A recent column by Noam Chomsky, titled The Death of American Universities, touches on what’s happening as we revert to a slave economy. In a speech, Alan Greenspan discussed how it being increasingly difficult to get a steady job was a good thing for the economy. Chomsky responds: “At the time, everyone regarded Greenspan’s comment […] … learn more→

There are many ways for young people to learn about sex. In talks between parents and children, in the sharing of information between peers, in initiation schools and in ceremonies preceding marriage, young people have learned about sex and sexual reproduction. They also learn about how societies define appropriate and inappropriate sexual behaviour. The idea […] … learn more→

It’s that time of year again: At many colleges, second-year students must declare their majors. Uncles, grandmothers, and friends will almost certainly ask: “What are you going to do with that?” Some parents will say, “I am not going to shell out this amount of money for my kid to major in ….” Such responses […] … learn more→

The latest figures are out from the Department of Education and the share of borrowers using Income-Based Repayment (IBR) to repay federal student loans is rising rapidly. It now stands at 28 percent of Direct Loan balances in repayment. Naturally, many want to know what this program costs. That isn’t an easy number to come by, although […] … learn more→

As this year’s crop of college graduates don their caps and gowns and listen to inspiring commencement addresses before embarking on uncertain futures, they’ll also hear a lot about the consequences of the large debts most of them amassed attaining a degree. Such as: student loan debt is a drain on the economy. Debt prevents […] … learn more→

Pennsylvania State University’s College of Engineering took its computer network offline on May 15 after disclosing two cyberattacks. The perpetrators were able to access information on 18,000 students, who are being contacted this week with the news that their personal identifying information is in hackers’ hands. Three days later, the computer network is back online, […] … learn more→

With three months to go before completion, I found myself watching a YouTube presentation of a scholar I deeply respect and admire. Queue thesis meltdown #476. My heart raced and my chest constricted as I listened to her rattle off all the theorists and scholars that influenced her work- I hadn’t read most of them. […] … learn more→

Mere minutes before my lecture to the freshmen, I heard a “click, whir” noise. Curious, I looked behind me. And there it was, the projector screen rolling up into its casing like Napoleon retreating from Russia. I turned back to the monitors on the podium. My PowerPoint remained while the monitor for the auditorium AV […] … learn more→

Hydropower is a clean, stable, and proven renewable energy source. So why aren’t we using more of it? Globally, hydropower – which generates electricity through the use of falling water – accounts for 16% of the world’s electricity output, according to the Worldwatch Institute. China is the largest producer, with a total of 19% of […] … learn more→

In 2004, I moved to India to help found a new research lab for Microsoft. Based in Bangalore, it quickly became a hub for cutting-edge computer science. My own focus shifted with the move, and I began to explore applications of digital technologies for the socioeconomic growth of poor communities. India struggles to educate its […] … learn more→