Arun Majumdar, the inaugural Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, dives into the fascinating interplay between AI, energy, and climate change. He discusses groundbreaking AI innovations that enhance emergency responses and optimize power grids. The conversation shifts to the role of AI in education, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking skills in students. Majumdar also highlights the need for collaboration across sectors to effectively tackle climate challenges and shares insights on how AI is reshaping our daily lives.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
AI Projects Kickstarted by Students
Arun Majumdar was pulled into AI by his students and postdocs at Stanford.
They developed AI projects like Deep Solar to map solar panels using satellite imagery.
insights INSIGHT
AI and Climate Research Synergies
At Stanford's Doerr School, dozens of faculty bridge AI with climate and energy domains.
AI advances help predict climate outcomes, discover new materials, and improve agriculture.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Foster Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
Combine AI experts with domain specialists in energy and climate for maximum impact.
Collaboration across policy, industry, and science is key to leveraging AI's potential.
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In this book, Doris Kearns Goodwin examines the leadership skills of four U.S. presidents through their experiences during significant crises. The book is organized into three parts: the early days and ambitions of each president, their overcoming of significant early obstacles, and their leadership strategies during their presidencies. Goodwin delves into how each president—Lincoln during the Emancipation Proclamation, Theodore Roosevelt during the coal strike, Franklin Roosevelt during his first 100 days, and Lyndon Johnson during the Civil Rights Act—demonstrated unique leadership qualities that enabled them to surmount challenges and make significant impacts on the nation.
Sapiens
A Brief History of Humankind
Yuval Noah Harari
This book surveys the history of humankind from the Stone Age to the 21st century, focusing on Homo sapiens. It divides human history into four major parts: the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the Unification of Humankind, and the Scientific Revolution. Harari argues that Homo sapiens dominate the world due to their unique ability to cooperate in large numbers through beliefs in imagined realities such as gods, nations, money, and human rights. The book also examines the impact of human activities on the global ecosystem and speculates on the future of humanity, including the potential for genetic engineering and non-organic life.
Arun Majumdar is the inaugural Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford University and previously served as Founding Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and Chair of the Secretary's Advisory Board at the US Department of Energy. He is one of the United States' top energy experts and an accomplished institutional leader. Join host David Sandalow as he talks with Dean Majumdar about the AI work underway at the Doerr School, power demand for AI, AI's potential impacts on climate change mitigation, teaching in the AI era, and much more.
The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast is a special series from the DSR Network sponsored by NEDO and hosted by David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy.
The DSR Network 
