Bioethics in Film: From Screen to Seminar

Over the long history of science, women have rarely been recognized for their extraordinary contributions. Director Sharon Shattuck’s Tribeca Film Festival documentary Picture a Scientist and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Kate Zernike’s recent book The Exceptions tell the stories of courageous women who fought for recognition and strove to change the power dynamics in academic science. Joining the filmmaker and author on the panel to share their real life experiences are Columbia University’s Gissette Reyes-Soffer, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Mimi Shirasu-Hiza, PhD, Professor of Genetics and Development. Join us for a rich discussion about the past and current discrimination of women scientists in the field, and what kind of promise awaits for the future of women in STEM.

Watch the discussion between: Kate Zernike, Author, The Exceptions; Sharon Shattuck, Director, Picture a Scientist; Mimi Shirasu-Hiza, PhD, Columbia Genetics and Development; Gissette Reyes-Soffer, MD, Columbia Division of Cardiology. Moderated by Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, PhD, Chief, Division of Ethics.

This Bioethics in Film: From Screen to Seminar event was held in collaboration with the The Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program’s Grand Rounds in Team Science (GRiTS) series.

January 29, 2024, 11 a.m. ET

MY SISTER LIV features sisters Tess and Liv, who from a young age are inseparable. Liv is a young girl, growing up with relentless pressures of social media, teen depression and, often, suicidal thoughts. MY SISTER LIV takes us into a rare and riveting journey of raw emotions and fears of a young life on the edge — and ultimately a big sister’s desperate struggle to save her. Through fearless storytelling, MY SISTER LIV reveals the realities of stigma, the struggles of mental health, and the aftermath for the survivors left behind in a suicide. As a family learns to cope with their new normal, they find hope in filling a gap around fearlessly talking about mental health and ultimately to save young lives.

The discussion addresses the scarcity of mental health services and the challenges in accessing them, as highlighted by the stark statistic of fewer than 12,000 child psychiatrists practicing in the United States. This seminar not only aims to shed light on the pressing issues surrounding adolescent mental health but also seeks to foster open and fearless conversations about mental health, with the goal of contributing to the well-being and support of young lives.

Content Warning:

Viewer Discretion is Advised. This discussion focuses on the sensitive issue of teen suicide and includes real-life narratives and discussions that some may find emotionally challenging or triggering. While this session aims to educate and raise awareness about teen mental health and suicide, we understand that its content may not be suitable for all viewers. Please exercise discretion in deciding whether to attend or continue watching.

Suport and Resources:

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or mental health challenges, it is crucial to seek help. Below are resources and hotlines available to provide support:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (U.S.) :1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) –A 24/7, free, and confidential hotline for anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 – A free, 24/7 text service for those in crisis, connecting texters with trained Crisis Counselors.

• The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678 – Provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+young people under 25.

• SAMHSA’s National Helpline (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration): 1-800-662-HELP (4357) – Offers free, confidential treatment referral and information service for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorder.

• Your Local Mental Health Authority: Reach out to your local mental health authority for additional resources, support groups, and mental health professionals in your area.

The session took place during International Week of the Deaf, held annually in the last week of September. The Bioethics in Film 2023-2024 series kicked off with the award-winning fiction short film, "The Silent Child," which demonstrates sign language and community as essential for the early cognitive, emotional, and social development of a Deaf child born to a hearing family. The film is available on-demand on YouTube.

The film prompts the question: How is signed language acquisition a human right for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) children? Furthermore, how does language deprivation impact health outcomes for DHH communities? The Division of Ethics will host a panel of esteemed speakers whose combined efforts strive to promote a human right to language for all people. Panelists will discuss how they have combated audism and linguicism in medical and education systems relating to DHH children. Panelists will address stereotypes and other common representations of deaf people in films and social media.

Speakers: Joseph Murray, PhD; Susan Burch, PhD; and Wyatte Hall, PhD; moderated by Jaipreet Virdi, PhD.

The event was not recorded owing to speaker preferences.

Wednesday, April 12, 2023: 11:30AM to 1PM.

This event was held online via Zoom.

Discussion of the documentary, "Aftershock," and the ethical issues it raises with panelists, Drs. Danielle Laraque-Arena, MD, FAAP; Dána-Ain Davis, MPH, PhD; and Colleen P. Campbell, JD, PhD; moderated by Dr. Lisa Nathan, MD, MPH.

• Click here for a list of resources mentioned during this session.
• Click here to access our working bibliography with additional resources related to the session's topic.
• Click here to view a portion of the session's presentations.

Thursday, January 26, 2023: 6PM to 7:30PM.

Co-hosted by the Columbia Master of Science in Bioethics Program and the Columbia Division of Child Neurology.

This event was held online via Zoom.

Discussion of the documentary, "Seizing Hope," and the ethical issues it raises with panelists, Dr. Judy Illes, Dr. Ruth Ottman, Heather Bagg, and Katherine and Sophie Cowin, moderated by Dr. Robert Klitzman. 

Tuesday, November 15th, 2022: 4:30PM to 6PM.

This event was held online via Zoom.

Discussion of the documentary, "Intersexion," and the ethical issues it raises with expert panelists, Mani Bruce Mitchell, Elizabeth Reis, Barbara Chubak, and Sean Saifa Wall with Sandra Soo-Jin Lee moderating.

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022: 2PM to 3:30PM. 

This event was held online via Zoom. Please note that this event was not recorded.

Discussion of the documentary, "The Eugenics Crusade," and the ethical issues it raises with expert panelists, Robert Klitzman and Erica Spiegel.

Where to watch the film: Columbia affiliates can view the full film for free here.

This event was hosted by Columbia's Office of Research Compliance & Training.

Thursday, December 16th, 2021: 1PM to 3PM.  

This event was held online via Zoom. Please note that this event was not recorded.

Discussion of the documentary "Remembering Anarcha," about Dr. James Marion Sims' controversial legacy as the "father of modern gynecology" who conducted experiments on enslaved women.

This event welcomed:

• Harriet Washington
• Hilda Hutcherson
• J.C. Hallman
• Michelle Browder

Speaker Bios

Where to view the film: See options here. To watch for free, click here or here.

Sample Bibliography for this Topic:

• Say Anarcha: A Young Woman, a Devious Surgeon, and the Harrowing Birth of Modern Women's Health, by J.C. Hallman
• Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present, by Harriet Washington
• She Gave the ‘Father of Gynecology’ His Prowess, Against Her Will, by Jen Gunter (NYTimes)
• A medical hell recounted by its victims, by Harriet Washington
• Statues that perpetuate lies should not stand: Monuments to the 'father of gynaecology' cannot be defended as historical documents because they hide grave injustices, by Harriet Washington
• Apology Shines Light on Racial Schism in Medicine, by Harriet Washington
• Monumental Error: Will New York City finally tear down a statue? by J.C. Hallman
• The Cry of Alice, by J.C. Hallman
• J. Marion Sims statue: a questionable monument in a questionable place, by J.C. Hallman
• The statue of a doctor who experimented on enslaved women still stands in Alabama. But now there’s also a monument to his victims. [about Michelle Browder’s monument of Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey, called “The Mothers of Gynecology”]
• Memory and Medicine: A Historian’s Perspective on Commemorating J. Marion Sims, by Susan M. Reverby [includes the image of Robert Thom’s painting of Sims]
• An Antebellum Hero, but to Whom? by David Gonzalez
• Sculpture of Paradox: Doctor as Hero and Villain, by David Gonzalez

This event was hosted by Columbia's Office of Research Compliance & Training.

Wednesday, June 9th, 2021: 2PM to 3:30PM.  

This event was held online via Zoom. Please note that this event was not recorded.

Discussion of "Miss Evers' Boys." View the full film here (available to only Columbia affiliates).

This event featured Harriet Washington and Robert Fullilove in a discussion moderated by Hilda Hutcherson and involving audience participation.

This event was hosted by Columbia's Office of Research Compliance & Training.

Monday, March 8th, 2021: 2PM to 3:30PM.

This event was held online via Zoom. Please note that this event was not recorded.

Discussion of "Gattaca."

This event featured NYU's Arthur Caplan and Columbia's Maya Sabatello in a discussion involving audience participation and moderated by Shawna Benston.

This event was hosted by Columbia's Office of Research Compliance & Training.

Thursday, December 10th, 2020: 3PM to 4:30PM.

This event was held online via Zoom. Please note that this event was not recorded.

Discussion of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks."  View the full film here (available to only Columbia affiliates).

This event featured a full Columbia panel including Robert Fullilove and Jacquelyn Taylor in a discussion involving audience participation and moderated by Sandra Soo-Jin Lee.

This event was hosted by Columbia's Office of Research Compliance & Training.

Wednesday, June 24th, 2020: 3:30PM to 5PM.

This event was held online via Zoom. Please note that this event was not recorded.

This event focused on the 1968 film "Charly."  Featuring Columbia’s Paul Appelbaum and the University of British Columbia's Judy Illes in a discussion involving audience participation and moderated by Shawna Benston.

This event was hosted by Columbia's Office of Research Compliance & Training.

Monday, February 24th, 2020: 2PM to 4PM with light reception to follow, Joseph D. Jamail Lecture Hall in Columbia Journalism School (2950 Broadway)

This event focused on the 2010 documentary "Voices from the Grave" and the research leading to the film and book that inspired it. Co-hosted by the Office of Research Compliance and Training and the Human Research Protection Office/IRBs. Featuring Columbia’s Mary Marshall Clark and the documentary’s producer Ed Moloney in a discussion involving audience participation and moderated by Columbia’s Geraldine Downey.

This event was hosted by Columbia's Office of Research Compliance & Training.

Monday, October 21st, 2019: 3PM to 5PM, Vagelos Education Center Room 201

This event focused on the 2018 documentary "Three Identical Strangers." Triplets who had been adopted in infancy by three different families in infancy accidentally reconnect as young adults and ultimately discover nefarious reasons for their initial separation. Audience members came prepared to experience and investigate a riveting narrative of a NYC-based family who were unknowing subjects of an intense research study with wide-ranging implications. Co-hosted by the Office of Research Compliance and Training and the Human Research Protection Office/IRBs. Featuring Columbia's Robert Klitzman and Neil Schluger in a discussion moderated by Shawna Benston and Challace Pahlevan-Ibrekic.

This event was hosted by Columbia's Office of Research Compliance & Training.