White House science adviser Arati Prabhakar expressed confidence in U.S. science and technology capabilities Wednesday during a conversation about key issues the country needs to deal with.
“Let me begin with the aim of science, technology and innovation, which is to open up possibilities in order that we will achieve our great goals,” said Prabhakar, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
“The ambitions we’ve as a rustic today are greater than ever before,” she added.
Much of Prabhakar's talk focused on three major themes of scientific and technological development: cancer prevention, climate change and AI. She also emphasized the necessity for the United States to take care of its global leadership in research in all areas of science and technology, which she described as “one among America's long-standing strengths.”
“Since the top of World War II, we’ve said that we’re going to get into basic research, we’re going to expand the capability of our universities to do this, we’ve unparalleled basic research capability and we should always at all times have that,” Prabhakar said.
“I feel we've gotten higher at commercializing technology from our basic research in the previous couple of years,” Prabhakar added, noting, “Capital moves when you’ll be able to see profit and growth.” She said the Biden administration has invested in a single Quite a lot of latest opportunities for private and non-private sector collaboration to massively speed up the time to market of technology.
Wednesday's talk drew a sellout audience of nearly 300 people in MIT's Wong Auditorium and was hosted by the Manufacturing@MIT working group. The event included introductory remarks from Suzanne Berger, institute professor and long-time expert within the economics of innovation, and Nergis Mavalvala, dean of the School of Science, astrophysicist and leading expert within the detection of gravitational waves.
Introducing Mavalvala, Berger said the announcement of the invention of gravitational waves in 2015 was “the day I used to be proudest and most excited to be a member of the MIT community,” stating that US government support helped make the research possible. Mavalvala, in turn, said MIT was “particularly honored” to listen to Prabhakar discuss cutting-edge research and recognize the role of universities in strengthening the country’s science and technology sector.
Prabhakar has extensive experience in each private and non-private sectors. She has been OSTP Director and Co-Chair of PCAST since October 2022. From 2012 to 2017 she was director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and from 1993 to director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 1997.
She also held leadership positions at Raychem and Interval Research and spent a decade at investment firm US Venture Partners. An engineer by training, Prabhakar earned a BS in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University in 1979, an MA in electrical engineering from Caltech in 1980, and a PhD in applied physics from Caltech in 1984.
Among other comments on medicine, Prabhakar pointed to the Biden administration's “Cancer Moonshot” program, which goals to halve the cancer mortality rate over the subsequent 25 years through a wide range of approaches, from higher health care and cancer detection to limiting public exposure Exposure to carcinogens. We should strive for “a future where people can take good health without any consideration and move on with their lives,” Prabhakar said.
When it involves AI, she announced each the promise and concerns in regards to the technology, saying: “I feel it's time for lively steps to set a path that truly enables people to do more and do more earn.”
Talking about climate change, Prabhakar said, “We all understand that the climate will change. But it’s in our hands how serious these changes grow to be. And it is feasible that we will construct a greater future.” She called the Biden administration’s bipartisan infrastructure bill enacted in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act necessary advances in that fight.
“Together, they’re making the most important single investment ever made by anyone on the earth within the clean energy transition,” she said. “I used to have doubts about our ability to do that and this provides me great hope.”
After her talk, Prabhakar was joined on stage for a bunch discussion with the three co-presidents of the MIT Energy and Climate Club: Laurentiu Anton, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science; Rosie Keller, MBA candidate at MIT Sloan School of Management; and Thomas Lee, a graduate student at MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.
When asked in regards to the public's seemingly dwindling trust in science, Prabhakar offered a couple of thoughts.
“The very first thing I’d say just isn’t to take it personally,” Prabhakar said, stating that a decline in public appreciation for science is less serious than a decline in public trust in other institutions.
She added that in surveys about what careers are considered desirable for a spouse, “scientist” still ranks high.
“Scientists still do thoroughly on this regard, we did it,” she quipped.
More seriously, Prabhakar noted, scientists should recognize that “a part of our job is to proceed to be clear about what we all know is fact and to present it clearly but modestly, fairly than to the general public to “preach”. Know that we are going to proceed to work to learn more.” At the identical time, she continued, scientists can at all times reiterate that “facts, by the best way, are helpful things that may actually provide help to make higher decisions about them what the long run will appear like.” I feel that might be higher from my perspective.”
Prabhakar said her work within the White House was guided partially by one among the overarching themes that President Biden has often reiterated.
“He sees America as a nation that could be described with a single word, and that word is 'possibilities,'” she said. “And this concept, that is such an ideal idea, it enlightens me. In my opinion, what we do on the earth of science, technology and innovation is an integral part of making these opportunities.”
Ultimately, Prabhakar said, scientists and engineers at each time and at every point in American history must proceed to “prove once more that when people come together and do that work… we do it in a way that creates opportunity and opportunity for everybody.” expands our country. I feel that’s the good privilege that all of us have in our work and it’s also our responsibility.”
