Q's & A's With Forward-Thinking Folks

Robert J. Lefkowitz, James B. Duke Professor of medicine and recipient of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

What aspect of your current life would have most surprised your college-age self? That I became a scientist.

What’s the best thing college students can do to prepare for careers that may not even now exist? Get as rounded an education as possible. And make sure you are well-versed in computer science, whatever [your] major.

What’s the most dramatic change you expect to see in the biosciences? A continuation of the trend of more and more interdisciplinary collaboration.

What’s the most dramatic change you’d like to see in the biosciences? A reduction in the increasingly onerous number of regulations around virtually every aspect of the research process by government agencies, institutions, and journals.

What global figure in your lifetime, in your view, had the greatest influence on the future, and why? Adolph Hitler. The human talent and potential future talent that he exterminated is, to me, inconceivable. We will never know what these millions of individuals might have accomplished.

What do you see as the greatest threat to the future of humanity? Global warming and nuclear annihilation.

In light of that threat, are you optimistic or pessimistic, and why? I’m pessimistic about both possibilities; there’s a lack of strong, visionary leadership to confront them.

What would you put into a time capsule for the people of 2219? The unredacted Mueller Report, a current medical textbook, and a laptop computer.

Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Humans and Autonomy Lab

What aspect of your current life would have most surprised your college-age self? That I am a professor; as an undergraduate, I swore that I would never go to graduate school.

What’s the best thing college students can do to prepare for careers that may not even now exist? Take the path that is the hardest; by going down paths less trodden and pushing yourself to step outside your comfort zone, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.

What’s the most dramatic change you expect to see in the interaction of humans and computers? Exoskeleton research will bring the most amazing changes—certainly for people with disabilities but also for those looking to enhance their job performance.

What’s the most dramatic change you’d like to see in the interaction of humans and computers? I would very much like to see computer science and engineering departments take the field of research in human-machine interaction more seriously; the current issues surrounding Tesla, Boeing, and surgical robot accidents highlight the importance of understanding human-in-the-loop issues.

What global figure, in your lifetime, had the greatest influence on the future, and why? Tim Berners-Lee. He was a colleague of mine at MIT who invented the World Wide Web, and is currently a big voice in net neutrality, digital privacy, and open access to the Web.

What do you see as the greatest threat to the future of humanity? Lack of principled and evidence-based thinking.

In light of that threat, are you optimistic or pessimistic, and why? Pessimistic, because people increasingly want information and answers on demand and seem less willing to do a deep dive. Machine learning is incredibly popular with students, but few want to understand the underlying concepts; they’re interested in real-world application, even if that is not a good idea.

What would you put into a time capsule for the people of 2219? A Tesla and a DJI drone. People will laugh at how primitive we were.

David Rubenstein ’70, philanthropist and cofounder of the Carlyle Group

What aspect of your current life would have most surprised your college-age self? That anyone at Duke would still be interested in my views on any matter.

What’s the best thing college students can do to prepare for careers that may not even now exist? Learn how to read books regularly; learn how to write clearly and persuasively; learn how to speak effectively; learn how to take the initiative but to share the credit—these skills will always be in demand.

What’s the most dramatic change you expect to see around philanthropy in America? Philanthropy will be seen as a moral imperative for all individuals at all levels of society.

What’s the most dramatic change you’d like to see around philanthropy in America? Philanthropy to be seen as the ancient Greeks originally saw it—as a way to show a love of humanity. This can be done as much with your energy, time, and ideas as with your checkbook.

What global figure in your lifetime, in your view, had the greatest influence on the future, and why? Martin Luther King Jr.—his leadership of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement ultimately led the way for people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, capabilities, and sexual preferences around the world to pursue equal rights and opportunities, and to bring life to the once-revolutionary idea that all people are equal.

What do you see as the greatest threat to the future of humanity? The failure to recognize that the planet is evolving because of climate change (whatever the cause), and the consequential failure to make the requisite adjustments in our lives to ensure Homo sapiens can survive for at least a few more millennium.

In light of that threat, are you optimistic or pessimistic, and why? Optimistic that the problem has been recognized, but pessimistic that enough will be done in the near term to avert bigger problems in the lifetimes of those currently alive.

What would you put into a time capsule for the people of 2219? Pictures of Coach K and his five men’s basketball championship banners and teams, and Coach Brooks and his seven women’s golf championship banners and teams—all to show the personification of leadership, excellence, and teamwork. 

Adam Silver ’84, commissioner of the National Basketball Association

What aspect of your current life would have most surprised your college-age self? The amount of traveling I do around the world. (And the fact that I’m friends with Coach K!)

What’s the best thing college students can do to prepare for careers that may not even now exist? Take courses in many different fields, stay up-to-date on current events, and pay attention.

What’s the most dramatic change you expect to see around professional sports? Changes to the way live games are experienced, presented, and distributed.

What’s the most dramatic change you’d like to see around professional sports? More media and corporations embracing women’s professional sports.

What global figure in your lifetime, in your view, had the greatest influence on the future, and why? President Barack Obama, for embracing globalism.

What do you see as the greatest threat to the future of humanity? Technology designed to connect people that instead fosters isolation and mental-health issues, along with the inability to distinguish fact from fiction—all of that in a world where content, including video, can easily be altered and manipulated.

In light of that threat, are you optimistic or pessimistic, and why? Optimistic, because of institutions like Duke that teach young people how to solve problems.

What would you put into a time capsule for the people of 2219? A basketball.

Dean Smith, who began this summer as director of Duke University Press

What aspect of your current life would have most surprised your college-age self? Advising and sometimes publishing my mentors while working in a place where my name causes a visceral reaction in both directions.

What’s the best thing college students can do to prepare for careers that may not even now exist? Develop portable assets (written and oral communication skills, presentations skills, project management), and endlessly cultivate your mind and an ironic sense of self.

What is the most dramatic change you expect to see in the publishing industry? The emergence of an “agile” or “smart” publishing firm that will utilize “just-in-time” machine-driven technologies to spontaneously create and deliver knowledge in multiple formats based on reader preferences.

What’s the most dramatic change you’d like to see in the publishing industry? A sustainable model for opening high-quality, peer-reviewed knowledge to the world.

What global figure in your lifetime, in your view, had the greatest influence on the future, and why? J.K. Rowling fostered a new generation of readers and writers in the digital age around the world and reinvented the YA publishing genre for future generations.

What do you see as the greatest threat to the future of humanity? A global lack of empathy—for the concerns of others and the social issues affecting us (e.g., climate change).

In light of that threat, are you optimistic or pessimistic, and why? I’m a publisher who tilts at windmills at one of the world’s leading institutions—I’m definitely an optimist.

What would you put into a time capsule for the people of 2219? A Blackwing #1 Palomino pencil.

Mary Pat McMahon, who began this summer as vice president/vice provost for campus life

What aspect of your current life would have most surprised your college-age self? That I’d spend over a decade on the coast of Maine or be setting up a life here in Durham; I thought I was headed for a big city like New York, Beijing, or London. Their scale, community, and engagement give smaller cities and towns a distinct appeal I didn’t fully see back then.

What’s the best thing college students can do to prepare for careers that may not even now exist? Follow your passion and collaborate toward a shared goal on athletic teams, in the arts, or through student organizations or community service.

What’s the most dramatic change you expect to see in the area of student life? Access to and use of student space is a hot topic, and it will ultimately shift campus planning and design. ​Who sets the agenda for social events and programs? Are the events inclusive and reflective of the whole student body? How are spaces organized and designed to reflect the shared values of a campus community?

What’s the most dramatic change you’d like to see in the area of student life? I hope leaders in higher education look at the ways we define “success” before, during, and after the undergraduate experience. Our system of incentives and rewards can be unhealthy and shallow. How do we support students who want to take intellectual and personal risks?

What global figure in your lifetime, in your view, had the greatest influence on the future, and why? Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan. Her personal heroism and her advocacy for access to education for young girls around the world will influence a generation of young people.

What do you see as the greatest threat to the future of humanity? The decline of civic and community participation, and related ways that social media—particularly without a healthy balance of face-to-face authentic engagement with other people—can lead to greater isolation and intolerance. In some ways, this current generation of students has a better understanding of the problem than the rest of us.

In light of that threat, are you optimistic or pessimistic, and why? Optimistic. If we can equip our students to make the most of their college experience, they will be prepared to go into their field of study, the workplace, and civic life with the skills to improve humanity.

What would you put into a time capsule for the people of 2219? A baseball signed by Mookie Betts, a fidget spinner, the original cast recording of Hamilton, a recipe for homemade glitter slime. Can you tell my kids are in elementary school?

Marco Werman ’83, host of the Public Radio International show The World

What aspect of your current life would have most surprised your college-age self? That I’d still be consuming marijuana, and that it would be endorsed for medical reasons by the state of Massachusetts.

What’s the best thing college students can do to prepare for careers that may not even now exist? Follow your curiosity and fuse that with work that leaves the planet a better place than how you entered it.

What’s the most dramatic change you expect to see in the field of journalism? The age of the Deep Fake, video and audio that can be manipulated to imitate the voice of whomever the creator chooses.

What’s the most dramatic change you’d like to see in the field of journalism? Exchanging social media for the morning and evening newspaper.

What global figure in your lifetime, in your view, had the greatest influence on the future, and why? Donald Trump. He didn’t happen overnight. He just spotlighted the ills that have been there all along—racial tension, economic injustice, questionable global alliances—and now there’s really no excuse for ignoring them.

What do you see as the greatest threat to the future of humanity? Climate change and the inability to swim.

In light of that threat, are you optimistic or pessimistic, and why? I’ll be an optimist until I’m dead. Thailand, I hear, is instituting swimming lessons as part of its national school curriculum, so they get it.

What would you put into a time capsule for the people of 2219? A teaspoon. Think about it.