University Lecture
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the University Lecture Series provides a forum for speakers of national and international importance to enhance scholarly and scientific learning and to stimulate the intellectual climate of the university and surrounding communities.
2024 University Lecture
AI and the Future of Work
March 21, 2024
President Grace Wang moderated a discussion with Deepthi Bathina ’00 (MS), visionary WPI alumna and CEO and founder of RhythmX AI; Terrence Sejnowski, PhD, pioneering and award-winning scientist in neural networks and computational neuroscience; and Steve Vassallo ’93, general partner at Foundation Capital and celebrated entrepreneur. The panel explored the multifaceted intersections of artificial intelligence and the workforce. Learn more about the 2024 University Lecture.
Previous University Lectures
2022-2023 Academic Year
Insights and experiences on the role of technology in promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment with Roya Mahboob
ROYA MAHBOOB, Entrepreneur & Founder of the Non-Profit Digital Citizen Fund & the Afghan Girls Robotics Team
2021-2022 Academic Year
"Storing and Computing with Information Stored as Molecules by Dr. George Whitesides"
DR. GEORGE WHITESIDES, Woodford L. and Ann A. Flowers University Professor at Harvard University
2020-2021 Academic Year
"Race and Democracy by Cornel West"
CORNEL WEST, author, prominent and provocative democratic intellectual, American philosopher, political activist, and social critic
2019-2020 Academic Year
"The Edison of Medicine: Robert Langer’s Quest to Solve Global Health Challenges Using Biotechnology"
ROBERT LANGER, Sc.D., Institute Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2018-2019 Academic Year
"Space Exploration: Past, Present and Future, A Celebration of 50 Years since Apollo"
JAMES GREEN, NASA Chief Scientist and STEVEN M. ROTHSTEIN, Executive Director, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation
2017-2018 Academic Year
"Technology and Humanities: Building the Leaders of the Future"
SCOTT HARTLEY, Author, Venture Capitalist, and Startup Advisor
2016-2017 Academic Year
"Engineering Future Entrepreneurs"
CARL J. SCHRAMM, University Professor
2015-2016 Academic Year
“The Global Ergonomics of Ebola and Other Infectious Diseases: Combating Feat Through Innovation”
PAMELA MCCAULEY, PHD, CPE, Engineer, Educator, Expert, Entrepreneur
2014-2015 Academic Year
"Prioritizing Our Greatest Problems Versus Prioritizing Our Efforts to Find Solutions"
BJORN LOMBORG, Director of Copenhagen Consensus Center and Adjunct Professor at Copenhagen Business School