ESP Biography



CASSANDRA TAFURI DEL VECCHIO, ESP Teacher




Major: Not available.

College/Employer: MIT

Year of Graduation: Not available.

Picture of Cassandra Tafuri Del Vecchio

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Not Available.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

Z16462: Health Policy and Equity in Spark 2026 (Mar. 14 - 15, 2026)
What are the origins of health disparities, and what policies have been created to address them? We will cover key social, structural, economic, and political determinants of health, how health policy is made, and how health policies impact diverse populations around the world. We will also explore how advocacy can contribute to creating more equitable health systems and promoting health literacy.


Z16463: Introduction to Global Health in Spark 2026 (Mar. 14 - 15, 2026)
How do we guarantee medical care for all? How should we distribute resources if our medical system is under stress? Is it possible to balance protecting our economy, our environment, and our populations? Physicians, scientists, politicians, and advocates work tirelessly to promote global health equity... but how? In this class, we’ll learn about how we can work towards achieving equal, accessible, and quality care for all.


S16501: Evolution, from Natural Selection to Gene Editing in Spark 2026 (Mar. 14 - 15, 2026)
In this class, we’ll learn about how evolution works, from mutations in DNA to natural selection, and explore these ideas through hands-on activities. We’ll also do a deep dive on modern gene editing and how it’s used in fields like agriculture and medicine. Finally, we’ll discuss ethical questions around gene therapy, editing embryos, and who gets access to these technologies.


Z16323: Intro to Global Health in Splash Fall 2025 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2025)
How do we guarantee medical care for all? Should vaccinations be mandatory? How should we distribute resources if our medical system is under stress? Is it possible to balance protecting our economy, our environment, and our citizens? Physicians, scientists, politicians and advocates work tirelessly to promote global health equity—but how? In this class, we’ll learn about how we can work towards achieving equal, accessible, and quality care for all—and what that means globally.


S16324: Infectious Disease and Antibiotic Resistance in Splash Fall 2025 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2025)
What is the molecular and cellular basis of infectious diseases, and how does the immune system respond to infections? We will cover the mechanisms that enable resistance to antibiotics and how antibiotic resistance has affected different populations globally. We will explore solutions to the issue of antibiotic resistance.


Z16325: Health Policy and Equity in Splash Fall 2025 (Nov. 22 - 23, 2025)
What are the origins of health disparities, and what policies have been created to address them? We will cover key social, structural, economic, and political determinants of health, how health policy is made, and how health policies impact diverse populations around the world. We will also explore how advocacy can contribute to creating more equitable health systems and promoting health literacy.