Betting on America: Winning the Global Tech Race

Enabling Research and Innovation: featuring Caltech President Thomas Rosenbaum

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Jun 17, 2025
Thomas Rosenbaum, President of Caltech and a distinguished physicist, dives into the vital role of American universities in driving innovation. He discusses how curiosity-driven research connects with American exceptionalism. The conversation highlights the interconnectedness of academia and industry, exemplified by the evolution of transistors and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Rosenbaum also addresses the challenges of translating research into commercial applications, emphasizing the need for sustained public funding and support for future generations of researchers.
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ANECDOTE

Apollo Inspires Science Career

  • Thomas Rosenbaum was inspired to pursue science by the Apollo Moon mission in 1969. - His career journey included roles in national labs and universities, leading to Caltech presidency.
INSIGHT

US Science as Ecosystem

  • American science thrives as an interconnected ecosystem of universities, industry, and national labs. - The movement of ideas and people between these segments drives innovation and competitiveness.
ANECDOTE

AI Roots from Cross-Discipline Shift

  • John Hopfield moved disciplines to explore brain function, creating neural nets that seeded AI advancements. - Industry contributed by developing chips, enabling technologies like large language models.
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