Leading the Fight Against SARS-CoV-2: Dr. Robert L. Murphy
by Kallista Zhuang
W
aking up at 5:45 a.m., Dr. Robert L. Murphy starts his days early. In just an hour and a half, he will hop on live television to answer coronavirus-related questions from viewers of Chicago’s WGN-TV morning news. Even after 236 consecutive days (as of February 6, 2021) of voluntarily participating in the new station’s coronavirus segment, Murphy never runs out of questions to answer. This isn’t surprising, as Murphy has decades of experience in global health as a researcher, doctor, professor, and institute director. However, similar to many accomplished academics, Murphy did not know he would end up here. In fact, after graduating high school, he first pursued aviation. With a family of engineers and jet pilots, Murphy’s choice to study aviation was nothing out of the ordinary. However, during the Vietnam War era, aviation opportunities were limited to the military. Instead, Murphy opted to go back to school to pursue his interest in science; this time, he would attend Boston University for a biology degree.
76
