Charlie Rose Science Series
Click here to watch previous episodes of the Charlie Rose Science Series
02/18/2008
Susan Hockfield
A conversation with Susan Hockfield, President MIT
Keywords:
A conversation with Susan Hockfield, President MIT.
DVD
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Charlie Rose DVDs on Amazon.
Audio
Audio available through Audible.com.
Audio available through Audible.com.
Transcripts
Transcripts available through Voxant.
Transcripts available through Voxant.
Charlie Rose and Susan Hockfield had such a genuine and engaging conversation. Dr. Hockfield's warmth and sincerity come through in this interview and give a thoroughly human face to the often insular worlds of science and higher education. I for one feel quite fortunate to have stumbled upon this clip and found time to watch it all.
Cassandra, I agree with you, but think it's too idealistic to expect nationalism to subside. This may be cynical, but one possible reason for her to mention that the US is falling behind is to get more money for research. In Washington, nationalism matters. By the way I'm a grad student at MIT and I found this very inspiring also.
Susan Hockfield should indeed be the president of USA
Cassandra, I believe that Dr. Hockfield is concerned with the trend of the US continuing to fall further and further behind our fellow nations in terms of graduation rates, educational and research investment, as well as vision. I did not get the sense that she was so concerned with the US being "number 1". Leadership is not necessarily equivalent with being "number 1" (whatever that means, given that you have to first define a metric for determining a "number 1").
It is interesting that Dr. Jackson's name has come up, as she is an MIT alumna. I would suggest that Shelly get a refresher on Dr. Jackson before making any more comments. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Ann_Jackson As for Dr. Hockfield, I have met her and she is as amazing in-person as she is on paper/screen. Very approachable and engaging, and smart as a whip (in fact, she could teach a whip a thing or two).
It would be fantastic if Susan Hockfield could be our nation's president. We would finally have a person with a great combination of vision, wisdom, and ability to lead.
Err Shelly, I (like Kelly) expected to hear Dr. Jackson's name mentioned in the list of women heading universities. I even watched the broadcast a 2nd time (it appears on another station at midnight in S. Cal.) to make sure I hadn't missed it. I was dissapointed her name was ommitted and I'm even more disturbed by the tone of your post. " Mr. Rose was listing top colleges that are headed by women"."Although Dr. Jackson is a fine leader, RPI can hardly be considered a top tier university". With all due respect, your comments sound very snobbish and condescending in a nice/nasty way. Dr. Jackson is a fine leader, but of a crappy college not worth mendtion. Perhaps this isn't what you intended, but it certainly reads that way. I first heard of Dr. Jackson when she appeared on C-Span. Brian Lamb interviewed her in one of the first broadcast of his new show Q/A. She was very impressive and I felt inspired to consider (fantasize really) pursuing a technical/scientific education. I doubt Brian Lamb would have invited her on the program if she were running a second rate university. With all due respect, I am asking you to critically reflect on your beliefs and attitudes subconscious and otherwise because they impact your treatment of "other" people in ways that are unfair and a little bigoted.
It's interesting that 6 of the 7 comments about Dr. Hockfield's interview so far have been by women. It's also interesting that most of them viewed this conversation as inspiring for women. Nice. Are there any men in MIT's future? I wonder how the admissions policy of MIT has effected this change since I graduated from MIT in 1950. And I might perhaps also ask, why?
Thank you! Your show this evening was absolutely inspiring. Susan Hockney and Chris Anderson, both, kept me awake most of the night with the podering of POSSIBILITY! What a joy to know that these people are out there making a difference. I think my life has been changed by having happened upon your show tonight. I know I am different for having engaged with what I witnessed. Thank you!
Thank you! Your show this evening was absolutely inspiring. Susan Hockney and Chris Anderson, both, kept me awake most of the night with the podering of POSSIBILITY! What a joy to know that these people are out there making a difference. I think my life has been changed by having happened upon your show tonight. I know I am different for having engaged with what I witnessed. Thank you!
I watched your interview with President Hockfield and I was rather surprised to hear her voice her dismay that, in her eyes, America would no longer be the LEADER in education and innovation. That is, we would no longer be "Number 1". Well, what's wrong with that? What is this NEED many Americans feel about being "Number One" "the Leader" "The Superpower"? What's wrong with being one among equals? Because, I'll tell you, IF there is to be a future for the Human Race it can no longer be based on a Nationalist-Centered view---it must be a GLOBAL view where all the cultural and material traditions and riches are shared EQUALLY among all the inhabitants of the planet. There is no need to fear such a development (as so many among the more conservative elements of our society clearly do). We should glory in the idea.
This interview is truly inspiring,especially to the young women who are now following all the wonderful careers,dedicated to solving so many of the problems now facing us!!!
SUPERB SHOW WITH SUSAN HOCKFIELD. SHOULD BE REQUIRED LISTENING FOR EVERY STUDENT, ESPECIALLY GIRLS. I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A COPY OF THAT WHOLE PROGRAM, IF POSSIBLE. NEDDANEWYORK@NYC.RR.COM
Sorry Kelly, but I think Mr. Rose was listing top colleges that are headed by Women. Although Dr. Jackson is a fine leader, RPI can hardly be considered a top tier university.
Charlie, How could you mention women who preside over major American educational institutes without including RPI's Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson?!?? Note that Rensselaer is the oldest technological research in America. Dr. Jackson has been there for eight years as compared to Dr. Hockfield's three year tenure at MIT. Please tell me that you invited Dr. Jackson onto your show and that she regrettably declined!!!