A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes. But it’s what a picture fails to say that can make it dangerous, especially in times of uncertainty. This week, the Northwestern Buffett Institute for Global Affairs welcomed Northwestern computer science and journalism professor, Dr. Jessica Hullman, and University of Michigan information professor, Dr. Matthew Kay, for a discussion about popular visualizations of COVID-19 circulating through the mainstream media and how they can be misinterpreted. Here are five key takeaways from the discussion:

Scalable approaches to addressing urgent COVID-19 testing material and medical supply chain challenges won’t come from one field or institution, one world leader, or one small group of heroes, but rather “network hubs” working to harness expertise from across disciplines, sectors, and geographies.