You can hear this podcast and check out all of our nominees at DataHeroAwards.org.
Dr. Theresa Chapple has dedicated the last 13 months to combating misinformation about COVID-19, building her science communication skills to teach the public about Covid-19 prevention approaches, and advocating for data-driven public policy to address the pandemic.
Since June, she's worked with 27 school districts across the country to aid in Covid-19 data and research interpretation, setting data related metrics for reopening and closings, and identifying and training on risk mitigation approaches.
She has also utilized platforms such as social media and traditional media to share public health prevention messages and translate research into language understandable by the masses.
Her thought-provoking and thoroughly researched messages on school reopening challenged narratives being pushed by economists who intentionally misled the public about the risks associated with in-person learning during the pandemic.
She breaks the data down, offers analysis and context, and is one of the most responsive experts for COVID-19 information on Twitter.
"There’s a reason Dr. Chapple put this [COVID-19 outbreaks in schools and childcare settings] exhaustingly long list together, and why it’s still growing," Karen Johnson wrote in Yahoo! News last August. "She wants us to realize and truly understand that this is what happens when people gather in groups. When adults gather in groups. When teens gather in groups. And when children gather in groups. Camps, daycare centers, and how it will be schools."
A few words from those who nominated Dr. Chapple:
"Dr. Chapple may be the most courageous woman I've encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. She unabashedly challenges misinformation in a confident and assertive way that doesn't come off as talking down to people."
"When a lot of junk science about schools came out from people with no subject-matter expertise, Dr. Chapple confronted them with the realities of what the real science and data showed, and by doing so likely saved many lives."
