The Technology and Policy Program is especially good at tracking down some fantastic speakers who occassionally drop in for informal presentations. Yesterday, we were visited by Dr. Susan Hockfield, President of MIT, who spoke on her personal perspectives of leadership and excellence.

Tracing her growth in leadership from nascent beginnings at the University of Rochester, President Hockfield stressed the role of collaborative group thinking as a compelling personal inspiration. She outlined her presidency's focus on interdisciplinary "experiments" in bringing the fields of life sciences and engineering closer together, as well as the broad MIT Energy Initiative--another collaborative approach to energy challenges in the U.S. and the world.

At the end of the disucssion, President Hockfield stressed the importance of MIT's role in international collaboration and partnerships. At the same time, she acknowledged growing competition universities in a globalizing world, particularly China's impressive efforts at developing its own domestic academic institutions.


Photo credit: Donna Coveney.

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