We live in age in which the idea of 'expertise' is embattled. Scholar, professor, expert: these have become dirty words among a segment of the population that prefers to 'do its own research' and peddle wild conspiracy theories. But does academia share any responsibility for this sorry state of affairs? Can academics claim the high ground when they write books that almost no one without a PhD can understand? In this talk, historian and former journalist Dr. John Ghazvinian (Executive Director, Middle East Center at the University of Pennsylvania) reflects on navigating the contested spaces between academia and public engagement, providing lessons and warnings about the disconnect between American universities and the American public.