nieman Lab.

At USC, Dr. Ananny teaches courses on networked press, AI in media, and network publics, mentoring students across journalism, engineering, and cinematic arts. His interdisciplinary approach fosters critical thinking about technology’s role in storytelling and public discourse, preparing students to navigate and shape a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Dr. Ananny holds a PhD from Stanford University, a master’s from MIT’s Media Lab, and was a postdoctoral scholar at Microsoft Research. He is a 2006 Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation scholar.

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Find out more about Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation at https://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/

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