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The fall COVID-19 surge has arrived as predicted, and healthcare experts have learned a lot about the virus since the pandemic began. Outbreaks can happen anywhere and COVID-19 can sicken and kill anyone.

It has also been determined that certain pre-existing medical conditions can put a person at higher risk. But other factors for how sick you could become are often more difficult to quantify because that may be determined by your own immune response.

How does a person’s unique immune response protect them from or make them more susceptible to the Coronavirus? Appearing on Smart Talk Monday to discuss immunity and COVID-19 is Dr. Anita McElroy, MD, Ph.D., Center for Vaccine Research, University of Pittsburgh.

FDA Commissioner Hahn on Smart Talk — The race to develop a coronavirus vaccine is happening at an unprecedented speed

The U.S. Government initiated a public-private partnership called Operation Warp Speed to accelerate, manufacture and distribute vaccines faster than any other time in history.

It is an unprecedented strategy that has been called one of the “most ambitious scientific endeavors in modern U.S. history.”

How will we know that a fast-tracked vaccine is safe? Appearing on Smart Talk Monday to detail the rigorous vaccine process is FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Vaccines raise hope of strong economic recovery

Pfizer reported last week that their early testing data is showing more than a 90% effective rate in the vaccine trial.

This big news was met with a stock market surge and great enthusiasm by industry followers and global leaders, all betting on a vaccine distribution before 2021. A second COVID-19 vaccine made news today. The biotech company Moderna, Inc., reports their experimental vaccine was 94.5% effective in preventing disease, according to a data analysis of its clinical trial.

The news is encouraging and is positive for U.S. economic growth in the short run. Gus Faucher is the Chief Economist with PNC Financial Services Group and he appears on Smart Talk to share insights for a U.S. recovery.

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The world is on the precipice of major discoveries in quantum computing and it is nothing short of a game changer. The development of this technology will change the world in many ways: how we do business, medical research, managing and safeguarding data, exploring space and even understanding and predicting climate change.

Quantum computing involves an entirely new area of physics and it is so important that many cannot predict how dramatically these developments will change our lives.

Google announced last year that they achieved quantum supremacy in an article published in the scientific journal Nature. Google says that its 54-qubit Sycamore processor performed a calculation in 200-seconds that would have taken the world’s most powerful supercomputer 10,000 years.

Investing in this rapidly developing field involves big industry players and nation states. The race is on and it has been compared to the space-race in the 1960’s.

Appearing on Smart Talk to help distill this very complicated topic is Terrill L. Frantz, Ph.D., Ed.D., Associate Professor at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.

Experiences on the gridiron set the stage for new Paterno novel

On Friday’s Smart Talk — former Penn State assistant football coach, son of legendary coach Joe Paterno and member of the Penn State Board of Trustees, Jay Paterno has written a novel about a major college football coach under pressure to win.

The book is called Hot Seat — A Year Inside College Football’s Pressure Cooker.

Some of the fictional stories come from real life experiences Paterno witnessed or was aware of.

We’ll also talk with Paterno about Penn State and the coronavirus. The number of cases has increased significantly since students returned to school.

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There are more people and families who are experiencing hunger or food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s not surprising since so many lost their jobs and income.

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is making food available to about 40-thousand more people each month than before the pandemic. All told, the Food Bank is providing meals to more than 200,000 Central Pennsylvanians each month.

Thursday is a special day on WITF and an important day, as well. Every November with the holidays and cold weather looming, WITF is on the air with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank for one day to raise money that goes toward feeding families.

It is important every year but maybe even more significant in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A new partner this year – Weis Markets – is an essential part of this effort, as well.

Appearing on Thursday’s Smart Talk are Joe Arthur, Executive Director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Ron Bonacci, Vice President of Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations, Weis Markets, and Food Bank Volunteer Elizabeth Fagan.

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The battle of Gettysburg was fought more than 150 years ago, yet it still offers enduring lessons in military strategy, decision making, and leadership.

Military strategists and educators have studied the battle, and others, as a way to understand the context and complexities the leaders faced during a period of enormous stress and consequence. The lessons learned from dissecting their actions in a battle fought so many years ago can be quite valuable to leaders in the military, and civilian organizations, today.

Retired Army Col. Jeffrey McCausland, Ph.D., visiting Professor of International Security at Dickinson College, co-authored a book with Tom Vossler called “Battle Tested: Gettysburg Leadership Lessons for 21st Century Leaders.” McCausland joins Smart Talk Wednesday, Veterans Day, to share the insights gathered from their analysis.

US Army Heritage and Education Center spotlights the Persian Gulf War veteran’s experience

Over 30 years ago the country of Iraq invaded Kuwait, their neighbor to the south and home to eight percent of the world’s oil reserves.

The U.S. responded quickly by assembling a coalition of 35 nations and deploying over a half-a-million servicemen and women to the region as part of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

In recognition of the veterans and the Persian Gulf War, the US Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) in Carlisle opened its newest exhibit, “This Will Not Stand: The U.S. Army’s Road to Victory during the Persian Gulf.”

Molly A. Bompane is the Curator of Arms and Ordnance with USAHEC and she joins Smart Talk Wednesday, along with Retired Army COL Geoff Mangelsdorf, USAHEC Director to talk about the exhibit and new initiatives along USAHEC’s outdoor Heritage Trail.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported an additional 6,311 positive cases of COVID-19 from Saturday and Sunday. This number is nearly double the highest number of cases reported during the first surge of the Pandemic.

A lot more is known about the virus since it first appeared last winter, but that doesn’t make the increase in cases less alarming. Many people still have questions about the virus, how to avoid exposure and what to do if they experience symptoms.

Dr. Gerald Maloney, DO, is the Chief Medical Officer for Geisinger Hospitals and he joins Tuesday’s Smart Talk to answer questions about COVID-19 and stopping the spread.

Good news from one COVID vaccine trial and Biden announces Pandemic transition strategy

Pfizer is one of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical companies and is one of many pursuing a Coronavirus vaccine. The company reported this week that the early testing data is showing more than a 90% effective rate in the vaccine trial.

This big news was met with a stock market surge and great enthusiasm by industry followers and global leaders, all betting on a vaccine distribution before 2021.

President-elect Joe Biden approached the news with cautious optimism on the same day he announced a COVID task force to lead his administration’s Pandemic response.

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President-elect Joe Biden says he wants to bring the nation together and break down its divisions.

That will be quite a challenge for the new president after winning a close, bitterly fought election. Biden will have around four million more votes than incumbent President Donald Trump, but it was much tighter when it came to electoral votes.

Biden was called as the winner Saturday morning when projections came in that he had won Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes. Many of his supporters took to the streets to celebrate while Trump voters were reluctant or maybe wouldn’t admit defeat.

Monday’s Smart Talk wraps up Election 2020 coverage with open phones for you to share your thoughts on the election results, the President-elect and what you direction you want to see the country move in.

Dickinson College political science professor and author David O’Connell, Ph.D., is on the program to provide insight.

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Pennsylvania set a record in the 24-hour period that ended Thursday at midnight with 2,900 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Nationally, there were almost 108,000 cases reported – another record.

Clearly the fall surge has arrived.

What’s driving it and what is being done to slow it down?

Also, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has a plan to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine when one is available.

WITF’s Transforming Health reporter Brett Sholtis is on Friday’s Smart Talk to provide details.

Meanwhile, what does the American election this week look like from abroad?

Lancaster County native Ben Pontz is studying in Great Britain and shares some insight on Friday’s program.

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We may know today whether President Trump will win a second term in office or if Joe Biden has been elected the nation’s next president.

Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes may be who determines who wins the election or it may not, depending on the votes being tabulated in other states, like Arizona and Nevada. Electoral votes from those two states would give Biden the 270 needed to win the presidency.

However, mail-in ballots are still being counted in Pennsylvania and Trump holds a lead heading into the end of the week.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk, we discuss the latest election news in Pennsylvania. Joining us are WHYY Philadelphia reporter Katie Meyer and David O’Connell, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science, Dickinson College.

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While reporting and analysis of Tuesday’s election results are unprecedented, so is the day after the election discussion.

With possibly close to three million mail-in ballots to count. the Pennsylvania Department of State has said it could be Friday before we know which presidential candidate won the state’s 20 electoral votes. The same goes for other important races, including for Pennsylvania’s 18 Congressional seats and state Attorney General, Auditor General and Treasurer.

There still will be lots to talk about.

Political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna of Franklin and Marshall College is on Wednesday’s Smart Talk to discuss what we do know and what could be coming later in the week.

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Federal Government agencies issued a joint cybersecurity advisory last week warning of an imminent cybercrime threat to U.S. Hospitals and other healthcare providers.

The warning states that criminal elements are targeting healthcare organizations with malware. Malware is any type of software that is intentionally designed to cause damage to computer networks. Viruses, worms, spyware, and ransomware are types of malware that are being used to essentially take over a healthcare network’s computer systems. Cybercriminals are known to use malware to extract or hold data hostage that they can leverage for financial gain. There are multiple hospital systems in the U.S. reporting cyberattacks in the past week.

Bruce Young is an Information Security executive with 25 years’ experience and a Cybersecurity and Information Assurance lecturer with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. He Joins Smart Talk to discuss how the attacks are occurring and how to prevent them.

Dickinson College uses an unlikely source to power school’s farm and dairy site

Dickinson College is known for their Center for Sustainability Education and initiatives to reduce their ecological footprint.

Dickinson was one of the first institutions to sign the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2008. By signing, Dickinson College pledged to adopt a climate action plan that would lead to carbon neutrality. Being carbon neutral happens when the activities included in their carbon footprint add zero net emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

It’s an admirable goal and the College is one step closer with a plan to put food waste, cow manure and brewery residual grain to use powering their farm and an adjoining dairy.

Appearing on Smart Talk to share the plan’s details are Ken Shultes, the Associate Vice President of Sustainability and Facilities Planning and Matt Steiman Assistant Director of the Dickinson Farm.

Election day: Where to find updated and accurate news

With information overwhelming social media users, it’s important for media organizations to ensure their listeners/viewers/readers can trust their reporting. Questions like, “How do people decide what news is trustworthy?” or “How can journalists influence what users consume and share?” have come up repeatedly at public forums with WITF journalists.

To help answer those questions, WITF is taking part in the Trusting News project and joining Smart Talk to offer perspective is WITF Multimedia News Director Tim Lambert.

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