From Research to Impact: Prativa Baral (2021 Scholar)

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. 

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