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From Russia with Wisdom
Dr. Michio Kaku Challenges 2011 Graduates to 'Create the
Future'
"Boundaries are being broken by technology," Dr. Michio Kaku
told the class of 2011 at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's
133rd Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 28, in the Sports and
Recreation Center. In a moment which would have been
impossible only a few years ago, Dr. Kaku delivered his speech from
a hotel lobby in Moscow, where his flight had been grounded due to
mechanical failure just a few short hours from his planned arrival
in Terre Haute.
"He immediately used technology so he could be with us in spirit
and speak to us on this momentous occasion," Rose-Hulman president,
Matt Branam stated of the scientist's use of modern communication
technologies to overcome the unusual circumstances.
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"I'm in Moscow at a hotel lobby because of engine failure," Dr.
Kaku began, joking that it was "better to have that engine fail on
the ground than in the air." Rose-Hulman, which was recently
counted among America's Top 10 Techiest Colleges, broke the
boundaries of geography to bring Dr. Kaku's commencement address to
its graduates in spite of the challenging, unforeseen
situation.
Even on video, Dr. Kaku's personable speaking style, peppered with
personal anecdotes and humor, engaged his audience, drawing
laughter several times throughout the speech. The noted futurist
encouraged the graduates in a speech which touched upon three
central themes.
"Science is the engine of prosperity," he told them, as he spoke
of civilizations which prospered because they embraced technology,
versus those who struggled because they did not.
"Science and technology are a double-edged sword," Dr. Kaku said,
explaining that discoveries which can be used for the greater good
can also cause harm. Using the example of the recent
tsunami-induced nuclear disaster in Japan, he said, "We have to be
good enough to wield this double-edged technology."
Finally, referencing the effect of technology on the recent
revolution in the Middle East, Dr. Kaku told the graduates,
"Technology spreads democracy." He added that no two democracies
have ever gone to war against one another.
Dr. Kaku closes his recorded message by apologizing once again for
his absence and by telling the scholars, "The future is yours.
Live a life as somebody who understands science and technology, and
you will create the future."
In his address Branam said, "You are about to become the shapers
of a technological revolution that only the most visionary among
us, like Dr. Kaku, can imagine." He added, "I have total
faith that you will succeed. Because if anyone can do it, I
know that a Rose graduate can."
Dr. Kaku is a world-renowned theoretical physicist, futurist,
best-selling author, and radio and television personality, who
explains the most fascinating and complex scientific theories in
ways that everyone can understand. His engaging and humorous style
makes him a sought-after speaker and television commentator on
scientific current events, and his award-winning Discovery Channel
television series, "Sci Fi Science" brings his vision of the future
into millions of households.
Dr. Kaku received his bachelor's degree in physics from Harvard
University in 1968. He then went to the Berkeley Radiation
Laboratory at the University of California-Berkeley where he earned
his Ph.D. in 1972. Dr. Kaku is the author of several best-selling
books, including Physics of the Future, which is currently on the
New York Times' best-sellers list. He is also a visiting
professor at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton
University and is a fellow of the American Physical Society.