As COVID-19 spreads around the globe and the threat of a recession materializes, most people are focused properly on the immediate task at hand—preparing to teach and support students remotely.

There also will be significant longer term impacts. And the biggest shifts may occur at the intersections of K-12, higher education, and workforce learning. These areas are often treated as their own distinct silos in the education market, but the coronavirus crisis has revealed how interdependent the sectors may be.

Eleanor Murray feels both burned out and determined to help. Two weeks ago, Murray, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Boston University, had never given an interview; now she’s given many.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim victims and upend daily life, many epidemiologists, particularly those with expertise in infectious diseases, have found themselves suddenly in demand. They’re on TV urging governments to take further action, or on social media explaining how to interpret data about the disease. And we’re turning to them for answers about a new, daunting reality.