The Great Problems, Great Minds seminar series explores the major problems facing humanity as we move into the heart of the 21st century. At a technical school, we often forget that humans play a major role in shaping the implementation of every technical solution that is developed and applied. Major problems faced by society include climate change, food security, energy security, education, poverty, and disease, all of which have partial solutions that have been opposed by segments of society. As we have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, a simple solution like a mask doesn’t work if people don’t accept it.
In this series, we’re bringing in some of the world’s Great Minds to speak on the Great Problems facing society. We will discuss potential solutions, and especially the interaction of people with potential technical solutions.
For more information, contact Assistant Professor of Social Sciences Hao Huang.
Spring 2022 Events
Jan. 20—How Conspiracy Theories, Misinformation, and Politics Can Limit the Impact of Science (And What To Do About It)—Watch the Video
Jan. 27—When Do States Make Environmental Treaties Easy to Modify, and Does It Work When They Do?—Watch the Video
Feb. 3—Inter- and Intraregional Patterns of Shrinking Places in the United States—Watch the Video
Feb. 10—Gentrification and Health: Measured, Perceived, and Experienced—Watch the Video
Feb. 17—A Political Scientist's Adventures in the Wonderland of Science and Technology—Watch the Video
Feb. 24—New Strategies for Solving Chicago’s Intercity Transportation Puzzle—Watch the Video
March 3—Shaping the World's Urban Future: Planning Megacities in the Global South—Watch the Video
March 10—Worlds Lost and Found: Analytical Contributions in Support of Collective Decision Making for Collective Action—Watch the Video
March 24—Precision Public Health in the Era of the Mobile Phone: A Geography Perspective—Watch the Video
March 31—What Does the Future of Nuclear Energy Look Like?—Watch the Video
April 7—Global Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility—Watch the Video
April 14—Book Talk: Feeding the Hungry: Advocacy and Blame in the Global Fight Against Hunger
April 21—The Convergence of Global "Protein" Industries: Implications for Sustainability and Resilience—Watch the Video
April 28—Does Skill Make Us Human? Migrant Workers in 21st Century Qatar and Beyond—Watch the Video
Fall 2021 Events
Sept. 2— Nuclear Energy and Society, Today and Tomorrow — Watch the Video
Sept. 9 — NASA Health and Air Quality Applications — Watch the Video
Sept. 16 — The Lonely Ideas: A History of Chinese Technology — Watch the Video
Sept. 23 — U.S. Interstate Trade Will Mitigate the Negative Impact of Climate Change On Crop Profit — Watch the Video
Sept. 30 —The Geography of Brains in the Sunbelt and Rustbelt — Watch the Video
Oct. 7 — From Food Deserts to Supermarket Redlining: Reframing Discussions of Food Access — Watch the Video
Oct. 14 — Rethinking Disasters: Politics and Policymaking in the COVID-19 Era — Watch the Video
Oct. 21 — A Weapon or a Default Option? Nationalism, Weaponized Interdependence, and South Korea’s Strategies for Mutual Prosperity in East Asia — Watch the Video
Oct. 28 — Will There Be a "Post-Pandemic City"? — Watch the Video
Nov. 11 — Rethinking China and Innovation — Watch the Video
Nov. 18 — Addressing Disparities in Cognitive Aging: What Can Economists Contribute? — Watch the Video
Dec. 2 — Extreme Weather, Air Pollution, and Urban Exposome — Watch the Video
