Lecture Abstract

We live in a time of rapid change.  Science and technology are advancing at an unprecedented rate, while many parts of the world are undergoing social change.   External constraints include global climate change and local and regional problems at the nexus of energy, food, and water.  Foresight—the systematic consideration and analysis of a broad range of plausible futures—provides a means for thinking about and planning for changes that are not often or easily envisioned, yet may occur.  In our uncertain world, it can provide a window through which we can view myriad possibilities and decide on strategies for best taking advantage of opportunities and mitigating risks.  This talk will describe foresight methods and review their use to develop future scenarios that can guide science and technology policy decisions in critical areas such as infectious disease, energy, and law enforcement.

About the Speaker

Richard Silberglitt is a Senior Physical Scientist at the RAND Corporation and professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He has worked in academia, government, and private industry for over 40 years, performing, evaluating, and managing research in advanced technology areas.

Silberglitt has lectured widely on emerging technologies and served as chair of the International Advisory Board of the APEC Center for Technology Foresight, Bangkok, Thailand. He is developer of an energy scenario analysis method that has been applied for the U.S., Southeast Asia, and Brazil. He led a road-mapping effort for the U.S. government’s Nano-Enabled Technology Initiative, was a member of the Chemical Industry Vision 2020 team, and participated in the National Nanotechnology Initiative’s Nanotechnology-Enabled Sensing Workshop.

Additionally, Silberglitt is co-developer of a method for research and development (R&D) portfolio analysis and management that has been applied for the U.S. Army, Navy, National Security Agency, National Institute of Justice, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He has published more than 100 journal and proceedings articles and reports, and holds two patents.

Prior to joining RAND, Silberglitt worked in the private sector, as well as at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Brookhaven National Laboratory; the U.S. National Science Foundation; and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Silberglitt received his B.S. in physics from Stevens Institute of Technology and his M.S. and Ph.D. in solid state physics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the American Physical Society, Materials Research Society and American Ceramic Society