Solutions to Grand Challenges Demand Innovation | Sethuraman Panchanathan | TEDxASU

[Applause]

[Applause] good evening to all of you my name is

good evening to all of you my name is

good evening to all of you my name is Seto Rahman punch Anathem and I promise

Seto Rahman punch Anathem and I promise

Seto Rahman punch Anathem and I promise that will be the most difficult thing

that will be the most difficult thing

that will be the most difficult thing that you will hear this evening so

that you will hear this evening so

that you will hear this evening so that’s why people call me punch I am the

that’s why people call me punch I am the

that’s why people call me punch I am the chief research and innovation officer

chief research and innovation officer

chief research and innovation officer Arizona State University and the

Arizona State University and the

Arizona State University and the executive vice president what I want to

executive vice president what I want to

executive vice president what I want to do in keeping with the spirit of TEDx is

do in keeping with the spirit of TEDx is

do in keeping with the spirit of TEDx is talk to you about a story of a student

talk to you about a story of a student

talk to you about a story of a student so this students name is David Haden so

so this students name is David Haden so

so this students name is David Haden so one day David walks into my office and

one day David walks into my office and

one day David walks into my office and he says punch I have a problem my

he says punch I have a problem my

he says punch I have a problem my problem is that I am visually impaired

problem is that I am visually impaired

problem is that I am visually impaired and legally blind I am a double major in

and legally blind I am a double major in

and legally blind I am a double major in math and computer science and I am in

math and computer science and I am in

math and computer science and I am in the freshman year getting into the

the freshman year getting into the

the freshman year getting into the sophomore year what I’m finding really

sophomore year what I’m finding really

sophomore year what I’m finding really hard is when I go to my math and

hard is when I go to my math and

hard is when I go to my math and computer science lectures specifically

computer science lectures specifically

computer science lectures specifically when things go from step one to step two

when things go from step one to step two

when things go from step one to step two to step n I don’t have any access to

to step n I don’t have any access to

to step n I don’t have any access to that information on the board even if I

that information on the board even if I

that information on the board even if I sit in the very first row in the class

sit in the very first row in the class

sit in the very first row in the class and he said can you help me I said David

and he said can you help me I said David

and he said can you help me I said David how about this instead of me helping you

how about this instead of me helping you

how about this instead of me helping you you have the innovative mindset you have

you have the innovative mindset you have

you have the innovative mindset you have identified a problem which is a

identified a problem which is a

identified a problem which is a challenge for you you might want to come

challenge for you you might want to come

challenge for you you might want to come and work in my lab with other graduate

and work in my lab with other graduate

and work in my lab with other graduate students undergraduate students like you

students undergraduate students like you

students undergraduate students like you and even high school students I said who

and even high school students I said who

and even high school students I said who better understands the impediment that

better understands the impediment that

better understands the impediment that you face then you David

you face then you David

you face then you David so David took me up on that suggestion

so David took me up on that suggestion

so David took me up on that suggestion and join a lab and now he is in the

and join a lab and now he is in the

and join a lab and now he is in the sophomore year so the first thing that

sophomore year so the first thing that

sophomore year so the first thing that he did was took a tablet PC connected it

he did was took a tablet PC connected it

he did was took a tablet PC connected it through a USB interface to a pan tilt

through a USB interface to a pan tilt

through a USB interface to a pan tilt zoom camera of the Shelf camera and the

zoom camera of the Shelf camera and the

zoom camera of the Shelf camera and the lecture that was not accessible to him

lecture that was not accessible to him

lecture that was not accessible to him he was now able to get the lecture piped

he was now able to get the lecture piped

he was now able to get the lecture piped in through the camera into his

in through the camera into his

in through the camera into his tablet PC he was able to control the

tablet PC he was able to control the

tablet PC he was able to control the features of pan tilt and zoom and he did

features of pan tilt and zoom and he did

features of pan tilt and zoom and he did something even more clever he split his

something even more clever he split his

something even more clever he split his tablet PC into two halves the screen on

tablet PC into two halves the screen on

tablet PC into two halves the screen on the left half was this video of the

the left half was this video of the

the left half was this video of the lecture piping in on the right half of

lecture piping in on the right half of

lecture piping in on the right half of the screen

the screen

the screen he developed a notes interface he then

he developed a notes interface he then

he developed a notes interface he then started linking the course notes to the

started linking the course notes to the

started linking the course notes to the video and the captured images and he

video and the captured images and he

video and the captured images and he formed his fantastic lecture notes that

formed his fantastic lecture notes that

formed his fantastic lecture notes that is sighted counterparts at the end of

is sighted counterparts at the end of

is sighted counterparts at the end of the lecture would come and tell him

the lecture would come and tell him

the lecture would come and tell him David will you please share your course

David will you please share your course

David will you please share your course notes with us you have much richer

notes with us you have much richer

notes with us you have much richer course notes than any one of us now he

course notes than any one of us now he

course notes than any one of us now he perfected this he took it to his class

perfected this he took it to his class

perfected this he took it to his class all the classes and subsequently gave it

all the classes and subsequently gave it

all the classes and subsequently gave it to other visually impaired students so

to other visually impaired students so

to other visually impaired students so they can give him suggestions in terms

they can give him suggestions in terms

they can give him suggestions in terms of improving this device and build this

of improving this device and build this

of improving this device and build this fantastic device now if you look at a

fantastic device now if you look at a

fantastic device now if you look at a time for innovation that time is now you

time for innovation that time is now you

time for innovation that time is now you take any grand challenge of the society

take any grand challenge of the society

take any grand challenge of the society faces today providing clean water

improving the health providing energy

improving the health providing energy sources or even providing jobs for

sources or even providing jobs for

sources or even providing jobs for people which is something that has

people which is something that has

people which is something that has become very you know very much in the

become very you know very much in the

become very you know very much in the forefront these days whatever that might

forefront these days whatever that might

forefront these days whatever that might be these challenges require us to see

be these challenges require us to see

be these challenges require us to see how we might bring out our innovative

how we might bring out our innovative

how we might bring out our innovative thinking to be able to solve these grand

thinking to be able to solve these grand

thinking to be able to solve these grand challenges therefore higher education

challenges therefore higher education

challenges therefore higher education institutions have a responsibility to

institutions have a responsibility to

institutions have a responsibility to solve these challenges and it turns out

solve these challenges and it turns out

solve these challenges and it turns out that many higher education institutions

that many higher education institutions

that many higher education institutions are taking up these challenges and

are taking up these challenges and

are taking up these challenges and increasingly solving them as you know in

increasingly solving them as you know in

increasingly solving them as you know in higher education institutions we have

higher education institutions we have

higher education institutions we have faculty students staff researchers in

faculty students staff researchers in

faculty students staff researchers in partnership with people inside the

partnership with people inside the

partnership with people inside the university and outside the university

university and outside the university

university and outside the university trying to address some of these grand

trying to address some of these grand

trying to address some of these grand challenges

challenges

challenges so therefore the responsibility of the

so therefore the responsibility of the

so therefore the responsibility of the higher education institutions are to be

higher education institutions are to be

higher education institutions are to be to provide an environment that empowers

to provide an environment that empowers

to provide an environment that empowers people to exercise their creativity and

people to exercise their creativity and

people to exercise their creativity and their innovative spirit that is the

their innovative spirit that is the

their innovative spirit that is the responsibility of higher education

responsibility of higher education

responsibility of higher education institutions what do I mean if you take

institutions what do I mean if you take

institutions what do I mean if you take faculty for example faculty are

faculty for example faculty are

faculty for example faculty are inherently innovators they have the

inherently innovators they have the

inherently innovators they have the innovative spirit which they express in

innovative spirit which they express in

innovative spirit which they express in so many ways every day of their faculty

so many ways every day of their faculty

so many ways every day of their faculty life that’s what gets them going so how

life that’s what gets them going so how

life that’s what gets them going so how do you then provide an environment for

do you then provide an environment for

do you then provide an environment for faculty to then express this innovative

faculty to then express this innovative

faculty to then express this innovative spirit and be recognized be rewarded be

spirit and be recognized be rewarded be

spirit and be recognized be rewarded be invested in these are things that higher

invested in these are things that higher

invested in these are things that higher education institutions need to do in

education institutions need to do in

education institutions need to do in order to bring out the creative element

order to bring out the creative element

order to bring out the creative element out of the faculty at scale the other

out of the faculty at scale the other

out of the faculty at scale the other thing is when you want to solve Grand

thing is when you want to solve Grand

thing is when you want to solve Grand Challenges that stick water for example

Challenges that stick water for example

Challenges that stick water for example water is not just a science problem or

water is not just a science problem or

water is not just a science problem or an engineering problem or a legal

an engineering problem or a legal

an engineering problem or a legal problem or an ethical problem or a

problem or an ethical problem or a

problem or an ethical problem or a cultural problem or social problem or a

cultural problem or social problem or a

cultural problem or social problem or a behavioral problem or a business problem

behavioral problem or a business problem

behavioral problem or a business problem it is all of the above and more so which

it is all of the above and more so which

it is all of the above and more so which means that higher education institutions

means that higher education institutions

means that higher education institutions should inherently provide an environment

should inherently provide an environment

should inherently provide an environment that allows people to work in teams this

that allows people to work in teams this

that allows people to work in teams this is something that’s not often done you

is something that’s not often done you

is something that’s not often done you need to break down barriers and silos

need to break down barriers and silos

need to break down barriers and silos you need invest in people working

you need invest in people working

you need invest in people working together solving Grand Challenges you

together solving Grand Challenges you

together solving Grand Challenges you need to recognize them you need to

need to recognize them you need to

need to recognize them you need to reward them all of these are very

reward them all of these are very

reward them all of these are very important things to do and more

important things to do and more

important things to do and more importantly if you want innovation

importantly if you want innovation

importantly if you want innovation proliferating the campus what you need

proliferating the campus what you need

proliferating the campus what you need is not only celebrating success which we

is not only celebrating success which we

is not only celebrating success which we all do very well but celebrating

all do very well but celebrating

all do very well but celebrating failures to honoring failures because if

failures to honoring failures because if

failures to honoring failures because if you want innovation chances are that you

you want innovation chances are that you

you want innovation chances are that you will try you will fail and then you will

will try you will fail and then you will

will try you will fail and then you will try you will fail and then you will try

try you will fail and then you will try

try you will fail and then you will try and you will succeed for possibly so

and you will succeed for possibly so

and you will succeed for possibly so generating an environment that allow

generating an environment that allow

generating an environment that allow people to fail and fail fast which is

people to fail and fail fast which is

people to fail and fail fast which is what typically entrepreneurial

what typically entrepreneurial

what typically entrepreneurial environments provide is something that

environments provide is something that

environments provide is something that universities increasingly need to do

universities increasingly need to do

universities increasingly need to do higher education institutions same thing

higher education institutions same thing

higher education institutions same thing is to students students have this

is to students students have this

is to students students have this inherent ability to be innovative and

inherent ability to be innovative and

inherent ability to be innovative and they have this can-do spirit again

they have this can-do spirit again

they have this can-do spirit again create an environment they look to

create an environment they look to

create an environment they look to faculty as role models how might you

faculty as role models how might you

faculty as role models how might you then provide them that ecosystem that

then provide them that ecosystem that

then provide them that ecosystem that allows them to express their creativity

allows them to express their creativity

allows them to express their creativity let us talk about David again go back to

let us talk about David again go back to

let us talk about David again go back to the story one easy solution for David’s

the story one easy solution for David’s

the story one easy solution for David’s problem would have been David there is a

problem would have been David there is a

problem would have been David there is a device out there we can get it for you

device out there we can get it for you

device out there we can get it for you one solution or David there is a

one solution or David there is a

one solution or David there is a Disability Resource Center on campus if

Disability Resource Center on campus if

Disability Resource Center on campus if you go there they will help you give you

you go there they will help you give you

you go there they will help you give you a device or do something for the

a device or do something for the

a device or do something for the environment for you instead of doing

environment for you instead of doing

environment for you instead of doing that which would have curbed David’s

that which would have curbed David’s

that which would have curbed David’s innovative ability in this situation

innovative ability in this situation

innovative ability in this situation david was challenged to express his

david was challenged to express his

david was challenged to express his innovative ability and that is what we

innovative ability and that is what we

innovative ability and that is what we need to do in higher education

need to do in higher education

need to do in higher education institutions provide the environment

institutions provide the environment

institutions provide the environment challenge the students so that they can

challenge the students so that they can

challenge the students so that they can express their innovativeness and they

express their innovativeness and they

express their innovativeness and they look to faculty as role models that’s

look to faculty as role models that’s

look to faculty as role models that’s what we need to do more and more of if

what we need to do more and more of if

what we need to do more and more of if you want to create an innovative

you want to create an innovative

you want to create an innovative ecosystem in higher educational

ecosystem in higher educational

ecosystem in higher educational institutions and to solve these global

institutions and to solve these global

institutions and to solve these global grand challenges when David came to see

grand challenges when David came to see

grand challenges when David came to see me first I asked him David what is it

me first I asked him David what is it

me first I asked him David what is it that you want to do with your life he

that you want to do with your life he

that you want to do with your life he told me punch I want to be like you a

told me punch I want to be like you a

told me punch I want to be like you a faculty member who can inspire many

faculty member who can inspire many

faculty member who can inspire many students but the only difference is that

students but the only difference is that

students but the only difference is that that I would perceive a liberal

that I would perceive a liberal

that I would perceive a liberal impediment I am able to do it and that I

impediment I am able to do it and that I

impediment I am able to do it and that I can demonstrate that any student with

can demonstrate that any student with

can demonstrate that any student with any impediment can do whatever they wish

any impediment can do whatever they wish

any impediment can do whatever they wish to do and be successful so that is David

to do and be successful so that is David

to do and be successful so that is David now he’s finishing his PhD at MIT he

now he’s finishing his PhD at MIT he

now he’s finishing his PhD at MIT he submitted when he was a student this

submitted when he was a student this

submitted when he was a student this prototype that he built just two years

prototype that he built just two years

prototype that he built just two years into the program in the lab to the

into the program in the lab to the

into the program in the lab to the Microsoft Imagine Cup which is a

Microsoft Imagine Cup which is a

Microsoft Imagine Cup which is a worldwide competition there were three

worldwide competition there were three

worldwide competition there were three hundred thousand entries in this

hundred thousand entries in this

hundred thousand entries in this competition under 11 categories one of

competition under 11 categories one of

competition under 11 categories one of them are the touchin tab

them are the touchin tab

them are the touchin tab category and David won the regional

category and David won the regional

category and David won the regional competition the national competition and

competition the national competition and

competition the national competition and the world competition an undergraduate

the world competition an undergraduate

the world competition an undergraduate research student who apparently had an

research student who apparently had an

research student who apparently had an impediment that you wanted help with and

impediment that you wanted help with and

impediment that you wanted help with and here is what happened when you unleash

here is what happened when you unleash

here is what happened when you unleash that potential the next year he

that potential the next year he

that potential the next year he challenged himself invent again the

challenged himself invent again the

challenged himself invent again the software design category challenge

software design category challenge

software design category challenge themselves even more won the national

themselves even more won the national

themselves even more won the national competition so this is what we need to

competition so this is what we need to

competition so this is what we need to do for our students so David now is not

do for our students so David now is not

do for our students so David now is not only finishing his ph.d but I spun out a

only finishing his ph.d but I spun out a

only finishing his ph.d but I spun out a company to manufacture this device so

company to manufacture this device so

company to manufacture this device so that it might help other students to be

that it might help other students to be

that it might help other students to be successful and so they can take this and

successful and so they can take this and

successful and so they can take this and build more upon this to create an

build more upon this to create an

build more upon this to create an environment for success so therefore I

environment for success so therefore I

environment for success so therefore I challenge all of you today every one of

challenge all of you today every one of

challenge all of you today every one of you has got the innovative spirit within

you has got the innovative spirit within

you has got the innovative spirit within you exercise that innovative spirit

you exercise that innovative spirit

you exercise that innovative spirit within you take on a challenge whatever

within you take on a challenge whatever

within you take on a challenge whatever the challenge might be that you are

the challenge might be that you are

the challenge might be that you are passionate about solve the challenge and

passionate about solve the challenge and

passionate about solve the challenge and give your innovative spirit a chance and

give your innovative spirit a chance and

give your innovative spirit a chance and that means that you need to demand

that means that you need to demand

that means that you need to demand innovation of yourself demand innovation

innovation of yourself demand innovation

innovation of yourself demand innovation thank you

thank you

thank you [Applause]