From Dissent to Dialogue: The Bethesda Declaration and the Fight for Academic Freedom

Event details Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 Time: 4:00 PM to 4:00 PM Location: Weill Hall 101 Type: Lecture / Workshop About this event In June 2025, hundreds of NIH scientists signed an open letter - the Bethesda Declaration - refusing to stay silent about political interference in research. On August 25, one of the key authors, Dr. Wen-Ying Sylvia Chou (SPH, class of 2008), a former NIH program official and health communication scholar, is coming to Berkeley to discuss the perils facing research inside and outside the NIH. The conversation will highlight opportunities to resist censorship and anticipatory compliance, engage in honest conversations, and defend academic freedom. Dr. Chou will share personal reflections and lessons learned on building and growing a community in collaboration with media, legislative, and academic partners. Together with UC Berkeley’s Dr. Arthur Reingold, MD and Claudia Polsky, JD they will share lessons learned and opportunities to protect the integrity of academic research. If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Martina at cend@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible (at least 5 days in advance of the event). Official event details: https://events.berkeley.edu/AC/event/325237-from-dissent-to-dialogue-the-bethesda-declaration