N.C.A&TSU Town Hall focuses on COVID-19 with Corbett and Mowry-Hardrict

Staff Reports / February 26, 2021

As COVID-19 vaccines begin to roll out globally, many questions and myths continue to permeate communities, particularly those of color. Addressing those issues and concerns, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will host the virtual Chancellor’s Speaker Series, “Race to Vaccinate,” Tuesday, March 2, at 6 p.m. The town hall on the COVID-19 vaccine and the African American community will feature viral immunologist and lead developer of the Moderna vaccine, Kizzmekia Corbett, Ph.D., in conversation with actress, producer, author and business owner Tia Mowry-Hardrict.

On the heels of maintaining the lowest COVID-19 numbers in the UNC system in fall 2020, N.C. A&T will use the forum to provide science-based information for students and a platform for questions and open dialogue.

Corbett has 15 years of experience studying dengue virus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus and coronaviruses. A research fellow in the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center, she uses her expertise to propel novel vaccine development for pandemic preparedness and serves as a scientific lead for coronavirus research, including the concept included in the current Moderna vaccine, which was designed by Corbett’s team. Additionally, Corbett spent several years working on a universal influenza vaccine.

Along with her research activities, Corbett is an active member of the NIH Fellows Committee and an advocate of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and vaccine awareness in the community. Corbett received a B.S. in biological sciences, with a secondary major in sociology, in 2008 from the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, where she was a Meyerhoff Scholar and an NIH undergraduate scholar. She then enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, obtaining her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology in 2014.

Multiple award nominated Mowry-Hardrict is one of social media’s most prominent influencers with more than 14 million followers across all social platforms. She has been in the public eye for more than 20 years, gaining initial fame starring opposite her twin sister Tamera in the hit comedy, “Sister, Sister.” In 2006, she played the role of Melanie Barnette, a medical student turned wife of professional football player Derwin Davis in “The Game.” She stars in the Netflix series “Family Reunion” alongside Loretta Devine and Richard Roundtree.

In 2020, Mowry-Hardrict celebrated the launch of Anser supplements, a brand she co-founded with BioSchwartz and UTA. She worked with their teams of experts to create simple, high-quality and affordable products in an effort to inspire people of all backgrounds to take charge of their own health. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University in Southern California.

A&T will continue having vital and thought-provoking conversations through the Chancellor’s Speaker Series, providing a platform for genuine and stimulating conversations on matters of importance.

The virtual conversation is free and open to the public and can be viewed at ncatchancellorsspeakerseries.com.