Harvard Chan C-CHANGE’s “Reel Science” provides candid and informative conversations between celebrities and scientists on topics ranging from infectious diseases, food security, and air pollution, to climate change, environmental health, equity, and other critical public health issues.  

New episodes will be released throughout the year.


Moderator – Eric Christian Olsen

Headshot of Eric Christian Olsen

American actor, writer and producer. He is known for his portrayal of smokeshow Detective Marty Deeks for 12 seasons on the CBS’s Hit Television series (and your mom’s favorite show) NCIS: Los Angeles. Before that he starred in every movie you watched after drinking too many white claws including Fired Up, The Last Kiss, Beerfest, Not Another Teen Movie, Dumb and Dumberer, The Hot Chick, and The Thing. The great news is he made up for this frozen tundra of creativity by starting a production company with a dozen life affirming and perspective challenging shows in development including the critically acclaimed show Woke that he executive produced for Hulu (2020).

Eric lives in Los Angeles with his wife, actress Sarah Wright Olsen, and his three kids. In Spring 2019, he completed the Business of Entertainment, Media and Sports program at the Harvard Business School. He is a passionate environmentalist and has the inquisitive nature of a small child wandering in a dream. Eric is the moderator for Reel Science and the founding actor of the project.


Eric Christian Olson and the 2023 Climate Creators to Watch

Actor and activist Eric Christian Olsen interviewed four of our amazing Climate Creators on how they got involved in climate communication and tips for building an engaging social media presence. Climate Creators to Watch: Isaias Hernandez, Nicole Kelner, Caulin Donalson, and Mckenzie Margarethe.


Climate, Health, and Art: Climate Creators to Watch in 2022

Science communicators are making original, entertaining, and educational content that is reshaping the climate narrative and empowering people to feel hopeful about their future, their health, and their planet.

In February, we teamed up with Pique Action to share a list of Climate Creators to Watch in 2022.

Tune into this episode of Climate For Health’s: Let’s Talk Climate with Kip Pastor, Founder and CEO of Pique Action and Skye FlaniganProgram Manager at Harvard Chan C-CHANGE and lead of the Center’s work with the entertainment industry, where they discuss more about each organization and their insights on climate communications.

Lets talk climate youtube image


World leaders spent two weeks wrangling over climate policy at COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Scientists, health leaders, and politicians described the conference as our last, best chance to slow global warming and stave off some of the worst health effects of climate change. But the political environment remains fraught. And it’s unclear how the speeches and pledges in Glasgow will translate into action.

Our expert panel, introduced by Reel Science host Eric Christian Olsen, brought together leading voices in the fight against climate change, fresh from the halls of the COP26 summit. They talked through key outcomes and next steps—for nations, institutions, and individuals.

 


Climate Optimism 

Drew and Linda Scott join the White House National Climate Advisor and former Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Director, Gina McCarthy, for a #ReelScience conversation on climate optimism, environmental justice, President Biden’s climate action, & more. Tune in to hear what drives Gina and how we can all take action on climate change. This conversation is also being featured on the At Home Podcast with Drew and Linda Scott.

Watch here

Gina McCarthy with Drew and Linda Scott


Artificial Intelligence for Social Good 

Reel Science host Eric Christian Olsen joins Dr. Milind Tambe, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science & Director of the Center for Research in Computation & Society at Harvard University, for a discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) for social good. This conversation dives into the many ways that AI can facilitate public health research, climate action, wildlife conservation, the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, & more.

 


Effective Climate Communications

Reel Science host Eric Christian Olsen joins Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and in the McGraw-Patterson Center for Population Sciences at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), for a discussion on effective climate communications. This conversation dives into telling the story of climate change, difficulties in communicating its abstract nature, misinformation’s role in complicating the facts, environmental justice, solutions, and more. 

 


Nature and Mental Health

Reel Science host and Actor Eric Christian Olsen joins Dr. Peter James of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for a discussion on the positive association between nature and mental health. This conversation dives into the science behind nature’s positive impact on human’s mental and physical health, green spaces’ role in mitigating climate change, the impact of redlining on green spaces, and much more.

 


Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security

Actors Ian Somerhalder & Eric Christian Olsen join Peter Huybers, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University, for a discussion on climate change, agriculture, and food security. This conversation dives into climate change’s effects on our food system, regenerative farming, Ian’s new docu-film “Kiss the Ground”, and much more.

 


Healthy Buildings, COVID and Climate Change

Drew Scott & Linda Phan join Dr. Joseph G. Allen, Assistant Professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Director of the Healthy Buildings program, for a discussion on healthy buildings, covid-19, & climate change. This conversation, moderated by actor Eric Christian Olsen, dives into the importance of indoor environmental quality and how to optimize the home for health. This conversation is also being featured on the At Home Podcast with Drew and Linda Scott.

 


The real-world implications of the U.S. Lancet Countdown findings

#LancetClimate20 reveals disruption in work due to extreme heat has led to the US construction sector losing 540 million potential work hours in 2019. Check out Dr. Renee Salas discussing real-world experiences with Drew Scott of Property Brothers.

 


Climate Change & The Health of Our Oceans

Actress Amy Smart & TV personality Carter Oosterhouse join Dr. Elsie Sunderland, Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Chemistry at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, for a discussion on seafood, water quality, chemical exposure, oceans, and health.

 


Racism as a Public Health Crisis

Artist, educator, and social innovator Theaster Gates joins Dr. Mary T. Bassett of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for a discussion on racism as a public health crisis and solutions for change.

Introduced by actor Eric Christian Olsen, this conversation dives into racial disparities and environmental injustice during a pandemic, a racial reckoning, and the climate crisis.

 


Environmental Impacts on Family Health

Actresses Nikki Reed and Sarah Wright Olsen join Dr. Carmen Messerlian of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to discuss Environmental Impacts on Children and Family Health. The conversation discusses chemicals in our environment and how they impact pregnancy and child health and strategies for keeping your family safe.

 


Mental Health, Racial Disparities and Environmental Justice

Actress, producer, and activist Kate Bosworth joins Dr. Karestan Koenen of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Erica Chidi of Loom for a discussion on Mental Health, Racial Disparities and Environmental Justice. This conversation dives into trauma, shame, racism and mental health coping mechanisms during a pandemic and the climate crisis.

 


Air Pollution and COVID-19 with Eric Christian Olsen & Dr. Francesca Dominici

Actor Eric Christian Olsen joins Dr. Francesca Dominici of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for a discussion on air pollution and COVID-19. This conversation dives deep into Professor Dominici’s groundbreaking study “PM 2.5 and COVID-19” and her personal journey using big data to study air pollution and public health.

 


Planetary Health with Eric Christian Olsen & Dr. Christopher Golden

Actor Eric Christian Olsen joins Dr. Christopher Golden of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for a discussion on biodiversity, wildlife consumption, nutrition, and public health interventions in Madagascar.

 


Climate Change and COVID-19 with Eric Christian Olsen & Dr. Aaron Bernstein

Actor Eric Christian Olsen joins Dr. Aaron Bernstein for a discussion on the connection between climate change, public health, and the COVID-19 virus.

 


 

 

To learn more or get involved, reach out to Skye Flanigan (Flanigan@hsph.harvard.edu).