Millennium Café: Universities for Society: Systems Solutions to Global Problems

Date and Time
Location
3rd Floor Café Commons of the Millennium Science Complex
Presenters

Global problems of greatest importance have become existential, cross geography and peoples, and are of such complexity that no one field, agency, country, or foundation can solve them.  Systems solutions to those problems by definition require an unprecedented degree of interdisciplinary collaboration whose routine goal is to achieve goals not achievable within single disciplines.  International universities can become the best social structure in society capable of rising to the challenge of finding systems solutions to global problems.  Participating in those solutions is a moral responsibility of Universities, a useful focus for the future of Universities, and motivates future funding for their role in addressing global problems and making the world a better place.  I propose that Penn State faculty and community play a key role in interdisciplinary approaches to solving global problems and outline current activities to facilitate such activity. We can together develop a culture that maximizes our interdisciplinary effectiveness.