19th Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Speaks at Penn

Photos & video: Hoag Levins
The 19th U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, (above) was the featured speaker at a special Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI) presentation on the connections between stress and health held in Penn Law School’s Fitts auditorium. Wharton School Associate Professor Patti Williams, PhD, who researches social identity and the influence of emotions of decision making, moderated the seminar. The visit occurred during the last week of Murthy’s tenure, which began with his 2014 appointment by President Obama.

The gathering was the latest in a series of special events throughout 2017 that celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of LDI. Above, LDI Executive Director Daniel Polsky, PhD, greeted the nearly 350 students, faculty and Penn staff members who turned out to hear and meet Dr. Murthy. 

Together for a photo op are Wharton Associate Professor Patti Williams, Dr. Vivek Murthy, and LDI Executive Director Daniel Polsky. At the end of his presentation, Murthy and his staff enabled nearly 50 students to have individual selfies snapped — with their own mobile phones — with him.

Dr. Murthy, who was appointed to his post in 2014, grew up in Miami and received his Bachelor’s degree from Harvard and his MD and MBA from Yale.  His Penn/LDI appearance drew a crowd that overflowed into another room where the proceedings were viewed via streaming video.

A private LDI luncheon for Dr. Murthy after the presentation was attended by guests including the CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, the CEO of Penn Medicine, the Chief Medical Officer of the Health System and the Deans of the Wharton and Penn Law schools.