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“Scientists had to stand up and be counted”: Professor Jonathan Van-Tam speaks at UCL
18 March 2025
Five years on from Covid, Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam and a panel of experts asks what can the Covid-19 pandemic teach us about crisis communications?
The former Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam joined a panel of experts from across science and public services to talk about his experiences at the heart of government during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sir Jonathan, who shot to fame during the pandemic because of his ability to explain highly complicated scientific concepts to a TV audience in plain English, spoke at the ‘Communicating in a Crisis: Lessons Learned Five Years After Covid’ event, convened by UCL Public Policy on Wednesday (March 12).
The lecture was held on the fifth anniversary of the start of the Covid pandemic, and brought together a panel of experts including Professor Susan Michie, Director of the UCL Centre for Behaviour Change, Professor Jack Stilgoe from UCL Science and Technology Studies, Professor Alice Roberts from the University of Birmingham, Dr Cath Haddon from the Institute for Government and Dr Philip Ball, former editor of the journal Nature to discuss what the Covid pandemic has revealed to us about how people behave in a crisis, and what policy makers need to understand in order to communicate with the public during emergencies.
In his keynote speech, Sir Jonathan spoke candidly about the personal toll of his role as Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO). He reflected on the challenge of maintaining public trust while delivering complex and evolving scientific information.
Following his speech, the panel discussion considered what governments and policy professionals could learn from the experiences of the pandemic, and how scientists can better engage with the public to help them understand complex and often conflicting evidence.
Reflecting through the lens of the Covid-19 pandemic, the event considered how governments and civil society can ensure that the public are kept informed and engaged at times of crisis. Drawing on the panel’s broad range of insight across behavioural science, technology, communications and government and public services, they were uniquely placed to offer analysis and evidence-based commentary on the pandemic itself, and how policymakers can better connect with the public.
The expert panel responded to wide-ranging questions including how scientists can better communicate about issues such as climate change, to how to speak with certainty in uncertain situations. Dr Cath Haddon, Programme Director at the Institute for Government, spoke of the importance of governments working in partnership with other public services and regional authorities, to ensure that messages can be clear and consistent. Addressing the growing issue of disinformation, Dr Philip Ball spoke of the need for policymakers to understand the different ways in which people receive their news, and provide trustworthy, reliable information.
Professor Stilgoe said: “COVID-19 provided the most extraordinary case study about what it means to be a scientist and what it means to be an expert, showcasing this wider role that scientists can be thrust into.
“We don’t support our scientists to do that wider role very well. Media training might be the extent of the support we give them.”
Professor Michie, who was a member of both the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies and also Independent SAGE, said: “I think being able to have places where the public can ask questions and get honest answers is really important.”
Fellow panellist Professor Alice Roberts, a Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham who was also a member of Independent SAGE, added: “Your responsibility as a university and as a member of academic staff is about more than just teaching students and engaging with your colleagues, it is about engaging with the wider community, and with civic society."
The event was hosted by UCL Public Policy, which supports engagement between academic researchers and public policy professionals, and looks to support the development of effective, evidence-based policy.
Watch the discussion