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Antibiotic resistance is on the rise around the world. Life-threatening bacterial diseases have become, in some cases, all but untreatable. These bacteria are able to spread worldwide easily due to movement of both humans and animals. Meanwhile, the development of new antibiotics has decreased precipitously, leaving few new drugs in the pipeline. Dr. Smith will address these problems, including the emergence of 'totally drug resistant tuberculosis' (TDR-TB) and a novel superbug enzyme, NDM-1. Tara C. Smith is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health. She is also the Interim Director of the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases. Her research focuses on emerging diseases and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly those that spread between humans and animals. Tara received her BS from Yale University; PhD at the University of Toledo, and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan before arriving in Iowa in 2005. More information on the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council can be found here.