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Charles Vest

President, NAE; Fmr. President of MIT

Charles Vest is a professor and President Emeritus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Vest earned his BS in mechanical engineering from West Virginia University and his MS and PhD from the University of Michigan. His academic work focused on thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. Vest joined Michigan's faculty in 1968, became a full professor in 1977, and was promoted to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1989. In 1990, he was appointed President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a position he held until 2004. Vest has served on both the Bush and Clinton Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and has been a director of DuPoint and IBM. In July 2007 he was elected to serve as president of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) for six years. He has authored a book on holographic interferometry, and two books on higher education. He has received honorary doctoral degrees from ten universities, and was awarded the 2006 National Medal of Technology by President Bush.

What is the state of the American education system?

What needs to change?

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10 min

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What is the State of American Intelligence?

We can’t understand the world, Vest says, until our intelligence officers are more diverse.

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10 min

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Is the media a reliable source of information about science?

It’s not the media, Vest says. It’s the education system.

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8 min

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Do universities have a philanthropic obligation?

Institutions teach by example, says Vest.

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4 min

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Should there be limits on innovation?

We should have full freedom to explore, but we should always keep in mind the dark side of science, Vest says.

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6 min

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What are the big issues?

Vest hopes that we can recognize the opportunity inherent in globalization.

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4 min

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Do rich universities undermine other research institutions?

We all have to compete for the same grants, Vest says.

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5 min

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Which presidential candidate is the most science minded?

Vest is very disappointed in the current crop.

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1 min

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What is the standard for scientific literacy?

High school graduates need to understand how the building blocks of science work.

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2 min

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Can technology solve our problems?

Absolutely not, says Vest.

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2 min

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New Developments in Engineering

Moving from physics to microbiology, information technology and nanotechnology.

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3 min

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Helming the National Academy of Engineering

Finding the most accomplished engineers, but doing so in a more global context.

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4 min

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When did science first spark your interest?

There was lots of surplus WW II equipment lying around.

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6 min

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Coming up from typical small-town America.

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4 min

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