By Riona Sheikh
For The Diamondback
White House science and technology advisor Arati Prabhakar detailed the importance of scientific and technological innovation in tackling global challenges during a talk at the University of Maryland on Wednesday.
Prabhakar, the director of the White House’s science and technology policy office, joined university president Darryll Pines for the forum at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. During her talk, Prabhakar emphasized the United States’ role as a global leader in the field and stressed the importance of prioritizing the societal impact of science.
“Our aspirations are as great as they have ever been,” said Prabhakar, who also serves as the science and technology assistant to the president. “[We should] think about the calling to always expand the possibilities and the boundaries of knowledge.”
Pines said he was honored to host the “amazing” Prabhakar at this university for the talk, citing her extensive experience across universities, the federal government and development agencies.
“Prabhakar has had exceptional and groundbreaking careers in federal research and development agencies,” Pines said.
During her talk, Prabhakar primarily focused on cancer research, climate change and artificial intelligence.
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Prabhakar highlighted President Joe Biden’s administration’s progress in advancing medical technology, including the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative.
The program focuses on addressing cancer healthcare access disparities, improving the quality of life for cancer patients and survivors and prioritizing cancer prevention. It aims to cut cancer-related deaths in the United States in half within the next 25 years, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Prabhakar said she was “very excited” to work on the program, emphasizing its commitment to impact cancer outcomes.
The science expert also pointed to Biden’s conservation efforts, including the “America the Beautiful” initiative, which aims to conserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 by targeting climate change and biodiversity loss, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Prabhakar hopes the country renews its “relationship with nature” and reduces biodiversity loss.
Monica Chu, a bioengineering doctoral student, said the event gave her new insight into policies she didn’t previously know about.
“I was just really astonished as to a lot of how this work goes unspoken about even in the press,” Chu said. “Now I kind of want to learn more about it myself too.”
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Bioengineering doctoral student Amal Shabazz said Prabhakar’s dedication to societal improvement resonated with her. Shabazz said she also wants to work on medicines and solutions that benefit society.
“I did find her inspirational, even just reading her biography,” she said. “She’s taken on a lot of positions that are rare for women to be in, even at this time.”
Like Shabazz, Divya Muthusamy said it was inspiring to see Prabhakar’s knowledge and excitement about science and technology. Understanding how Prabhakar’s “big vision” about societal issues led to tangible policies was very interesting, the doctoral bioengineering student added.
Prabhakar also called for a “serious discussion” about the need to balance the risks and rewards of artificial intelligence
“If we can get AI right, and build a stable platform by managing AI’s risks, that’s a stable platform that we can stand on to reach for the stars,” Prabhakar said.
Moving forward, Shabazz is optimistic about the progress in health, AI and climate change, she said. But, like Prabhakar, she emphasized the importance of understanding the risks of newer technology.
“I do think that with the technologies that are coming out, it’s almost inevitable to find some of the solutions to the problems that we’ve had,” Shabazz said. “As [Prabhakar] was saying, you have to balance the good and the bad of the technology.”
