As the days count down and December 31 approaches, it is natural to reflect on the past year. And this year marks the end of the 2010’s, which makes us think about all that has transpired over the last decade and generates a feeling that a chapter is closing and a new one is beginning.
The 21
st
Century has always sounded to me like science fiction, and now it is two decades old! I am very proud to work at Penn, an institution that is responsible for generating many of society’s most amazing changes, including two fiction-like examples:
- In 2017 the greatest medical breakthrough in the treatment of cancer happened on our campus under Carl June, M.D. when we received FDA approval for his creation of CAR T. Simply put, June and his team of collaborators discovered how to implant a living drug into a patient so that the person’s T Cells, the workhorses of the immune system, reprograms the immune system with synthetic molecules so to kill infected cells. Take a minute to watch this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTV_ft2el2w.
- In 2012 (that seems ancient) our Dean of Engineering Vijay Kumar set the Internet on fire with a TED Talk about his development of flying robots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ErEBkj_3PY. Kumar and his team build small, agile robots that swarm, sense each other, and form ad hoc teams. In 2019 we take this for granted, but it was only seven years ago that our society was introduced to this idea and saw its potential.
What does the next decade hold for us?
None of us can predict the future, and life feels like it goes fast and not always in a straight line. While I remain in awe of the futurists among us, I am looking at 2020 as a year when I go old-school and rely on some core beliefs, such as:
- Have goals and self-advocate: Do you have a vision for what you want out of life? If yes, speak up now and don’t procrastinate. Sitting around and waiting for opportunities to come to you is not advisable. Or, as our founder Ben Franklin famously wrote: “Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Be vocal and focused on goals and maintain relationships with people who are positive and encouraging.
- Travel wherever you can, whenever you can: My wife and I like to travel and have our bucket list. We enjoy seeing the world and experiencing different cultures because it is fun, educational and helps us be well-rounded. Stepping outside of your own community can be a flight to another continent, or a road trip across state lines.
- Face-to-face interactions: While I use and enjoy social media it is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. There are no quantities of “likes” or retweets that replace the quality of being in the presence of a loved one or friend.
The pace of life is fast and technology, I fear, is making it faster and keeping people from being socially engaged. While I encourage you to enjoy all the great advances of innovation, I say never lose sight of that our lives have always been, and will always be, richer because of our investment in ourselves and in our relationships.
As always you have my sincere thanks for an incredible year in which Penn, due to your talent and dedication, soared to new heights locally and globally.
My best wishes to you and your families for a healthy and happy 2020!
Best,
Craig
