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By Lisa Marshall

How lessons learned under lockdown could lead to a brighter future

Imagine a future in which scientific听progress moves lightning fast, with听experts from diverse fields and distant听lands joining forces to solve global听problems in months, not years.

With some streets transformed to their听historic multipurpose intent, cyclists,听pedestrians, electric vehicles鈥攅ven听diners鈥攚ould safely share them,听yielding healthier air and communities.

Thoughtfully designed digital tools听would help keep more students听engaged, whether in a classroom or听at home.

And mental health would be听acknowledged as something as听critical as physical health.

Despite its undeniably tragic听consequences, the COVID-19听pandemic opened a window into听these possibilities, delivering lessons听that could pave the way toward a听brighter future.

鈥淐OVID changed us, forcing us to听cross boundaries that prior to the听pandemic seemed impenetrable,鈥澨齭aid CU Boulder Provost Russ Moore,听a professor of integrative physiology,听pointing to the swift, cross-campus听response to the virus. 鈥淢y greatest听hope is that this spirit of collaboration听lasts.鈥�

We asked CU scholars about the听lessons they have learned and how听they鈥檙e using them to effect change.

Fast-tracking discovery

Roy Parker, director, BioFrontiers Institute

Parker has worked with virologists to听develop new saliva-based COVID-19听tests, with computer scientists听to model vaccination distribution听strategies, with civil engineers to craft听a wastewater surveillance system,听and with an olfaction expert to explore听a new diagnostic based on sense听of smell. The research was shared听publicly via online portals known as听preprint servers, inviting peer review听and collaboration, and shaping public听policy long before traditional journal听publication would have been possible.

Parker intends to continue to听encourage the use of preprint servers听(as well as conventional peer-reviewed听journals) to share research swiftly and听circumvent silos between disciplines.听

鈥淭he pace of science sped up during听COVID, and we are now looking at听other ways to continue the valuable听synergies that emerged.鈥�

Illuminating mental health

June Gruber, associate professor of听psychology and neuroscience

Gruber has led a national call to action听to 鈥渇latten the mental health curve鈥� by听boosting support for treatment and听research. Midlockdown, she notes,听U.S. adults were eight times more听likely to experience mental distress听than prepandemic, with one-third听experiencing significant anxiety or听depression. Unable to physically听spend time with loved ones or听counselors, they had to seek help in听different forms, including telehealth听and peer-led support groups.

The pandemic, Gruber said,听revealed the inadequacies of the 鈥渙ld听mental health order鈥� and forced a听conversation about problems that are听often stigmatized.

鈥淲ith mental health challenges听amplified, we were pressed to听confront the mental health crisis and听catalyze overdue changes in how we听research and treat psychopathology.听The revolution is overdue.鈥�

Reimagining streets

Kevin Krizek, professor of听environmental design

Cities from Boulder to Paris听repurposed their empty streets,听turning space historically reserved for听vehicles into bike lanes, pedestrian听shopping routes and outdoor听restaurant seating. 鈥淎lmost overnight,听the purpose of streets changed,鈥澨齂rizek said, noting that before the听late 1920s, streets were a center for听commerce and socialization. He said听that while cars and highways have听their place (particularly for longer听trips), about half of car trips cover听less than 4 miles, and thousands听of U.S. jobs can be reached in 20听minutes on a bike. He鈥檚 now calling听for transportation planners to continue听the outside-the-box thinking that听emerged amid the pandemic.

鈥淭his was an 鈥榓ha moment鈥� for many听people. They were thinking, 鈥榃ow,听there鈥檚 a lot of space in streets that is听a valuable resource that we can better听leverage to solve some of the current听problems that are plaguing society.鈥欌��

Recalibrating education

Jos茅 Ram贸n Liz谩rraga, assistant听professor of learning sciences

News stories abounded with听observations about the downsides听of online K鈥�12 education, including听the lack of internet access required听for students to participate. While听acknowledging these pitfalls, Liz谩rraga听also saw a different view. The teachers听he trains were able to tutor students听in other countries. And here at home,听some students who never raised their听hand or spoke up during in-person听class found new ways to engage听and collaborate online. He believes听it鈥檚 time to rethink what meaningful听participation really looks like, whether听in class or remote. And he hopes听that the promise of digital technology听illuminated during the pandemic can听be incorporated into all types听of learning.

鈥淥ne of my biggest hopes is that we听can begin to saturate our learning听spaces with different kinds of learning听and not completely pivot away from听using digital tools and back entirely听to analog. Not all learning needs to听take place in person. And when we听are in person, we should make it听meaningful.鈥�