Teaching and Research with SARS-CoV-2

Please allow me some remarks regarding teaching and research during a pandemic.

• Currently, our health system is under an enormous strain. Working day in and day out in protective clothing in understaffed emergency units deserves our respect and should not be taken for granted. Academics should try to understand the consequences their actions have on the health system. We should act responsibly. We should not try to find loopholes.
• I am grateful to the colleagues (many of them young academics) who, during the past months, have successfully developed safe and digital academic events. These colleagues have made and are still making a very important contribution to our academic life. They help us to keep in touch. They help us to carry on with our work in a responsible way. Thank you!
• During the last months I have learnt to appreciate digital academic events. I have difficulties understanding colleagues who cling to out-of-date traditions and who refuse to engage in safe and responsible digital alternatives. I find it dangerous when these colleages point to others who “do the same”. It does not help if we all claim that the risk generated by our individual activities is small in comparison to the risk generated by others.

  The behaviour of others never justifies own choices. A society which follows the inefficient example of their neighbours enters a spiral of increasingly inefficient choices. We must make responsible and independent and safe choices. We must help reducing the burden we impose on the health system. We must do this, even if we have to adjust our routines. We must do this, even if others don't help.

  The health system is under an enormous strain. Academics must help reducing this strain.

I do thank everybody who cooperates and who supports our joint efforts to teach and to do research in a safe way. I do realise that adjusting plans is sometimes difficult. I also thank all my colleagues who, with their creativity and with their inspiration, help us to deal with the pandemic.

Digital hospitality among researchers is essential. In my case, I am grateful to the MPI for collective goods for their hospitality and for their inspiring digital activities during the pandemic. I also enjoy the following seminar series in my field:

• Virtual MD Seminar Series
• VIBES (Virtual Behavioral Economics Seminar)
• MiddExLab Virtual Seminar Series