Great Problems, Great Minds Seminar Series

This new seminar series from the Department of Social Sciences at the Illinois Institute of Technology is designed to explore 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 society faces 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 will bring in some of the world’s greatest minds to speak on the Great Problems facing society. We will discuss potential solutions, especially the interaction of people with potential technical solutions. Over the past year, there have been a number of clashes between people, the economy, and technology: the coronavirus, the Starlink satellites, energy grids and fires, and energy grids and blackouts. We will strive to explore the social science of these interactions.

Sept. 1, 2020

Jeff Terry, Introduction to the Great Problems, Great Minds Seminar Series.

Jeff Terry is a physics professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology.