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  • >> WELCOME TO THE LIVE RADIO SHOW,

  • CRITICAL MASS SPEAKER SERIES.

  • CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH

  • IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE.

  • I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.

  • YEAH, BABY!

  • [ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ]

  • WE HAVE AN EXCITING SHOW PLANNED FOR YOU TONIGHT

  • AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO THE EVENT HERE

  • ON THE BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS AS WELL AS LISTENING TO US

  • ON THE STREAM ON OCTALKRADIO.NET.

  • TONIGHT'S THEME IS CURIOSITY AND CURIOSITY IS DEFINED

  • AS A QUALITY RELATED TO INQUISITIVE THINKING

  • SUCH AS EXPLORATION AND LEARNING EVIDENT IN OBSERVATION

  • IN HUMAN AND ANIMAL SPECIES.

  • THE LATE YOGI BERRA ONCE SAID,

  • "YOU CAN OBSERVE A LOT BY WATCHING."

  • TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE THE CONCEPT OF CURIOSITY

  • TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN ONE'S LIFE

  • AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER.

  • TO HELP ME DISCUSS THE POWER OF CURIOSITY,

  • WE HAVE TWO PANELISTS.

  • TO MY FAR LEFT, DEAN MICHAEL SOLT.

  • HE IS THE DEAN OF THE BUSINESS SCHOOL HERE

  • AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH.

  • GIVE HIM A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE!

  • [ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ]

  • ALSO JOINING US TONIGHT, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM

  • AS WELL HERE IN THE AUDIENCE AND ON THE PANEL IS WILL POMERANTZ.

  • HE IS VICE PRESIDENT SPECIAL PROJECTS VIRGIN GALACTIC.

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • THIS IS OUR COLLEGE SPEAKER SERIES AND I'M HONORED

  • TO BE BACK ON THE CAMPUS OF CAL STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH

  • AND WE ARE STREAMING ON OCTALKRADIO.NET.

  • THE SHOW WILL BE AVAILABLE AS A PODCAST ON ITUNES

  • AND YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING SOFTWARE NEXT WEEK AS WELL

  • AS FROM MY WEBSITE, CRITICALMASSFORBUSINESS.COM.

  • THIS IS A DISCUSSION, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

  • DESIGNED TO BE INTERACTIVE BETWEEN THE PANEL AND ME

  • AND THE PANEL AND YOU, OUR LIVE AUDIENCE.

  • AS I SAID, WE HAVE A MICROPHONE HERE FOR YOUR USE.

  • DON'T BE SHY IF THE SPIRIT MOVES YOU, JUST GET UP AND COME

  • ON DOWN AND WE'LL LET YOU BE A PART OF THE LIVE SHOW AS WELL.

  • LET'S GET STARTED AND I WONDER IF MAYBE WE COULD ASK

  • IF YOU COULD BOTH TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND

  • AND TRY TO TIE IN THE CONCEPT OF CURIOSITY

  • AND HOW IT'S SERVED YOU IN YOUR CAREER.

  • DEAN SOLT, ARE YOU GOING TO GO FIRST?

  • >> SURE. WELL, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

  • THANK YOU, RICK, FOR INVITING US TO BE HERE.

  • WELL, I'VE BEEN DEAN OF THE BUSINESS SCHOOL HERE SINCE 2008

  • AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND,

  • BUT BEFORE THAT I WAS A PROFESSOR

  • OF FINANCE FOR MANY DECADES.

  • FOR 17 YEARS I WAS A PROFESSOR OF FINANCE AT SAN JOSE STATE

  • AND FOR PART OF THAT TIME I WAS AN ASSOCIATE DEAN

  • AND GOING WAY BACK I WAS A LITTLE BABY BUCKEYE NUT

  • IN OHIO GROWING UP AND BY THE TIME I GOT

  • TO COLLEGE I WAS A BIG BUCKEYE NUT OR JUST MADE ME NUTTY

  • FOR THE BUCKEYES, I DON'T KNOW.

  • BUT, THROUGHOUT MY ACADEMIC CAREER, I'VE BEEN A TEACHER

  • AND A RESEARCHER AND I THINK THAT HAS TIED

  • IN WITH CURIOSITY A LOT.

  • THE RESEARCH PART IS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING NEW AND ORIGINAL

  • IN MY FIELD, WHICH IS FINANCE, THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.

  • SO, THAT TAKES A LOT OF CURIOSITY TO THINK ABOUT THAT

  • AND DESIGNING COURSES LIKE NEW VENTURE FINANCE

  • OR INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, MAKING THEM INTERESTING FOR STUDENTS.

  • THAT MADE ME CURIOUS ABOUT THOSE SUBJECTS TOO.

  • SO, CURIOSITY HAS BEEN PART OF MY PATH, I BELIEVE.

  • >> GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE

  • FOR BEING THE FIRST ONE TO SPEAK TONIGHT

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • WILL?

  • >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL RICK, THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW

  • AND THANKS TO DEAN SOLT FOR HOSTING US TODAY.

  • I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE ON CAMPUS,

  • PARTICULARLY DURING HOMECOMING WEEK.

  • IN TERMS OF MY BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I MOVED

  • AROUND EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN I WAS A KID,

  • BUT I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED EXPLORATION.

  • YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE SORT OF FORCED BY CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE

  • TO MAKE ALL NEW FRIENDS AND LEARN NEW TYPES OF FOOD

  • AND EVERYTHING EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS,

  • SOMETIMES IT GETS A LITTLE BIT ADDICTIVE.

  • SO, PERSONALLY, MY LIFE'S GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAKING IT EASIER

  • FOR PEOPLE TO EXPLORE OUTER SPACE.

  • I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO SPACE PERSONALLY,

  • BUT I FOUND OUT WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD THAT I COULD NEVER GO

  • BECAUSE I HAVE THIS TERRIBLE MEDICAL AFFLICTION CALLED

  • NEEDING TO WEAR GLASSES.

  • SO, YES, I WILL ACCEPT YOUR PITY

  • FOR THIS HORRIBLE AND RARE AFFLICTION.

  • RIGHT? TOTALLY DISABLED BY THIS, IT'S AMAZING.

  • BUT, THAT DETERRED ME FOR A LITTLE WHILE,

  • BUT ONCE I REALIZED OUTER SPACE--

  • SPACE EXPLORATION WAS ACTUALLY AN INDUSTRY

  • THAT HAD REAL JOBS I GOT HOOKED INTO IT

  • AND GOT MY ACADEMIC DEGREE IN EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES.

  • I SPENT A COUPLE YEARS STUDYING THE GEOLOGY OF OTHER PLANETS.

  • PEOPLE USED TO PAY ME TO SIT AROUND AND LOOK

  • AT PRETTY PICTURES OF MARS AND THINK DEEP THOUGHTS,

  • WHICH WAS SPECTACULAR BUT ALSO A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING

  • BECAUSE AS A CURIOUS PERSON, I FOUND IT VERY UNSETTLING THAT IN

  • THAT FIELD WHEN YOU STUDY ANOTHER PLANET

  • AND YOU'RE A SCIENTIST AND ALL YOU WANT IS DATA,

  • IN THAT FIELD YOU'RE VERY FORTUNATE

  • IF YOU GET A NEW DATA SET ONCE PER DECADE.

  • AND YOU'RE ALWAYS SORT OF ONE BAD DAY AWAY

  • FROM SKIPPING A DECADE AND THAT WAS NOT THE PACE OF THINGS

  • THAT I WAS WELL ACCUSTOMED TO.

  • SO, I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND THEN

  • THROUGH VARIOUS TWISTS AND TURNS

  • IN MY CAREER REALLY DEDICATE MYSELF

  • TO LETTING THERE BE MORE DATA SETS, ALLOWING MORE PEOPLE

  • FROM MORE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BACKGROUNDS, MORE UNIVERSITIES,

  • MORE PRIVATE COMPANIES, MORE INDIVIDUALS TO ASK NEW QUESTIONS

  • ABOUT SPACE AND THEN GO

  • OUT THERE WHETHER IT'S GOING THEMSELVES OR SENDING SATELLITES

  • AND GO GET ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

  • >> GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE.

  • WILL POMERANTZ.

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • AS WE BEGAN TO PUT THE SHOW CONCEPT TOGETHER,

  • DOING SOME BACKGROUND, IF YOU HAVEN'T GOOGLED THIS GENTLEMEN,

  • I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IT.

  • NOT NOW. NOT ON OUR SMARTPHONES.

  • PUT THOSE DOWN.

  • HOLD ON. BUT, LATER THIS EVENING OR SOMETIME

  • IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE.

  • AND AS I HEARD HIM SPEAK AND READ ABOUT HIM,

  • THE IDEA OF CURIOSITY KIND OF CAME TO US AS TO FOLLOW

  • INTO THE PROFESSION-- HOW MANY OF US GO OUT AND LOOK

  • UP AT THE STARS AT NIGHT ON OCCASION?

  • ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE DO THAT?

  • IS THAT NOT AN AMAZING SIGHT?

  • IS THAT NOT AN AMAZING SIGHT?!

  • THANK YOU.

  • AMEN, BROTHER.

  • LET'S MAKE THIS WORK, ALRIGHT?

  • JUST WONDERING WHAT IS THERE AND--

  • WHICH GOT US THINKING ABOUT, WELL, WHAT IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING

  • AS VAST AND AS POTENTIALLY INTERESTING AS SPACE?

  • WHAT IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE YOUR CAREER OR YOUR JOB?

  • HOW DO YOU BRING THAT SAME SENSE OF WONDER AND IS THAT IMPORTANT

  • TO BRING THAT SENSE OF WONDER INTO YOUR LIFE, INTO YOUR JOB?

  • ARE THERE ADVANTAGES TO THAT?

  • AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS TONIGHT.

  • NOT TO GET TOO HEAVY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FUN,

  • BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION.

  • SO, LET'S START BY ASKING WILL, IF YOU'LL GO FIRST,

  • WHAT'S YOUR DEFINITION OF CURIOSITY?

  • >> WELL, THESE DAYS I HAVE A DIFFERENT ONE.

  • MY WIFE WORKS FOR NASA AT THE JET PROPULSION LAB

  • AND SHE'S A MISSION LEAD FOR A ROBOTIC MISSION EXPLORING MARS

  • THAT IS CALLED CURIOSITY.

  • SO, CURIOSITY, IN ADDITION TO OTHER THINGS,

  • MEANS HALF OF THE INCOME IN OUR FAMILY, WHICH IS PRETTY NICE.

  • [ CHEERING ]

  • BUT, MORE GENERALLY, I WOULD SAY CURIOSITY MEANS JUST CONSTANTLY

  • ASKING QUESTIONS AND ACTUALLY CARING

  • ABOUT THE ANSWER TO THOSE QUESTIONS.

  • YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS

  • BECAUSE IT'S A WAY TO FILL THE TIME

  • AND MAKE CONVERSATIONS LESS AWKWARD AND I GUESS THAT'S FINE,

  • BUT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN WILL GO

  • AND GO BACK TO THEIR COMPUTER

  • AND SPEND 20 HOURS RESEARCHING THE DAMN THING JUST

  • BECAUSE THEY GOT THE BUG IN THEIR BRAIN THAT HEY,

  • THERE'S SOMETHING INTERESTING OUT THERE

  • AND I WANT TO GO FIGURE IT OUT.

  • >> DEAN SOLT?

  • >> WELL, I THINK CURIOSITY IS WANTING KNOWLEDGE,

  • NEEDING EXPLANATION, SEEKING ANSWERS.

  • I THINK IT'S THE INBRED-- INBORN INTEGRAL PART OF HUMAN NATURE

  • THAT SORT OF BRINGS TOGETHER OUR PSYCHE

  • AND THE REAL WORLD AROUND US.

  • TO ME, IT'S THE LINK BETWEEN OUR MENTAL STATES

  • AND THE REAL WORLD.

  • SO, A LOT OF WAYS, SEEMS TO ME

  • THAT CURIOSITY IS AN ACTION WORD.

  • LITTLE QUOTE FROM WALT DISNEY.

  • HE SAID, "WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD, OPENING NEW DOORS

  • AND DOING NEW THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE CURIOUS

  • AND CURIOSITY KEEPS LEADING US DOWN THE ROAD."

  • SO, I THINK IT TRULY IS AN ACTION WORD.

  • >> THANK YOU.

  • ALRIGHT. I WOULD LIKE YOU

  • TO GIVE THEM BOTH A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AGAIN.

  • I'M SORRY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO JUST KEEP YOU MOVING.

  • I KNOW IT'S SIX O'CLOCK, SIX SOMETHING HERE IN THE EVENING.

  • HOPEFULLY YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF FOOD

  • IF YOU'RE IN THE LIVE AUDIENCE.

  • IF YOU'RE LISTENING TO US ON THE STREAM, YOU COULD BE WALKING

  • AROUND YOUR HOUSE DOING WHATEVER IS THE RIGHT THINK

  • FOR YOU TO DO RIGHT NOW.

  • MAYBE EVEN HAVING A DRINK.

  • BUT THAT'S FINE WITH US; WE DON'T MIND AS LONG

  • AS YOU'RE LISTENING AND PARTICIPATING.

  • WHAT DO YOU GENTLEMEN THINK--

  • OR HOW DO YOU THINK CURIOSITY IS IMPORTANT IN A CAREER?

  • HOW DO YOU THINK IT SHOWS UP IN SOMEONE'S CAREER?

  • DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ABOUT SPACE.

  • MAYBE SOME OF YOU ARE GOING TO PROCEED IN THAT VEIN

  • AND THAT INDUSTRY, BUT, OVERALL,

  • HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION?

  • >> I-- IT COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE MORE IMPORTANT.

  • IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY LOOKING

  • FOR FROM THE MOMENT YOU FIRST APPLY FOR A JOB

  • AT OUR COMPANY AND, BY THE WAY, WE'RE HIRING, SO I HOPE MANY

  • OF YOU WILL APPLY FOR A JOB AT OUR COMPANY.

  • BUT, EVEN ONCE YOU MAKE IT IN THROUGH THE DOORS, IT IS A THING

  • THAT WE REQUIRE OF YOU EVERY DAY AND NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS ALSO.

  • YOU KNOW, THE CURIOUS EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONES

  • WHO DON'T ONLY DO WHAT THEIR MANAGER DIRECTS THEM TO DO.

  • AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS

  • THAT NO MATTER HOW AMAZINGLY VIRTUOSIC YOUR CEO IS

  • AND NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOUR MIDDLE LINE MANAGERS ARE,

  • YOUR MANAGER WILL NEVER TELL YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO DO.

  • IF HE OR SHE DOES, THEN THERE'S PROBABLY--

  • YOU HAVEN'T FOUND THE RIGHT COMPANY JUST YET.

  • I WORK AT A COMPANY WHERE WE'RE ENCOURAGED--

  • OF COURSE WE HAVE TO DO OUR WORK, BUT WE'RE ENCOURAGED

  • TO ASK OTHER QUESTIONS TO FIND NEW WAYS OF DOING THINGS

  • TO MAYBE EVEN SUGGEST ENTIRELY NEW THINGS

  • THAT PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE DOING.

  • IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT, WE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN

  • AS A COMPANY.

  • I MEAN FOR GOODNESS SAKES WE'RE A COMPANY THAT'S TRYING

  • TO BE THE WORLD'S FIRST COMMERCIAL SPACE LINE.

  • WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT SO THAT ANYONE ON THE PLANET CAN GO

  • TO SPACE SO THAT EVERYONE ON THE PLANET CAN BUILD A SATELLITE

  • OR SOME KIND OF RESEARCH EXPERIMENT, SEND THAT TO SPACE.

  • YOU DON'T EVEN START A BUSINESS THAT ON THE SURFACE

  • OF IT SOUNDS KIND OF CRAZY UNLESS YOU'RE CURIOUS

  • ABOUT WELL, WHAT THE HECK WOULD HAPPEN IF WE JUST--

  • IF WE JUST ANNOUNCE THIS THING,

  • WOULD ANYONE BE INTERESTED IN BUYING IT?

  • SO, YEAH. AND, AGAIN, THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT LIMITED

  • TO AEROSPACE.

  • ALL YOU SAY THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF HIRING BECAUSE I'M HERE

  • AT A UNIVERSITY AND I SUSPECT MAYBE SOME OF YOU ARE LOOKING

  • FOR INTERNSHIPS OR JOBS.

  • YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU-- WE COME IN,

  • WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT--

  • NOT JUST ABOUT YOUR GRADES OR WHAT YOU'VE DONE

  • AT MAYBE PAST SUMMER INTERNSHIPS OR FOR A PROFESSOR

  • THAT YOU WORK FOR, I'M GOING

  • TO ASK WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME.

  • I'M GOING TO ASK WHAT YOUR HOBBIES ARE

  • AND WHAT I WANT THE ANSWER TO BE IS WELL I WAS LOOKING

  • FOR THIS CLUB AND CAL STATE LONG BEACH DIDN'T HAVE THE CLUB

  • SO I STARTED THIS CLUB AND THEN WE BUILT THIS PROJECT--

  • AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A ROCKET.

  • IF IT'S A ROCKET THAT'S GREAT

  • AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME COOL ROCKETRY PROJECTS HERE,

  • BUT IF IT'S A DRONE, IF IT'S A MODEL CAR,

  • IF IT'S AN ELECTRIC REFRIGERATOR,

  • IF IT'S AN APP, IF IT'S A PODCAST.

  • I WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU WERE CURIOUS ABOUT SOMETHING

  • AND YOU TOOK SOME INITIATIVE AND YOU TOOK SOME STEPS

  • AND YOU STUMBLED PERHAPS ALONG THE WAY BUT YOU WERE CURIOUS

  • ABOUT WHY YOU STUMBLED AND YOU WENT OFF AND FIXED IT.

  • >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  • DEAN SOLT?

  • >> WELL, I DO THINK SOMEONE OR ANYONE WOULD HAVE A CAREER

  • WITHOUT BEING CURIOUS.

  • I DO THINK THE TYPE OF CAREER OR MAYBE THE ARC

  • OF THE CAREER REALLY DEPENDS UPON CURIOSITY.

  • SO, I THINK CURIOSITY CAN BE A GREAT BOOST TO A CAREER.

  • TO ME, BUSINESS SORT OF GOES BETWEEN TWO ANCHORS, YOU KNOW,

  • STANDARDIZATION AND UNIQUENESS.

  • RATIONAL PROCESSES AND EXTRA RATIONAL PROCESSES.

  • REALLY CONSISTENT BUSINESS PROCESSES

  • OR DISRUPTIVE PROCESSES.

  • AND I THINK-- WELL, THINK

  • ABOUT THE 200 YEARS AGO WE HAD THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

  • THAT BROUGHT US FACTORIES, ASSEMBLY LINES,

  • CHEAPER PRODUCTS, BUT IT TURNED PEOPLE INTO THINGS LIKE COGS

  • IN A MACHINERY

  • OF A MANUFACTURING PROCESS OR A BUREAUCRACY.

  • NOW, SOMEONE HAD TO HAVE THE IDEA FOR AND THE CURIOSITY

  • TO COME UP WITH A COTTON GIN, THE STEAM ENGINE,

  • OR THE RAILROAD TRAIN THAT--

  • THE LOCOMOTIVE, BUT BUSINESS TURNED THEM INTO CONSISTENT,

  • RATIONAL STANDARD PROCESSES.

  • SO, I THINK THERE IS THIS DIFFICULTY OF TRYING

  • TO BE UNIQUE, YET BUILD SOMETHING THAT IS MAYBE SCALABLE

  • AND TO ME THAT'S A BIG WORD TODAY, SCALABLE.

  • THAT IS, TURNS THINGS INTO STANDARDIZED

  • AND CONSISTENT PROCESSES.

  • SO, THERE IS THIS TENDENCY FOR BUSINESS TO DRIVE OUT CURIOSITY.

  • I DO THINK THAT IN TODAY'S WORLD, FOR ALL OF YOU OUT THERE

  • WHO WILL BE WORKING AT VIRGIN GALACTIC OR INTERNING

  • AT VIRGIN GALACTIC, I THINK IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO THINK

  • THAT YOU CAN BE A COG IN A WHEEL.

  • YOU HAVE TO BE SOMETHING MORE.

  • I WAS AT A CONFERENCE A COUPLE YEARS AGO

  • AND I HEARD THOMAS FRIEDMAN SPEAK IN, YOU KNOW,

  • THE EARTH IS-- THE WORLD IS FLAT.

  • THOMAS FREIDMAN.

  • AND HE TALKED ABOUT HOW IN EARLIER TIMES, SORT OF LIKE

  • FOR MAYBE US BABY BOOMERS, IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH

  • TO MEET EXPECTATIONS, YOU KNOW, MEET THE JOB EXPECTATIONS

  • OR THE MANUFACTURING EXPECTATION

  • OR THE COMPANY EXPECTATION OVERALL.

  • IN OTHER WORDS, YOU COULD BE SUCCESSFUL AT SORT

  • OF BEING AVERAGE, BUT HE SAYS TODAY THAT'S NOT THE CASE

  • AND WHAT I HEARD WILL SAY IS THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT WHAT

  • VIRGIN GALACTIC WANTS.

  • THEY WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSTANTLY QUESTIONING

  • AND THINKING ALL THE TIME.

  • AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT THOMAS FRIEDMAN TOLD THE AUDIENCE.

  • HE SAID THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO TRY TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE--

  • OR NOT AVERAGE IS MAYBE A DIFFERENT WAY OF SAYING IT.

  • AND I THINK THAT CURIOSITY CAN BE A PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE

  • THAT CAN HELP AND INDIVIDUAL BECOME MORE THAN AVERAGE.

  • >> YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE CRITICAL MASS RADIO SHOW.

  • THIS IS OUR COLLEGE SPEAKER SERIES.

  • WE'RE AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY IN LONG BEACH

  • AND WE'RE AT A LIVE AUDIENCE ON A SCHOOL NIGHT.

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • BUT, IT'S THURSDAY AND IF I'VE HEARD CORRECTLY,

  • THURSDAY NIGHT IS NOW THE START OF THE WEEKEND FOR THE COLLEGE.

  • IS THAT TRUE?

  • IS THAT-- AND WE CAN START PARTYING TONIGHT?

  • IS THE HOMECOMING RALLY--

  • PEP RALLY GOING ON LATER AFTER THIS EVENT?

  • SO, WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU FROM THAT FUN.

  • ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE HAVE CHILDREN?

  • ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE BEEN A CHILD?

  • OK. GREAT.

  • I THINK BACK TO ONE OF THE MOST COMMON WORDS THAT CHILDREN USE

  • WHEN THEY'RE STARTING TO DISCOVER THE WORLD WHICH IS WHY.

  • WHY? RIGHT?

  • HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO--

  • HOW CURIOUS ARE WE IN OUR EARLY FORMS

  • OF WHAT WE ARE AND WHAT WE BECOME?

  • WELL, I'M STRUCK THAT IN YOUR INDUSTRY YOU TALKED ABOUT IT

  • AND A LOT OF CURIOUS PEOPLE GO INTO THAT CRAVING SOMETHING--

  • LEARNING SOMETHING THAT ISN'T KNOWN YET.

  • DO YOU SEE ANY COMMON TRAITS THAT ARE INHERENT IN THE PEOPLE

  • THAT POPULATE YOUR INDUSTRY IN PARTICULAR?

  • >> SURE. DEFINITELY.

  • YOU KNOW, I FEEL INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO WORK IN AN INDUSTRY

  • THAT ALMOST EVERYONE IN THE WORLD LIKES.

  • YOU KNOW, I GO AROUND THE WORLD, I GIVE A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS.

  • I GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES

  • AND ALMOST NO ONE'S BORED BY SPACE EXPLORATION.

  • YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT CAREER IF I WAS HAVING

  • TO GO GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT MAYBE SOME OTHER PRODUCTS

  • THAT ARE ON THE MARKET, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YEAH,

  • YOU COULD GO TO SPACE, IT'S PRETTY EASY

  • TO GET PEOPLE FIRED UP ABOUT IT.

  • AND OBVIOUSLY THAT EXTENDS TO THE EMPLOYEES.

  • EVERYONE IN OUR BUILDING WHETHER THEY'RE WORKING RECEPTION

  • OR THEY'RE THE ROCKET SCIENTIST TWEAKING THE ENGINES ARE PRETTY

  • PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR JOBS.

  • AND THAT SHOWS.

  • WHEN YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOB, YOU'RE NOT JUST THERE

  • TO STAMP A TIME CARD AND TO WATCH THE CLOCK SPIN

  • AROUND FOR EIGHT HOURS OR NINE HOURS.

  • THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE READING THE EXTRA BOOKS

  • IN THEIR SPARE TIME.

  • THEY'RE FOLLOWING ALONG WITH EVERY MISSION THAT'S GOING

  • ON AT ANY OTHER COMPANY BECAUSE WE--

  • I THINK WE'RE A PRETTY UNIQUE COMPANY IN WHAT WE'RE DOING,

  • BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT THE ONLY COMPANY IN THE BUSINESS.

  • THERE'S NASA, SPACEX, THERE'S, YOU KNOW,

  • COUNTRY-- OTHER COUNTRIES.

  • THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE FULLY UP TO SPEED

  • ON ALL THOSE MISSIONS AND THEY'RE SORT OF LOOKING AT EACH

  • OF THEM AND SAYING OH, HOW DO WE TOP THAT.

  • HOW DO WE MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT MORE APPLICABLE

  • TO OUR CUSTOMERS OR EVEN BETTER OR HOW DO WE BRING THAT PROCESS

  • INTO THE BUILDING AND ALLOW IT TO MAKE THIS A MORE FUN PLACE

  • TO WORK, A SAFER PLACE TO WORK, A HEALTHIER PLACE TO WORK?

  • WHATEVER IT IS.

  • SO, IT'S THAT COMBINATION OF PASSION AND CURIOSITY

  • WHICH I THINK ARE PRETTY FUNDAMENTALLY LINKED.

  • IT'S HARD NOT TO BE CURIOUS

  • ABOUT SOMETHING YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT.

  • YOU KNOW? IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME WHETHER IT'S A CAREER

  • OR A BAND OR A SPORTS TEAM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE A FANATIC

  • ABOUT A BAND, YOU'VE READ THE WIKIPEDIA PAGE,

  • YOU'VE WATCHED THE DOCUMENTARY, YOU OWN EVERY ALBUM,

  • YOU'VE DOWNLOADED THE BOOTLEGS, LIKE YOU ARE CURIOUS.

  • YOU WANT ALL OF THE DATA.

  • YOU'VE-- YOU'RE DOING PRETTY WELL IN LIFE

  • IF YOU CAN FIND A JOB THAT YOU FEEL LIKE THAT ABOUT WHERE,

  • AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT IN A RACE TO GET HOME.

  • IT'S KIND OF THE OPPOSITE.

  • WHEN YOU GET HOME, YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.

  • >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  • WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN WE'RE GOING

  • TO TAKE OUR FIRST COMMERCIAL BREAK HERE

  • ON CRITICAL MASS RADIO SHOW ON OUR COLLEGE SPEAKER SERIES

  • AND IT'S FOR YOU, DEAN.

  • ARE YOU OBSERVING ANY CHANGES IN HOW STUDENTS

  • AT THE SCHOOL SATISFY THEIR CURIOSITY?

  • >> WELL, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENCE

  • BETWEEN STUDENTS TODAY AND STUDENTS OF EARLIER TIMES.

  • I'M NOT SURE THAT CURIOSITY IS

  • THAT DIFFERENCE, TO TELL THE TRUTH.

  • AS I SEE STUDENTS TODAY THEY'RE EXTREMELY BUSY

  • IN VERY, VERY, VERY MANY WAYS.

  • THEY'RE PLUGGED IN TO A LOT OF THINGS,

  • SAY IT'S EDUCATION THINGS, WORK THINGS, SOCIAL THINGS,

  • AND IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT MORE PLUGGED IN TO THINGS

  • THAN I WAS AS AN UNDERGRADUATE.

  • BUT, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE REALLY MORE CURIOUS.

  • I THINK THERE'S HIGHER EXPECTATIONS

  • IN SOME WAYS FOR STUDENTS TODAY.

  • I THINK THE BAR FOR GETTING INTO COLLEGE MIGHT BE HIGHER.

  • I'VE RUN INTO A LOT OF PARENTS AND FRIENDS WHO SAY, GEE,

  • I HAVE A GREAT CAREER LIFE AND FAMILY, BUT I DON'T KNOW

  • IF I COULD GET INTO XYZ UNIVERSITY TODAY.

  • BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS

  • THAT ARE THE SAME FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT TIME.

  • I THINK STUDENTS TODAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL NEED

  • TO BE DEDICATED AND DILIGENT.

  • COMMITTED TO THEIR WORK.

  • WORK HARD, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, AND BE ACCOUNTABLE.

  • I THINK THOSE THINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED THROUGHOUT TIME.

  • I DO THINK THAT SOME STUDENTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS.

  • JUST LIKE TODAY, THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE CURIOUS--

  • IF I HAVE A COUPLE SECONDS-- SO THE CURIOSITY DOESN'T SEEM

  • TO BE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE I THINK STUDENTS,

  • LIKE ALWAYS, ARE WAY TOO BUSY.

  • THEY'RE BUSY WORRYING ABOUT THEIR NEXT EXAM,

  • THEIR NEXT PROJECT, THEIR NEXT SET OF READINGS.

  • AND MAYBE THEY'RE BUILDING THAT BASE OF KNOWLEDGE FROM WHICH

  • TO BE CURIOUS AND THEY'RE ALSO MATURING AS PEOPLE,

  • SO IT'S NOT A KNOCK ON TODAY'S STUDENTS.

  • I CAN SAY ONE THING I WOULD

  • LIKE FOR TODAY'S STUDENTS IS MAYBE TRY AND WORK INTO DEPTH--

  • MORE DEPTH IN CERTAIN SUBJECTS AND GET IMMERSED IN THINGS

  • AND DIG DEEPER AND I THINK CURIOSITY WOULD COME

  • AS A WAY OF THAT.

  • SO, IF I COULD SEE STUDENTS BECOME DEEPER

  • IN SOME AREAS INSTEAD OF HAVING A WIKIPEDIA-LIKE KNOWLEDGE

  • OF EVERYTHING, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE.

  • >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  • ALRIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR FIRST COMMERCIAL BREAK.

  • WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'RE GOING

  • TO START THE CONVERSATION WITH THIS THOUGHT.

  • HOW IS TECHNOLOGY, IN YOUR OBSERVATION--

  • WILL, IN YOUR INDUSTRY AND, DEAN SOLT,

  • IN YOUR PROFESSION-- AFFECTING CURIOSITY?

  • IS IT ENABLING OR IS IT HAVING AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON IT.

  • WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THAT AND THEN WE'RE GOING

  • TO OPEN THE FLOOR UP TO SOME OF YOU HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.

  • ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION?

  • RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE A QUESTION.

  • SHOW ME YOUR HANDS.

  • COME ON! A COUPLE MORE.

  • OK. GOOD, WE'VE GOT A FEW BRAVE SOULS TO START.

  • ALWAYS TAKES A FEW BRAVE SOULS, DOESN'T IT?

  • ALRIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR FIRST BREAK HERE ON COMMERCIAL--

  • ON CRITICAL MASS RADIO SHOW.

  • WELCOME BACK TO THIS EDITION OF CRITICAL MASS RADIO SHOW.

  • WE'RE LIVE FROM CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH!

  • WE GOT A PACKED HOUSE TONIGHT AND IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT.

  • AND THEY'RE OUT TO LEARN ABOUT CURIOSITY AND WE'RE--

  • AS I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO THE FLOOR

  • IN JUST ONE MINUTE, BUT BEFORE WE GET THERE,

  • BEFORE THE BREAK I MENTIONED THAT WE WERE GOING TO TALK

  • ABOUT CURIOSITY AND HOW TECHNOLOGY IS IMPACTING IT BOTH

  • POSITIVELY AND MAYBE IN A NOT SO POSITIVE WAY.

  • SO, WILL, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE STARTING--

  • >> SURE.

  • >> WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THAT?

  • >> YEAH. I THINK IT'S HELPED MASSIVELY.

  • I SUPPOSE THERE ARE SOME DOWNSIDES.

  • IT'S EASIER TO GET DISTRACTED AND SORT OF SAY OH, SHINY THING

  • AND NEVER POUR YOURSELF TOO DEEPLY INTO ONE SUBJECT,

  • BUT I WOULD SAY ON BALANCE TECHNOLOGY HAS MASSIVELY HELPED

  • US AS-- ALL OF US, I IMAGINE, IN EVERY CAREER AS WE--

  • AS YOU ENABLE PEOPLE'S CURIOSITY.

  • YOU KNOW, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS,

  • IF ANY OF YOU HAVE A SMARTPHONE--

  • OF COURSE ALL OF YOU HAVE SMARTPHONES,

  • I'M ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS.

  • YOU ALL HAVE FIVE OR SIX SMARTPHONES, PRESUMABLY.

  • YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO MORE INFORMATION

  • THAN PRESIDENT CLINTON HAD ACCESS

  • TO THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE PRESIDENCY.

  • RIGHT? AND IT COSTS YOU LIKE $50 A MONTH OR SOMETHING.

  • IT'S A PRETTY SPECTACULAR THING.

  • IT MEANS THAT WHATEVER YOU GET INTERESTED

  • IN YOU CAN REALLY DELVE INTO.

  • YOU CAN SUPPLEMENT YOUR COURSEWORK HERE

  • BY WATCHING KHAN ACADEMY VIDEOS OR EDX OR COURSERA.

  • YOU CAN CONNECT WITH AN EXPERT.

  • YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTEN REALLY CURIOUS

  • ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF VENTURE CAPITAL

  • IN CHINA AND SAY OH MY GOD, I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO STUDIES THAT

  • AND IT'S EASY FOR ME TO EMAIL HIM OR JUST CONTACT HIM

  • ON TWITTER OR SOMETHING.

  • WE CAN CONNECT ABOUT THAT.

  • AND IT'S EASY EVEN TO SORT OF FIND OTHER PEOPLE

  • WITH LIKE-MINDED INTERESTS WHICH ALWAYS ALLOWS YOU TO SORT

  • OF TAKE THE POWER OF ONE PERSON AND TURN IT

  • INTO A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

  • YOU KNOW, NOWADAYS WHENEVER I GIVE TALKS

  • ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION, I ALWAYS LIKE TO END

  • WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A CALL TO ACTION AND I

  • LIKE TO REFERENCE THIS WEBSITE I DISCOVERED.

  • A FRIEND OF MINE LAUNCHED IT.

  • I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT,

  • I DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY OFF IT OR ANYTHING,

  • I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY COOL.

  • THERE'S THIS WEBSITE CALLED SPACEHACK.ORG

  • AND ALL IT IS IS A LIST OF-- IT'S A ROLLING LIST,

  • BUT IT'S TYPICALLY ABOUT 30 DIFFERENT PROJECTS WHERE ANYONE

  • IN THE WORLD CAN ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO SPACE EXPLORATION

  • AND IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A PHD.

  • YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE 20/20 VISION.

  • YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE 10,000 HOURS

  • IN THE COCKPIT OF A FIGHTER JET.

  • YOU NEED A COMPUTER AND AN INTERNET CONNECTION

  • OR MAYBE A SMARTPHONE AND INTERNET CONNECTION

  • AND YOU CAN BE APPLYING WHATEVER YOUR PARTICULAR SKILLS ARE

  • TO SPACE EXPLORATION.

  • YOU COULD BE HELPING, YOU KNOW, CLASSIFY OLD IMAGES

  • FROM TELESCOPES TO SAY HEY THIS THING LOOKS

  • LIKE IT MIGHT BE A GALAXY

  • AND MAYBE A PROFESSIONAL ASTRONOMER CAN LOOK AT IT.

  • YOU CAN HELP WRITE BUSINESS PLANS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING

  • TO COME UP WITH NEW SPACE BUSINESSES.

  • YOU CAN WRITE SOFTWARE.

  • YOU CAN GO THROUGH OLD HISTORICAL ARCHIVES

  • OF NASA'S EARLIEST DAYS OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT

  • AND YOU CAN TRANSCRIBE THINGS

  • OR TRANSLATE THEM INTO OTHER LANGUAGES.

  • I MEAN THERE'S 100 DIFFERENT WAYS.

  • I IMAGINE IF YOU HAD BEEN INTERESTED

  • IN THOSE THINGS 50 YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD HAVE HAD

  • TO TAKE A PLANE DOWN TO TEXAS AND TRY AND GET ACCESS

  • TO THE LIBRARY AT THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

  • AND THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU A MONTH TO DO THAT AND THEN MAYBE

  • THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU ANOTHER THING

  • AND YOU COULD HAVE MAYBE CONNECTED THOSE DOTS,

  • BUT IN YOUR LIFETIME YOU COULD HAVE ASSEMBLED

  • LIKE THREE DOTS IN A ROW.

  • YOU CAN DO ALL THAT IN THE COURSE

  • OF LIKE A TWO-HOUR BINGE SESSION SITTING ON YOUR COUCH INSTEAD

  • OF WATCHING THE NEXT EPISODE OF HOUSE OF CARDS OR SOMETHING.

  • YOU CAN GET AN AMAZING AMOUNT DONE,

  • SO I THINK TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE ME MORE CURIOUS,

  • BUT IT HAS ALSO ENABLED ME TO SORT OF SATISFY SOME

  • OF THOSE CURIOSITY WHICH JUST ALWAYS LEADS

  • TO THE NEXT QUESTION.

  • >> IF I COULD HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION WITH YOU, WILL,

  • BEFORE WE ASK YOU, DEAN, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

  • ONE OF THE VIDEOS THAT I SAW, ONE OF THE TALKS THAT YOU GAVE,

  • YOU ENDED WITH SUGGESTING THAT TECHNOLOGY HAS LOWERED THE RISK

  • OF EXPLORATION OF SPACE.

  • THAT-- I THINK YOU SAID IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG,

  • YOU'RE NOT IN FRONT OF THE SENATE OR A SUB-COMMITTEE,

  • YOU'RE TALKING TO YOUR INVESTORS

  • ABOUT WHY THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN DIDN'T GO OFF.

  • >> YEAH.

  • >> BUT, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE

  • THAT EVEN-- MADE SPACE EXPLORATION EVEN MORE POSSIBLE?

  • >> YEAH. THERE ARE MANY FIELDS AND SPACE EXPLORATION IS ONE

  • OF THEM WHERE IT CAN BE HARD IN SOME WAYS

  • TO INDULGE CURIOSITY JUST BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TIME

  • AND MONEY INVOLVED IN TRYING SOMETHING.

  • RIGHT? IT'S DIFFICULT TO DIP YOUR TOES INTO THE WORLD

  • OF SUPER CONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT

  • BECAUSE YOU NEED A COUPLE BILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD ONE.

  • AND SPACE CERTAINLY USED TO BE ONE OF THOSE FIELDS, RIGHT?

  • FOR EXAMPLE, JUST TO GROUND YOU ALL WITH SOME FINANCIAL NUMBERS.

  • EVERY SINGLE FLIGHT OF NASA SPACE SHUTTLE--

  • NOT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VEHICLE,

  • EVERY SINGLE FLIGHT COSTS ABOUT $1.3 BILLION.

  • DEPENDS A LITTLE BIT ON HOW YOU CALCULATE THE NUMBERS,

  • BUT IT'S IN THAT BILLION PLUS RANGE.

  • SO, IT'S HARD TO SAY, HMM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT SPACE.

  • LET'S-- CAN WE JUST-- LET'S DO A SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION.

  • THAT'S STARTING TO CHANGE NOW.

  • YOU'RE GETTING TO THE POINT

  • WHERE YOU CAN DO REAL EXPERIMENTS

  • AND YOU CAN SPEND, YOU KNOW, $10,000.

  • AND MAYBE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'D DO IN A MOMENT

  • OF IDLE CURIOSITY AS AN INDIVIDUAL,

  • BUT MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING YOU DO IN A MOMENT OF IDLE CURIOSITY

  • AS A MEMBER OF THE FACULTY HERE AT A UNIVERSITY.

  • YOU KNOW? YOU CAN WRITE A GRANT AND GET $10,000

  • AND BUILD A CUBESAT AND FLY IT INTO SPACE AND LEARN SOMETHING

  • THAT NO ONE'S EVER KNOWN BEFORE.

  • IT ALSO MEANS THAT YOU CAN-- WHEN IT GETS THAT MUCH EASIER,

  • YOU KIND OF ASK DUMBER QUESTIONS BECAUSE THE CONSEQUENCES

  • OF FAILURE ARE DIFFERENT

  • AND OF COURSE IT'S REALLY HARD MANY TIMES TO TELL IN ADVANCE

  • WHICH QUESTIONS ARE DUMB AND WHICH QUESTIONS ARE SMART.

  • THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS THAT SEEMED DUMB AT THE TIME

  • AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TOTALLY REVOLUTIONIZE OUR WORLD.

  • LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHY DOES IT LOOK

  • LIKE THIS MOLD KILLED ALL THESE BACTERIA?

  • OH, THAT'S PENICILLIN.

  • THAT'S GOING TO SAVE A BILLION PEOPLE.

  • IT PROBABLY SEEMED LIKE A DUMB QUESTION AT FIRST,

  • WHY IS THIS GUY ASKING ABOUT MOLDS ALL THE TIME.

  • WHEN IT DOESN'T COST YOU A BILLION DOLLARS

  • AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLEAD FOR THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT

  • AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO AGREE ON SOMETHING FOR ONCE,

  • BUT YOU CAN JUST GO AND DO A KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

  • OR YOU CAN GET ONE MEMBER OF FACULTY TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT

  • OF SPARE MONEY OR YOU CAN GO AND ASK YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

  • TO LET YOU BORROW THEIR COMPUTERS

  • TO ASSEMBLE THEM TOGETHER OR FIND A MAKERSPACE

  • OR WHATEVER ELSE IT IS, IT JUST ALLOWS PEOPLE

  • TO TRY THOSE CRAZY IDEAS THAT TURN OUT TO BE BRILLIANT.

  • >> THANK YOU.

  • DEAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT

  • OF TECHNOLOGY ON CURIOSITY?

  • >> WELL, WE'RE-- I'D BE HAPPY TO.

  • IT'S-- WE'RE IN A REAL EXCITING TIME

  • IN THE UNIVERSITIES RIGHT NOW.

  • I THINK WE TEND TO HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL MODEL

  • THAT PROBABLY HASN'T CHANGED MUCH FOR 800 YEARS.

  • SOMEONE STANDS UP ON THE STAGE AND PROFESSES THINGS TO STUDENTS

  • AND STUDENTS DULY LISTEN AS LONG AS THEY CAN STAY AWAKE

  • AND THEN GO HOME AND SUPPOSEDLY REFLECT

  • ON IT AND THEN COME BACK.

  • THAT MODEL IS-- IT'S DONE A LOT FOR OUR--

  • IT DID PUT A MAN ON THE MOON AND THINGS LIKE THAT,

  • BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT A MUCH MORE EXCITING TIME AND IT'S

  • BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY.

  • WE'RE ACTUALLY FLIPPING THINGS AROUND AND OUR PROVOST LOVES

  • TO CALL IT THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM.

  • INSTEAD OF THE CLASSROOM BEING THE TIME FOR LECTURE

  • AND THE NON-CLASSROOM TIME BEING THE TIME FOR DOING HOMEWORK,

  • THAT'S BEING FLIPPED THROUGH VIDEOS, OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES.

  • STUDENTS BEFORE THEY COME TO CLASS CAN DO A LOT

  • OF PREPARATION AND THEN THAT VALUABLE TIME

  • IN THE CLASSROOM IS ONE

  • WHERE QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED WHETHER THEY'RE GOOD QUESTIONS,

  • NOT GOOD QUESTIONS, SMART QUESTIONS, DUMB QUESTIONS.

  • IT ALLOWS A WHOLE LOT MORE INTERACTION.

  • NOW, TO ME, LIKE I SAID, CURIOSITY'S AN ACTION WORD,

  • SO BY PROVIDING THIS DIFFERENT TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL MODEL,

  • YOU CAN ACTUALLY OPEN UP THE MINDS OF STUDENTS TO LEARN MORE

  • ABOUT THE SUBJECT AND REALLY GET A DEEPER

  • AND BETTER KNOWLEDGE THAT WAY.

  • >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  • OK TIME FOR APPLAUSE FOR BOTH OF THE PANELISTS.

  • YOU'RE LISTENING TO CRITICAL MASS RADIO SHOW.

  • THIS IS OUR COLLEGE SPEAKER SERIES.

  • WE'RE AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH

  • AND WE'VE ASKED FOR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE

  • WHO MIGHT HAVE A QUESTION FOR ONE OF THE PANELISTS TO LINE UP

  • AND A FEW OF THEM HAVE, SO WOULD YOU COME TO THE MIC,

  • TELL US YOUR NAME AND ASK YOUR QUESTION.

  • GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BEING BRAVE.

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • >> HELLO. MY NAME IS MIGUEL QUINTERO.

  • I'M A BUSINESS STUDENT HERE.

  • MY QUESTION IS IN THIS WORLD

  • WHERE WE HAVE MANY THINGS STANDARDIZED, SUCH AS TESTING,

  • HOW DO YOU THINK-- BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

  • OR YOUR LIFE, HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT

  • WHERE WE CAN FERMENT OR WE CAN NOURISH THE CURIOSITY

  • IN STUDENTS?

  • >> YEAH, THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW WE--

  • IN YOUR CLASS, YOU'RE WITH 20, 30, 40 OR EVEN MORE STUDENTS

  • AT ONE TIME, SO HOW DO WE PROVIDE A CONSISTENT LEVEL

  • OF EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE?

  • I THINK TECHNOLOGY IS ACTUALLY PROVIDING SOME NEW SOLUTIONS

  • THERE, TOO.

  • I THINK THERE ARE DIFFERENT SORT OF TESTING OPTIONS

  • THAT CAN GENERATE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS FOR EACH STUDENT

  • AND THAT STUDENT CAN THEN TAKE THOSE EXAMS

  • OR QUIZZES BY THEMSELVES.

  • SO, I THINK BY USING MORE TECHNOLOGY WE'LL BE ABLE

  • TO ALLOW INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES TO COME THROUGH MORE.

  • >> I'M HAVE-- ADD A LITTLE BIT.

  • I WAS REALLY FASCINATED BY WHAT DEAN SOLT WAS TALKING

  • ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM

  • WHICH I THINK IS THIS TOTALLY INTRIGUING TREND.

  • NOT ENOUGH TIME PERHAPS HAS PASSED FOR US

  • TO MEASURE THE RESULTS, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING

  • TO BE PHENOMENAL AND I THINK THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO HELP

  • WITH EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM.

  • YOU KNOW, IN ANY INDUSTRY, YOU NEED SOME STANDARDS.

  • EVERYONE NEEDS A COMMON VOCABULARY TO KNOW HOW

  • TO TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS.

  • SO, IF YOU'RE ALL WATCHING THE SAME VIDEO OR YOU'RE OPERATING

  • FROM THE SAME BOOK, THAT ALLOWS YOU TO QUICKLY PICK

  • UP THE THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED THAT ARE STANDARD

  • AND THEN YOU CAN SPEND YOUR TIME WITH THE FACULTY MEMBER

  • OR THE GRADUATE STUDENT OR YOUR FELLOW UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

  • AND EXPLORE AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND START TO GET

  • INTO THE WEIRD AND FUNKY AND SILLY THINGS

  • WHERE THE NON-STANDARD BUT IMPORTANT STUFF HAPPENS.

  • SO, I'M-- I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO TURN OUT,

  • BUT I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.

  • >> I THINK WE'RE ON A GOOD TREND.

  • I THINK IT'S HERE TO STAY.

  • >> I AGREE.

  • >> THANK YOU.

  • >> NO, THANK YOU.

  • WOULD ANOTHER QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE PLEASE COME ON DOWN?

  • TELL US YOUR NAME AND ASK THE QUESTION.

  • GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

  • YES! YES! YES!

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • >> THANK YOU.

  • MY NAME IS RILEY DUNN.

  • I'M AN AEROSPACE ENGINEERING STUDENT HERE.

  • I JUST HAD A QUESTION.

  • WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

  • AND CURIOSITY TONIGHT, SO I KNOW VIRGIN GALACTIC FOCUSES ITS

  • AMBITIONS RIGHT NOW ON GETTING PEOPLE INTO LOW EARTH ORBIT

  • FOR SPACE TOURISM, COMMERCIAL SPACE FLIGHT.

  • I'M WONDERING WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE OPENED

  • UP IF VIRGIN GALACTIC HAS SET ITS SIGHTS

  • ON ANYTHING BEYOND JUST LOW ORBIT COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT.

  • ANY THINGS PERTAINING TO SPACE EXPLORATION

  • OR SCIENTIFIC VENTURES?

  • >> SOLID QUESTION.

  • WE'RE DEFINITELY THINKING ABOUT IT.

  • YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY BUSY ON OUR FIRST TWO PROJECTS

  • ON OUR HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT PROGRAM WITH SPACESHIPTWO

  • AND OUR SMALL SATELLITE LAUNCH PROGRAM WITH LAUNCHERONE.

  • EACH OF THOSE IS PRETTY HARD IN AND OF ITSELF

  • AND I THINK ALSO EACH OF THOSE THINGS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT,

  • BOTH IN TERMS OF GENERATING SOME FINANCIAL RETURNS,

  • BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF LIKE MAKING THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE

  • AND A MORE INTERESTING PLACE.

  • BUT NEITHER OF THEM IS THE END GAME FOR US.

  • WE CERTAINLY WANT TO DO MORE.

  • WE WORK FOR A GUY, SIR RICHARD BRANSON, OUR FOUNDER, IS,

  • YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST CURIOUS PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET.

  • HE'S ALWAYS ASKING HOW CAN WE DO THIS BETTER

  • AND WHAT COULD WE DO NEW AND WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE IT YET.

  • WHY CAN'T WE DO IT TOMORROW?

  • SO, HE IS ALWAYS SORT OF CHALLENGING US TO THINK

  • ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT.

  • IT'S ONE REASON I LIKE THE FACT

  • THAT WE GIVE OUR VEHICLES THESE KIND OF UNCREATIVE NAMES

  • LIKE SPACESHIPONE, SPACESHIPTWO, LAUNCHERONE.

  • IT IMPLIES THAT SOMEDAY THERE WILL BE A SPACESHIPTHREE

  • AND A SPACESHIPFOUR AND I DON'T WANT TO OVERSELL IT,

  • WE'RE NOT LIKE SECRETLY DESIGNING

  • IN A HANGER SOMEWHERE SPACESHIPTHREE,

  • BUT WE'VE THOUGHT A LITTLE BIT

  • ABOUT WHAT SHOULD SPACESHIPTHREE DO WHAT SHOULD LAUNCHERTWO DO.

  • WHAT SHOULD SPACESHIPTEN DO, YOU KNOW,

  • TWO DECADES FROM NOW OR WHATEVER IT IS.

  • IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE THINKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE NOW,

  • NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S A DISTRACTION,

  • BUT ENOUGH THAT IT ALLOWS YOU TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS TODAY.

  • YOU KNOW, AS YOU LOOK AT ALL OF YOUR DECISIONS,

  • WHETHER IT'S A MAKE BUY DECISION

  • ABOUT WHETHER WE DO THIS IN-HOUSE OR WE CONTRACT IT OUT

  • OR MAYBE IT'S A DECISION-- YOU'RE AN AEROSPACE ENGINEER,

  • IT'S A DECISION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT PROPELLANT SHOULD WE USE

  • FOR OUR LIQUID ROCKET ENGINES.

  • YOU MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS SOMETIMES

  • IF THE PROJECT YOU'RE WORKING

  • ON IS THE ONLY PROJECT YOU WILL EVER WORK ON VERSUS

  • IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD UP AN EXPERIENCE BASE

  • AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY BASE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU

  • TO TAKE A STEPPING STONE APPROACH AND GO

  • FROM THERE TO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

  • SO, I THINK IF YOU ASK RICHARD, HE WOULD LOVE US

  • TO BE NOT JUST DOING THE ALREADY PRETTY AWESOME THINGS WE ARE

  • DOING, BUT HAVING HOTELS ON THE MOON AND, YOU KNOW,

  • SENDING PEOPLE ALL OVER.

  • THERE'S A REASON WE'RE NOT CALLED VIRGIN NEAR-EARTH SPACE,

  • WE'RE VIRGIN GALACTIC.

  • HE WANTS US TO BE DOING ALL THAT STUFF NOW

  • AND IT IS ALWAYS FINDING THIS BALANCE

  • ABOUT FULFILLING YOUR CURIOSITY ABOUT THOSE OTHER THINGS

  • WITHOUT DISTRACTING YOURSELF TOO MUCH FROM THE JOB AT HAND.

  • >> THANK YOU.

  • >> THANK YOU.

  • >> THANK HIM.

  • THANK YOU.

  • WE'RE ON A ROLL.

  • COME ON DOWN.

  • TELL US YOUR NAME PLEASE.

  • >> HI. MY NAME'S ANGELO CABANBAN [ASSUMED SPELLING].

  • I AM AN ACCOUNTING MAJOR OVER HERE, OBVIOUSLY.

  • MY QUESTION IS-- MAY SOUND REALLY SILLY AND STUPID,

  • BUT WITH THE ADVANCE OF TECHNOLOGY, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO,

  • YOU WOULDN'T EVEN THINK THIS WAS POSSIBLE.

  • NOW, IN FICTION, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE, YOU KNOW,

  • WHAT OUR IDEAL OF WHAT SPACE OR WHATEVER IT IS IS GOING TO BE.

  • NOW, DO YOU THINK THAT IT WOULD BE CLOSER

  • TO STAR WARS OR STAR TREK?

  • YOU KNOW LIKE-- NO, BECAUSE I MEAN LIKE THERE'S THINGS

  • THAT COULD BE PLAUSIBLE LIKE THE O'NEILL CYLINDER

  • AS LIKE A SPACE COLONY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

  • >> I GUESS I WOULD SAY AT LEAST I HOPE IT'S STAR TREK.

  • I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A-- THAT ENDS BETTER FOR MOST PEOPLE.

  • >> NOW, WHY NOT STAR WARS?

  • >> I'M NOT COMMENTING ON WHICH ONE I ENJOY MORE, BUT IF I WAS

  • TO BE CHARTING OUT THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY AND I HAD TO PICK ONE

  • OF THOSE, I'D SAY LESS EMPEROR PALPATINE.

  • >> OK. SO, YOU'RE MORE FOR THE REBEL ALLIANCE.

  • JUST MAKING SURE.

  • YOUR--

  • >> YES. THAT'S A FAIR ASSESSMENT AS WELL.

  • THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  • >> YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

  • >> THANK YOU ANGELO.

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • >> HI. MY NAME IS JOSEPH WALSH.

  • I'M AN ACCOUNTING

  • AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS DOUBLE MAJOR HERE.

  • WILL, YOU STRESS FACILITATING SPACE EXPLORATION.

  • WHAT DO YOU SEE AS SOME OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES

  • IN THE INDUSTRY AND WHERE CAN MOTIVATED STUDENTS TRANSITIONING

  • TO THE WORKFORCE FOCUS THEIR CURIOSITY

  • TO HELP OVERCOME THESE OBSTACLES.

  • >> GOOD QUESTIONS.

  • IN TERMS OF WHERE CAN STUDENTS FOCUS THEIR CURIOSITY,

  • THERE ARE TONS OF WAYS.

  • ONE IS THAT WEBSITE I LISTED EARLIER, SPACEHACK.ORG.

  • ANOTHER ONE IS A-- THERE'S A STUDENT ORGANIZATION

  • THAT I AM CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS FOR CALLED THE STUDENTS

  • FOR THE EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE.

  • THEY HAVE CHAPTERS AT ABOUT 50 UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

  • ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS MANY MORE IN OTHER NATIONS.

  • TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE,

  • THERE'S NOT CURRENTLY A CHAPTER HERE.

  • I WOULD LOVE FOR THERE TO BE ONE.

  • I WILL HAPPILY PAY YOUR ANNUAL DUES FOR YOUR FIRST YEAR,

  • GRANTED THAT'S 25 BUCKS, SO I'M NOT BEING THAT GENEROUS.

  • BUT, THAT'S A GREAT WAY BECAUSE NOT ONLY WILL

  • THAT HELP YOU RECRUIT OTHER LIKE-MINDED STUDENTS, YOU KNOW,

  • WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM OR WHO ELSE ARE ON CAMPUS GETTING READY

  • FOR HOMECOMING WEEKEND AND FIND PEOPLE

  • WHERE YOU CAN MATCH YOUR ACCOUNTING

  • AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS BACKGROUND

  • WITH THE PREVIOUS QUESTION ASKED

  • WHO WAS AEROSPACE ENGINEERING BACKGROUND WITH, YOU KNOW,

  • ALL OF THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND ASSEMBLE A TEAM,

  • BUT YOU CAN ALSO SORT OF DO SIMILAR THINGS FROM UNIVERSITY

  • TO UNIVERSITY AND YOU COULD SAY OK HERE

  • AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT THESE THINGS,

  • BUT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE DEPARTMENTS

  • IN THESE OTHER AREAS, SO LET'S GO FIND ANOTHER SCHOOL

  • THAT DOES THIS.

  • I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO START ONE OF THOSE.

  • I THINK THE RESUMES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVE IN THOSE--

  • OR THE-- SORRY, THE CAREER TRACK RECORDS OF THOSE WHO ARE ACTIVE

  • IN THOSE CLUBS ARE PRETTY GOOD.

  • THE CAREER TRACK RECORDS OF PEOPLE WHO ACTIVE

  • IN THOSE CLUBS ARE PRETTY GOOD.

  • THE CAREER TRACK RECORDS OF PEOPLE

  • WHO START THOSE CHAPTERS ARE EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD,

  • SO IT REFLECTS WELL ON THE INDIVIDUAL

  • OR INDIVIDUALS WHO DO THAT.

  • CAN YOU REMIND ME OF THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION?

  • >> OH, IT WAS JUST WHAT DO YOU SEE AS SOME

  • OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES IN THE INDUSTRY?

  • >> YEAH. YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS--

  • WELL, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SPACE INDUSTRY,

  • YOU KNOW, WHICH IS ONE OF THE EXCITING THINGS.

  • WE LIKE ACTUALLY HAVE A DIVISION OF LABOR.

  • THERE'S A BASIC ECONOMIC PRINCIPLE THAT'S EXISTED FOR,

  • I DON'T KNOW, A COUPLE THOUSAND YEARS HAS FINALLY COME

  • TO THE MOST ADVANCED HIGH TECH INDUSTRY

  • IN THE WORLD OR NEAR THE WORLD.

  • IT USED TO BE THERE WAS ONE GAME IN TOWN.

  • IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT AND YOUR CHOICE ABOUT WORKING

  • IN SPACE WAS DO I WANT TO WORK FOR NASA

  • OR DO I WANT TO WORK FOR THE DOD.

  • NOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPTIONS

  • AND THEY EACH HAVE THEIR OWN CHALLENGES.

  • FOR NASA, I THINK ITS BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS

  • THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, 539 BOSSES.

  • THEY WORK FOR THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND FOR THE PRESIDENT

  • AND PARTICULARLY LATELY THOSE GROUPS DON'T SEEM

  • TO AGREE VERY MUCH.

  • AND EVEN WHEN THEY DO AGREE TODAY,

  • THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THEY'RE GOING TO AGREE

  • WITH EACH OTHER TWO YEARS FROM NOW OR FOUR YEARS FROM NOW

  • OR CERTAINLY NOT EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW.

  • AND IN SPACE, WHEN A LOT OF THE MISSIONS TAKE EIGHT YEARS

  • TO PUT TOGETHER, THAT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE.

  • SO, I AM A HUGE FAN OF NASA.

  • I FUNDAMENTALLY THINK THEY CAN TACKLE ANY CHALLENGE WE THROW

  • AT THEM AS LONG AS YOU DON'T JUST KEEP THROWING NEW

  • CHALLENGES AT THEM AND TELL THEM TO STOP WORKING

  • ON THE ONE THEY WERE WORKING

  • ON BEFORE THEY HAVE HAD TIME TO FIX IT.

  • THAT'S THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE.

  • FROM OUR SIDE, TO TAKE VIRGIN GALACTIC AS A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE,

  • YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE GREAT FORTUNE--

  • I'LL BORROW A QUOTE FROM SIR ISAAC NEWTON.

  • YOU KNOW, HE TALKED ABOUT IF I HAVE SEEN FURTHER IT'S

  • BECAUSE I'M STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.

  • WE ARE ABSOLUTELY STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

  • AND THOSE GIANTS ARE NASA, THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, BOEING,

  • YOU KNOW, THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.

  • IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND YOU BREAK IT

  • DOWN INTO COMPONENTS, EVERYONE HAS DONE--

  • AT LEAST ONE ORGANIZATION HAS DONE EVERY SINGLE ONE

  • OF THOSE COMPONENTS BEFORE.

  • WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER IN A PACKAGE

  • THAT ALL WORKS WELL TOGETHER AND IN AEROSPACE,

  • LIKE A LOT OF ENGINEERING FIELDS, EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED.

  • IF YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO MAKE THE ROCKET ENGINE 10% MORE

  • POWERFUL, YOU'RE NOT JUST CHANGING THE ROCKET ENGINE.

  • YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THE TANKS A LITTLE BIGGER.

  • OK NOW THE TANKS ARE BIGGER WHICH MEANS THE FINS NEEDS

  • TO BE BIGGER WHICH MEANS THE STRUCTURE--

  • BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

  • EVERYTHING CHANGES.

  • SO, IT'S FINDING A WAY OF BALANCING ALL

  • OF THAT WHILE KEEPING IT AFFORDABLE.

  • THAT'S THE OTHER-- THAT'S THE BIG CHALLENGE WE HAVE

  • THAT THE GOVERNMENT OFTEN DOESN'T HAVE.

  • YOU KNOW, NASA GETS ABOUT $18 BILLION A YEAR,

  • EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

  • THEY ALWAYS WILL.

  • IT WILL GO UP 1% OR DOWN 1%, BUT IT'S NEVER GOING

  • TO CHANGE TOO MUCH WHICH MEANS THEY CAN THINK

  • ABOUT THESE REALLY AMBITIOUS PROGRAMS AND THEY DON'T HAVE

  • TO OPTIMIZE FOR EVERY $1000 DECISION.

  • IT KIND OF ISN'T WORTH THEIR TIME.

  • WELL, FOR US, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WORTH OUR TIME

  • BECAUSE $1000 MAKES AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE BOTH TO US

  • AND TO OUR END CUSTOMERS.

  • SO, FINDING A WAY TO SOLVE THAT KIND

  • OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING PROBLEM WHILE NOT LETTING THE PRICE TAG

  • RUN UP IS I WOULD SAY THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE FOR US.

  • >> THANK YOU.

  • >> GREAT CONVERSATION.

  • THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR QUESTION.

  • LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

  • WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES AND I LOVE THE FACT

  • THAT WE HAVE THIS MUCH INTEREST.

  • PLEASE COME UP.

  • LET US KNOW YOUR NAME AND ASK YOUR QUESTION.

  • >> MY NAME IS WILL HOVICK [ASSUMED SPELLING].

  • I'M A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENT HERE

  • AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND MY QUESTION IS TO BOTH

  • OF YOU, WILL AND DEAN SOLT.

  • WHAT TYPE OF SPECIAL PROJECTS HAVE YOU BEEN CRITICALLY

  • INVOLVED WITH THAT HAVE MADE EITHER AN IMPACT

  • ON THE COMPANY YOU WORK FOR OR YOUR PERSONAL LIFE?

  • >> WELL, WE-- HE'LL HAVE A MUCH MORE INTERESTING ANSWER.

  • THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT I HAVE DONE HAVE JUST BEEN WORKING

  • WITH COLLEAGUES ON DIFFERENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

  • AND I GUESS THE SIGNAL THERE IS THE QUALITY OF THE JOURNALS.

  • I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO HIT SOME--

  • COUPLE PRETTY GOOD JOURNALS IN MY CAREER,

  • SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT PERSONAL SUCCESS FOR MYSELF

  • OR PERSONAL SATISFACTION FOR MYSELF.

  • ALSO, I LEAD A GREAT COLLEGE HERE ON CAMPUS.

  • WE'VE BEEN REACCREDITED A COUPLE TIMES SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE

  • AND OUR FACULTY CONTINUED

  • TO WORK HARD DEVELOPING NEW PROGRAMS.

  • WE HAVE A NEW MASTER OF SCIENCE OF ACCOUNTANCY,

  • NEW MASTER SCIENCE OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT,

  • SO I GUESS TO ME THAT'S THE BIGGEST IMPACT.

  • IF CURIOSITY HAS TO DO WITH BEING DYNAMIC AND CHANGE,

  • THEN I THINK THE IMPACT I'VE HAD

  • ON THE COLLEGE PROBABLY IS SOMETHING I'M VERY PROUD OF.

  • >> I TRIED TO BUILD MY CAREER AROUND DOING SPECIAL PROJECTS,

  • IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN I'VE REALIZED WHEN I'M WORKING

  • ON A REGULAR PROJECT I DO A BAD JOB.

  • YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I MENTIONED EARLIER

  • AT THE TOP OF THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW,

  • MY ACADEMIC BACKGROUND ORIGINALLY WAS

  • IN PLANETARY SCIENCE, WHICH IS A COOL FIELD.

  • I WASN'T A VERY GOOD PLANETARY SCIENTIST

  • BECAUSE IT WASN'T KEEPING ME ENGAGED AND MY MIND WOULD WONDER

  • AND I WOULD FIND MYSELF, YOU KNOW, SURFING THE WEB

  • OR DOING WHATEVER ELSE AT WORK RATHER

  • THAN FULLY APPLYING MYSELF.

  • I DISCOVERED THROUGH VARIOUS TWISTS AND TURNS IN BOTH

  • IN ACADEMIC AND A PROFESSIONAL AND A PERSONAL CAREER

  • THAT WHERE I DO BEST IS ATTACKING A TOTALLY NEW PROBLEM

  • WHERE NOBODY KNOWS HOW TO DO ANYTHING AND WHERE MY JOB IS NOT

  • TO GET A 100% PERFECT SCORE, MY JOB IS TO GO FROM LIKE ZERO

  • TO 80 VERY QUICKLY AND THEN TO FIND THAT OTHER PERSON

  • WHO CAN TAKE IT FROM 80 TO 100.

  • THAT'S WHY I WOULD MAKE A REALLY POOR ENGINEER, FRANKLY.

  • BECAUSE OFTEN I THINK THE ENGINEERING JOB IS OK IS NOT

  • ACCEPTABLE, YOU HAVE TO GO AND MAKE THIS PERFECT

  • AND THAT TAKES AN INCREDIBLE TYPE OF BRAIN

  • OF WHICH I GREATLY ADMIRE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THAT.

  • SO, YEAH. KIND OF EVERY STEP ALONG THE ROAD I AM TRYING

  • TO FIND THE WAY.

  • WHERE CAN I TAKE THIS WEIRD THING

  • THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH AND KIND OF FAKE IT

  • UNTIL I MAKE IT AND THEN HAND IT OFF TO SOMEONE ELSE.

  • AT VIRGIN GALACTIC, I'VE GOTTEN TO BE PART

  • OF THAT A COUPLE TIMES.

  • I WAS, YOU KNOW, PART OF A RELATIVELY SMALL TEAM

  • THAT HAS STARTED UP ALL THE PRODUCTS

  • THAT WE DO OTHER THAN SPACE TOURISM.

  • SPACE TOURISM EXISTED WELL BEFORE I JOINED THE COMPANY,

  • BUT NOW IN ADDITION TO SPACE TOURISM WE FLY RESEARCH PAYLOADS

  • SUB-ORBIT TO SPACE.

  • WE'VE STARTED AN ENTIRE NEW PROGRAM CALLED LAUNCHERONE

  • WHICH IS A SMALL SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE BASED RIGHT HERE

  • IN LONG BEACH WHERE WE'RE EMPLOYING 150 PEOPLE OR SO

  • AND THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE IDEAS THAT WAS A SKETCH ON A NAPKIN

  • AND I GOT TO TAKE IT FROM SKETCH ON A NAPKIN

  • TO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE SUBSTANTIVE BEFORE HANDING IT

  • OFF TO FOLKS SUCH AS YOURSELF.

  • >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WILL.

  • AND WILL.

  • >> THANK YOU GUYS.

  • >> ALRIGHT.

  • COME ON DOWN.

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • >> HOW WE DOING?

  • >> GREAT.

  • >> MY NAME IS JIMMY BORLIN [ASSUMED SPELLING],

  • CLASS OF '14 ALUMNI HERE.

  • BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND MARKETING.

  • AND THIS QUESTION IS TO BOTH DEAN SOLT AND WILL.

  • QUESTION IS, PLANETARY RESOURCES RECENTLY CAME

  • OUT WITH AN ARTICLE STATING

  • THAT THE U.S. SENATE JUST PASSED THE U.S. LAUNCH COMPETITIVE ACT

  • OF 2015.

  • HOW DOES THIS IMPACT THE FUTURE OF--

  • NOT FOR JUST SPACE EXPLORATION AS A WHOLE,

  • BUT FOR ALSO VIRGIN GALACTIC AND HUMAN MANKIND?

  • >> I WAS GOING TO READ THAT TONIGHT.

  • IT WAS ON MY DESK.

  • I JUST DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT, SO--

  • [ LAUGHTER ]

  • >> IT'S A GOOD THING.

  • YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE COMMERCIAL SPACE INDUSTRY,

  • THIS EMERGING ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMERCIAL SPACE INDUSTRY,

  • THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS, BUT IT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY

  • IN THE UNITED STATES AND THERE A COUPLE REASONS FOR THAT.

  • ONE IS ACCESS TO VENTURE CAPITAL

  • OF WHICH MY COLLEAGUE COULD ANSWER--

  • TELL YOU FAR MORE ABOUT THAN I COULD EVER DREAM OF.

  • ONE IS THE TALENT POOL COMING OUT OF OUR UNIVERSITIES

  • AND SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND EVERYTHING ELSE,

  • BUT ANOTHER BIG PART OF IT SPECIFIC

  • TO AEROSPACE IS THE REGULATORY BASE.

  • IF YOU-- IF I HAD-- IF I LIVED IN ALMOST ANY OTHER COUNTRY

  • ON THE PLANET AND SANTA CLAUS CAME TO ME

  • AND HANDED ME A PERFECTLY WORKING SPACESHIPTWO VEHICLE

  • AND ALL OF THE PARTS THAT I WOULD NEED TO MAINTAIN IT

  • AND BLUEPRINTS AND FLIGHT MANUALS AND EVERYTHING ELSE,

  • IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO FLY ALMOST EVERYWHERE

  • ON THE PLANET EXCEPT FOR THE UNITED STATES.

  • THE U.S. TOOK A REAL LEADERSHIP ROLE,

  • NOT OFTEN SOMETHING YOU HEAR MEMBERS

  • OF INDUSTRY TALKING ABOUT REGULATORS DO.

  • THE REGULATORS EXERCISE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF FORESIGHT

  • IN OUR INDUSTRY FOR WHICH WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL

  • AND SAID HEY THIS IS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE.

  • IT'S NOT HERE YET, BUT IT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE.

  • THEY NEED SOME REGULATORY BASIS TO WORK WITH BECAUSE

  • IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT IT'S ACTUALLY IT'S QUITE HARD

  • TO CONVINCE AN INVESTOR TO DROP A LOT OF MONEY

  • INTO YOUR CRAZY HAREBRAINED IDEA IF IT'S CURRENTLY ILLEGAL

  • AND HAS NO PATH TO BECOME LEGAL.

  • SO, CONGRESS HAD BEEN-- HAD HAD ENOUGH FORESIGHT ON THIS STUFF.

  • THERE WERE A FEW TWEAKS THAT WERE NEEDED

  • AND ALSO THERE WERE SOME EXISTING PROVISIONS THAT NEEDED

  • TO BE EXTENDED BECAUSE THE INDUSTRY HAS MOVED A LITTLE MORE

  • SLOWLY THAN PEOPLE EXPECTED AND SO I THINK

  • THAT THAT'S LARGELY WHAT THAT BILL WILL FOCUS ON.

  • IT DOES A LOT OF THINGS AND I HAVE NOT READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY

  • BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION,

  • BUT IT'S A GOOD THING AND I HOPE THAT IT--

  • THERE ARE VERSIONS THAT HAVE PASSED BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE,

  • I HOPE THAT THEY CONFERENCE AND PASS THE FULL BILL PRETTY SOON.

  • >> WHAT'S INTERESTING IS PART OF THE ARTICLE STATES

  • THAT IT ACTUALLY NOT ONLY ENCOURAGES

  • FOR SPACE EXPLORATION, BUT IT ALSO STATES

  • THAT THERE WILL BE NO HUMAN INTERFERENCE.

  • WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

  • >> I'M NOT SURE THAT I AM SUPER FAMILIAR

  • WITH THOSE SPECIFIC CLAUSES, BUT I KNOW THAT, AGAIN,

  • THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS OF REAL FORESIGHT

  • WHERE THIS BILL DOESN'T JUST TALK ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES

  • THAT ARE LIKE HAPPENING IMMINENTLY,

  • SUCH AS WHAT WE'RE DOING AT VIRGIN GALACTIC

  • OR WHAT SPACEX IS DOING UP THE STREET IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA

  • AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, THEY'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THINGS

  • THAT ARE A LITTLE FURTHER AFIELD LIKE PROPERTY RIGHTS

  • ON OTHER PLANETS WHICH ARE IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE TRYING

  • TO BUILD AN ASTEROID MINING COMPANY

  • LIKE PLANETARY RESOURCES.

  • YOU KNOW, I THINK EVEN THE FOLKS AT PLANETARY RESOURCES,

  • WHICH BY THE WAY IS A SPECTACULAR COMPANY I'M A HUGE

  • FAN OF AND FULL OF BRILLIANT PEOPLE.

  • EVEN THEY WILL TELL YOU THE TIME WHEN THEY ACTUALLY GO

  • TO AN ASTEROID AND LAND ON IT

  • AND EXTRACT RESOURCES IS STILL PRETTY FAR OUT.

  • RIGHT? FIRST THEY HAVE TO FIND--

  • FIRST THEY HAVE TO BUILD THE TELESCOPES

  • THAT FIND THE ASTEROIDS AND THEN THEY HAVE

  • TO BUILD THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO AND VISIT THE ASTEROIDS

  • AND IDENTIFY THE SITE, SO IT'S

  • LIKE A COUPLE TECHNOLOGY GENERATIONS AWAY.

  • CONGRESS DIDN'T NEED TO PASS THAT, IT WASN'T--

  • THERE WEREN'T PEOPLE BANGING DOWN THE DOOR SAYING I'M HERE,

  • I'VE GOT MY PICKAXE, LET ME GO, BUT THEY DID SHOW

  • THAT FORESIGHT AGAIN AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL

  • TO COMPANIES LIKE PLANETARY RESOURCES.

  • >> THANK YOU, JIMMY.

  • >> GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

  • DEAN SOLT?

  • YES.

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • >> I REALLY HADN'T HEARD OF THAT PARTICULAR ACT, BUT LISTENING

  • TO WILL TALK, I STILL THINK THERE'S THIS SORT OF DRUMBEAT

  • OR HEARTBEAT BETWEEN DISRUPTION, UNIQUENESS, AND INNOVATION

  • AND STANDARDIZATION AND CONSISTENCY.

  • I THINK-- AND YOU'VE EVEN HINTED AT THE INVESTORS.

  • I THINK ULTIMATELY YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PROCESS

  • THAT YOU CAN LAUNCH ROCKETS AGAIN AND AGAIN, SO YOU DO WANT

  • THAT SORT OF CONSISTENCY, EVEN THOUGH IT REQUIRES A CURIOSITY

  • OF RICHARD BRANSON ON DOWN TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

  • SO, THE QUESTION ABOUT THIS THING BEFORE CONGRESS IS

  • ABOUT REGULATION AND I THINK IF YOU TURN

  • ON FOX NEWS YOU'LL GET A VIEW THAT REGULATION IS ALL BAD

  • AND MAYBE IF YOU TURN ON MSNBC YOU MIGHT HEAR THAT--

  • HOW GREAT LEGISLATION AND REGULATION IS.

  • SO, I GUESS EVEN THOUGH I'M A BUSINESS SCHOOL DEAN

  • AND A FINANCE PROFESSOR, I THINK WE DO NEED REGULATION.

  • WE DO NEED TO HAVE SOME FRAMEWORK TO HAVE SOME SORT

  • OF STANDARDIZED PROCESSES THAT WE CAN COUNT ON THAT WE--

  • THAT INVESTORS CAN PUT THEIR MONEY IN THAT CUSTOMERS

  • OR CLIENTS CAN GET ON BOARD

  • AND TAKE THOSE SPACE TRIPS WHETHER IT BE SUB-ORBITAL

  • TO THE MOON OR BEYOND.

  • >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  • WE HAVE TIME FOR TWO MORE QUESTIONS

  • AND LUCKILY WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE STANDING TO ASK QUESTIONS.

  • SO, YOUR NAME IS?

  • >> HI. MY NAME'S LEAH VIARIELLE [ASSUMED SPELLING].

  • I'M AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MAJOR.

  • THANK YOU TWO SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

  • I FEEL LIKE I ALMOST HAVE TOO MUCH CURIOSITY.

  • I AM FASCINATED BY SO MANY THINGS LIKE SPACE AND COUNTRIES

  • AND CULTURE AND FOOD AND EVERYTHING.

  • SO, I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES THERE'S AN ISSUE

  • OF FINDING YOUR PASSION BECAUSE YOU ARE FASCINATED

  • BY A LOT OF THINGS.

  • SO, DOES IT JUST TAKE TIME, EXPERIENCE, MORE CURIOSITY

  • AND DIGGING TO FIND, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU REALLY--

  • LIKE THAT SPECIFIC THING THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WANT TO DO?

  • >> THAT WOULD BE MY VIEW, YOU KNOW, FROM MY OWN PATH

  • THROUGH LIFE AND WATCHING STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES.

  • IT'S HARD TO JUST ROLL THE DICE AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT

  • THAT PASSION IS, SO I DO THINK IT TAKES EXPERIENCE.

  • IT TAKES SOME GATHERING OF INFORMATION,

  • BUT AT SOME POINT I THINK YOU FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE HAVE

  • TO PURSUE DOWN A PATH.

  • IF THAT PATH DOESN'T WORK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE LOCKED IN.

  • YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO SAY WELL I WILL TRY SOMETHING ELSE,

  • BUT I THINK FOCUSING THE PASSION IS THE WAY

  • TO REALLY GET CURIOSITY TO PAY OFF.

  • >> IT'S AN EXTREMELY GOOD QUESTION.

  • I'M PROBABLY NOT THE BEST TO ANSWER.

  • I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LIKE A BEHAVIORAL ECONOMIST

  • OR A PSYCHOLOGIST OR WHOMEVER ELSE WOULD BE,

  • BUT MY PERSONAL TAKE WOULD BE IT'S A GOOD THING

  • TO BE CURIOUS ABOUT TOO MUCH.

  • LIKE YOUR BRAIN HAS DEALT YOU A GOOD SET OF CARDS

  • IF THAT IS THE CASE, BUT IT CAN HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS

  • IF YOU LET IT RUN AMUCK.

  • IT DOES TAKE SOME TIME AND PROBABLY A FEW INSTANCES

  • WHERE YOU PUT YOUR HAND ON THE METAPHORICAL STOVE

  • AND YOU GET BURNED TO DEVELOP THE DISCIPLINE AND SAY OK,

  • THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY FOR ME

  • TO DO EACH OF THESE THINGS.

  • I NEED TO PICK A FEW TO BE EXCELLENT WITH.

  • AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY I CAN'T CHANGE MY MIND

  • AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR OR NEXT SEMESTER

  • OR NEXT DECADE, BUT LIKE LET ME PICK A FEW OF THESE THINGS

  • AND GET REALLY GOOD BECAUSE BY DOING THOSE THINGS YOU WILL

  • PROBABLY LEARN WHETHER YOU ACTUALLY LIKE THEM

  • AS MUCH AS YOU THINK YOU DO.

  • I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THIS TIME WHEN YOU'RE

  • IN SCHOOL WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG.

  • I DON'T KNOW EVERYONE'S FAMILY SITUATION, PARTICULARLY

  • IF YOU ARE MAYBE UNMARRIED, DON'T HAVE KIDS YET,

  • YOU ARE RELATIVELY SPEAKING KIND OF DEBT-FREE-ISH.

  • IT WILL NEVER BE EASIER FOR YOU TO SAMPLE THINGS AND LEARN

  • THAT YOU SECRETLY HATED THEM AND YOU NEVER KNEW.

  • RIGHT? I-- WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I HAD INTERNSHIPS AT A FEW PLACES

  • WHERE I GROWING UP ALWAYS THOUGHT I DESPERATELY WANTED

  • TO WORK.

  • I DESPERATELY WANTED TO WORK AT NASA AND I DESPERATELY WANTED

  • TO WORK AT THE UNITED NATIONS.

  • AND I GOT INTERNSHIPS AT BOTH OF THEM AND I COULD NOT GET

  • OUT OF THERE QUICKLY ENOUGH.

  • EVEN THOUGH I STILL LOVE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND I SUPPORT THEM

  • AND I THINK THEY'RE FANTASTIC, THEY WERE NOT A GOOD FIT

  • FOR ME PERSONALLY AND I WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN THAT JUST

  • BY READING ABOUT THEM.

  • I MIGHT HAVE LEARNED THAT BY TALKING TO PEOPLE

  • WHO WORKED THERE, BUT THE EASIEST WAY WAS JUST TO GO

  • AND GET AN INTERNSHIP.

  • IT'S LIKE A FREE TRIAL PERIOD

  • WHERE THERE'S NO ONE'S HURT FEELINGS ARE HURT

  • IF YOU LEAVE AT THE END.

  • >> AND THEY DON'T PAY YOU.

  • >> EXACTLY.

  • SOMETIMES.

  • SOME OF THEM DON'T.

  • SO, IF YOU ARE-- IF-- EVERYONE'S FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES ARE

  • DIFFERENT, BUT IF YOU ARE IN A POSITION

  • WHERE YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO DABBLE AS VOLUNTEER,

  • AS AN INTERN, AS A WHATEVER ELSE, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT.

  • >> THANK YOU.

  • >> THANK YOU, LEAH.

  • WE'LL ASK-- GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

  • YES! FINAL QUESTION FOR THIS SEGMENT

  • ON CRITICAL MASS RADIO SHOW.

  • YOUR NAME IS?

  • >> MY NAME IS STEPHANIE CHANG AND I AM A STUDENT

  • IN THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS CONCENTRATING IN ACCOUNTING.

  • ALSO A MEMBER OF BETA ALPHA PSI, AN ACCOUNTING SOCIETY.

  • BUILDING OFF OF WHAT WILL SAID ABOUT-- IN REGARDS TO SAMPLING,

  • MY BACKGROUND-- ACTUALLY I STARTED OUT AT UC DAVIS BACK

  • IN 2010 AND 2011, ENDING MY LAST SEMESTER

  • WITH THE WHOLE PEPPER SPRAY INCIDENT.

  • SO, MY QUESTION IS TODAY THERE WERE--

  • THERE WAS A STRIKE OR A PROTEST OF SORTS GOING

  • ON RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING

  • ON CAMPUS THAT NOT NECESSARILY EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT

  • AND I ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO CROSS A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

  • FROM AN AVID PROGRAM AND THEY WERE JUST STANDING

  • BY THE WATER FOUNTAINS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING

  • ON AS THIS HUGE GROUP OF STUDENTS ARE WALKING

  • THROUGH THE CAMPUS WITH SIGNS,

  • WITH MICROPHONES, WITH THINGS TO SHARE.

  • SO, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO WAS ENCOURAGE THE HIGH--

  • TURNED OUT HE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WHO IS IN CHARGE

  • OF THE PROGRAM THERE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO, YES,

  • BE CURIOUS, TO-- IF THEY WANT TO TAKE PHOTOS, IF THEY WANT

  • TO TAKE VIDEOS, IF THEY WANT TO POST IT TO INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK,

  • WHATEVER THEY WANT THAT IT'S UP TO THEM TO ENCOURAGE

  • THAT CURIOSITY, BUT WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON CURIOSITY

  • AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN REGARDS TO AWARENESS

  • ON MAYBE CAMPUS MATTERS.

  • >> WELL, THIS IS A-- BACK TO THE TECHNOLOGY.

  • THE EVER-EXPANDING EVER-IMPROVING TECHNOLOGY.

  • SO, THAT'S JUST A MEANS FOR COMMUNICATION.

  • SO, I THINK IN GENERAL IT CAN BE GOOD, BUT IT REALLY, I GUESS,

  • THE-- YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL

  • OF NOT EXCEEDING YOUR OWN PERSONAL BOUNDARIES SO THAT

  • IN THE FUTURE YOU COME BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE HAPPY

  • WITH THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE POSTED.

  • BUT, TO ME, SOCIAL MEDIA JUST HELPS BRING CONNECTIONS AMONG

  • ALL OF US MORE EASILY, MORE READILY, AND MORE UNIVERSALLY.

  • >> I MEAN I-- FAR OUTSIDE OF MY AREA OF EXPERTISE,

  • BUT IT'S CLEAR JUST AS A CURIOUS PERSON

  • WHO READS THE NEWS, IT HAS POWER.

  • RIGHT? WE LEARNED THAT THIS WEEK PRETTY DRAMATICALLY IN MISSOURI

  • AND WE'VE LEARNED THAT AT OTHER UNIVERSITIES BUT ALSO IN,

  • YOU KNOW, NON-DEMOCRATIC REGIMES ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

  • THERE ARE-- CLEARLY IS POWER THERE.

  • I WON'T USE THAT OLD LINE

  • ABOUT WITH GREAT POWER COMES ET CETERA, ET CETERA,

  • BUT THAT IS PRETTY TRUE.

  • SO, I THINK IT IS A TOOL TO ABSOLUTELY BE USED AND IT'S--

  • NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO EXPERIMENT WITH HOW TO HARNESS IT.

  • >> AND IF I COULD JUST CONCLUDE REALLY QUICK

  • THAT I WAS ACTUALLY QUITE IMPRESSED

  • WITH HOW CAL STATE WAS HANDLING IT THAT NOTHING WAS--

  • AT LEAST WHEN I WAS THERE WAS SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL

  • TO EMANATE WHAT HAPPENED BACK

  • AT UC DAVIS FOUR YEARS AGO AROUND THE SAME TIME.

  • SO, THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY.

  • THANK YOU.

  • >> THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.

  • ALRIGHT GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME

  • UP AND ASKED A QUESTION.

  • WE HAD NINE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.

  • IT FILLED THE ENTIRE SEGMENT.

  • I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  • IT'S THE POWER OF THE PEER GROUP ASKING QUESTIONS.

  • HOPEFULLY THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE A QUESTION

  • YET BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SHORT COMMERCIAL BREAK HERE

  • ON CRITICAL MASS RADIO SHOW.

  • WE HAVE ONE MORE SEGMENT TO GO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

  • HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO STAY WITH US FOR THAT.

  • WHEN WE COME BACK, I'M GOING TO ASK WILL JUST TO GIVE US A SENSE

  • FOR THE ARC OF SPACE TRAVEL AND SOME THINGS

  • THAT I'VE HEARD HIM TALK ABOUT BEFORE WHICH IS THE NUMBER

  • OF PEOPLE WHO'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE

  • TO LEAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL THING CALLED EARTH

  • AND TRAVEL INTO SPACE.

  • THIS IS OUR FINAL SEGMENT.

  • WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE IN ADDITION TO DEAN SOLT

  • WHO IS THE DEAN OF CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH

  • BUSINESS SCHOOL WE HAVE WILL POMERANTZ

  • WHO IS VICE PRESIDENT SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC.

  • WILL, BEFORE THE BREAK I SET IT UP BY SAYING I WAS GOING

  • TO ASK YOU JUST TO GIVE US A STATE FOR AND KIND

  • OF THE ARC OF SPACE TRAVEL.

  • JUST GIVE US SOME CONTEXT PLEASE.

  • >> SURE. WELL, I GUESS PEOPLE HAVE PROBABLY WANTED

  • TO EXPLORE SPACE SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE.

  • RIGHT? I THINK YOU CAN FIND IT IN CAVE PAINTINGS.

  • PEOPLE ARE DRAWING THE MOON AND DRAWING THE STARS

  • AND JULES VERNE WAS WRITING ABOUT GOING TO THE MOON

  • AND THERE ARE EXAMPLES GOING MUCH FARTHER BACK THAN THAT.

  • IT DIDN'T BECOME EVEN REMOTELY REALISTIC

  • UNTIL THE 20TH CENTURY.

  • AND I WON'T BORE YOU TOO MUCH WITH A HISTORICAL LECTURE,

  • BUT I FIND IT PRETTY AMAZING THAT WE STARTED EXPLORING SPACE

  • WITH SATELLITES IN 1957, OCTOBER 4TH, 1957 SPUTNIK LAUNCHES.

  • FIRST HUMAN GOES TO SPACE APRIL 12, 1961.

  • SO, WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING SPACE FOR QUITE A LONG TIME

  • AND WE MADE SOME INCREDIBLY RAPID PROGRESS

  • IN THE EARLY DAYS.

  • RIGHT? YOU HAVE PRESIDENT KENNEDY GETTING

  • UP BEFORE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND CHALLENGING US AS A NATION

  • TO PUT A HUMAN ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON WITHIN A DECADE

  • AT A TIME WHEN OUR TOTAL SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE

  • AS A SPECIES WAS MEASURED IN HOURS.

  • RIGHT? AND WE DID IT.

  • IT HAPPENED.

  • AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CONNECTED THOSE DOTS

  • AND THEY JUST EXTRAPOLATED THAT LINE OR THEY SAID OH, HEY,

  • MAYBE WE'RE EVEN ON AN EXPONENTIAL CURVE

  • AND THEY SAID OK WE'RE GOING TO BE--

  • BY THE TIME WE REACH THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, LIKE 2015

  • OR SOMETHING, EVERYONE WILL HAVE GONE TO SPACE PROBABLY LOTS

  • OF TIMES AND WE'LL BE LIVING IN 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

  • OR THE JETSONS OR STAR WARS OR STAR TREK.

  • PICK YOUR FAVORITE ONE.

  • THAT HASN'T REALLY HAPPENED.

  • IT'S THAT THAT I FIND BOTH FASCINATING

  • AND FOR THE MOST PART CRUSHINGLY DEPRESSING IS THAT AS OF TODAY

  • IF YOU ADD UP EVERY HUMAN WHO HAS EVER BEEN IN SPACE

  • FOR EVEN AN INSTANT IN TIME, STARTING WITH YURI GAGARIN

  • IN 1961 GOING UP THROUGH THE CREW

  • OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLYING

  • ABOVE OUR HEADS RIGHT NOW, THE TOTAL NUMBER IS 551.

  • YOU KNOW, OUR LIVE AUDIENCE TODAY WAS A PRETTY GOOD CHUNK

  • OF THAT AND I FIND THAT JUST HORRIBLY SMALL.

  • HORRIBLY SMALL.

  • AND FOR A LONG TIME I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THAT AND FELT

  • LIKE THERE WASN'T ANYTHING I COULD DO

  • ABOUT IT OTHER THAN GRUMBLE.

  • YOU KNOW, SEND NASTY TWEETS

  • IF THERE HAD BEEN TWITTER BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

  • BUT, EVENTUALLY I REALIZED THAT IT WAS--

  • FUNDAMENTALLY, IT'S NOT NASA'S JOB TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER

  • BY ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE.

  • RIGHT? IT WAS NASA'S JOB AND OTHER SPACE AGENCIES' JOB

  • TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER FROM ZERO TO SOMETHING GREATER

  • THAN ZERO AND IT CONTINUES TO BE NASA'S JOB

  • AND I HOPE IT ALWAYS WILL CONTINUE NASA'S JOB

  • TO KEEP RAISING THAT NUMBER BY FIVE OR TEN OR 20 A YEAR.

  • RIGHT? THESE INCREDIBLE WELL-TRAINED,

  • HIGHLY SKILLED GOVERNMENT ASTRONAUTS GOING

  • OUT ON THESE TRULY INSPIRING MISSIONS OF EXPLORATION.

  • THAT'S NASA'S JOB.

  • IT'S NOT NASA'S JOB TO SAY WELL WILL POMERANTZ DREAMT OF GOING

  • TO SPACE AS A YOUNG BOY, SO LET'S MAKE IT SO.

  • THAT WOULD BE VERY ODD IF THAT WERE THE ONE THING THAT CONGRESS

  • AND THE PRESIDENT COULD AGREE UPON.

  • WHAT HAS STARTED TO HAPPEN RECENTLY IS THIS DIVISION

  • OF LABOR I REFERRED TO PREVIOUSLY.

  • IT ACTUALLY WAS MAINLY FOUNDED, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH,

  • BY PEOPLE WHO GOT INSPIRED BY WATCHING WHAT NASA WAS DOING

  • AND THEN WENT OFF AND MADE A WHOLE LOT

  • OF MONEY DOING SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT,

  • WHETHER THAT'S FOUNDING A RECORD STORE AT AN AIRLINE

  • OR WRITING THE SOFTWARE FOR PAYPAL OR CREATING AMAZON.COM

  • OR CREATING THE EXTENDED STAY AMERICA HOTEL CHAIN

  • OR WHATEVER ELSE AND THEY MADE A BILLION DOLLARS

  • OR A COUPLE BILLION DOLLARS AND THEN THEY CAME BACK WELL,

  • YOU KNOW, MY FIRST LOVE WAS SPACE SO I'M JUST GOING

  • TO GIVE IT A WING BECAUSE NOW TECHNOLOGY HAS ALLOWED ME

  • TO INDULGE IN MY CURIOSITY ABOUT THIS AND GO OFF AND DO THAT.

  • SO, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HAPPENING NOW.

  • NASA REMAINS A STRONG ORGANIZATION.

  • LIKE I SAID, IT'S FUNDING IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME

  • AS IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IF YOU ADJUST FOR INFLATION

  • AND THERE ARE A FEW ANOMALOUS POINTS IN THERE AT THE TAIL END

  • OF THE APOLLO PROGRAM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT'S BEEN ALWAYS

  • THE SAME.

  • BUT NOW WE HAVE A NEW SOURCE OF FUNDING.

  • YOU KNOW, PROBABLY MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR

  • WITH THE TERM OF MONOPOLY.

  • MAYBE FEWER OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM MONOPSONY.

  • IT'S SORT OF THE SAME THING

  • WHERE THERE'S ONLY ONE CUSTOMER INSTEAD OF ONLY ONE STORE.

  • WE WERE KIND OF A MONOPSONY IN THIS INDUSTRY AND A MONOPOLY

  • IN THIS INDUSTRY FOR, I DON'T KNOW,

  • THE BETTER PART OF 40 YEARS.

  • NOW WE HAVE DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS.

  • YOU KNOW, IN THE CASE OF MY COMPANY,

  • WE'VE SOLD 700 TICKETS TO SPACE.

  • I'VE GOT 700 DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS JUST FOR THAT ONE SIDE

  • OF THE BUSINESS AND THEY ENABLE ME TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS

  • BECAUSE THEY ASK DIFFERENT THINGS OF ME

  • AND THEY ARE MORE CONSISTENT ABOUT SOME THINGS

  • AND PERHAPS LESS CONSISTENT ABOUT OTHER THINGS.

  • BUT, BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS INFLUX OF MONEY AND THIS INFLUX

  • OF ENTHUSIASM AND THIS INFLUX OF TALENT

  • AND BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB RETAINING TALENT

  • BECAUSE IT USED TO BE IF YOU HAD THE EXPERIENCE I HAD

  • WHERE YOU WENT AND DID A SUMMER INTERNSHIP AT NASA

  • AND YOU DECIDED IT WASN'T FOR YOU,

  • THAT MEANT THE WHOLE INDUSTRY WASN'T FOR YOU

  • BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION.

  • NOW WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP SOME OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE

  • BECAUSE THEY SAY OK, NASA WASN'T FOR ME,

  • MAYBE PLANETARY RESOURCES IS.

  • MAYBE I, YOU KNOW,

  • IF A 10,000-PERSON COMPANY DOESN'T SUIT MY STYLE,

  • MAYBE 10-PERSON COMPANY DOES.

  • BECAUSE ALL THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING, WE ARE NOW GETTING

  • TO THE POINT WHERE I THINK WE ARE GOING TO START TO SEE--

  • WE'RE GOING TO START TO ACHIEVE THAT VISION THAT SO MANY

  • OF OUR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN

  • AND COUNTRYWOMEN HAD BACK IN THE 1960'S.

  • WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT EXPONENTIAL GROWTH CURVE

  • WHERE THE NUMBER OF-- NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN

  • TO SPACE DOESN'T JUST KEEP GOING SLOWLY PLODDING ALONG THIS

  • STEADY LINE BUT STARTS TO TAKE THAT NICE CURVE UPWARDS

  • AND WE START TO HAVE NOT JUST 500 PEOPLE GOING EVER,

  • BUT LIKE 500 PEOPLE GOING A YEAR

  • AND THEN 500 PEOPLE GOING A SEASON

  • AND THEN 500 PEOPLE GOING A WEEK.

  • AND EACH OF THOSE THINGS, LIKE ANY OTHER EXPONENT,

  • HAS WONDERFUL TRICKLEDOWN EFFECTS

  • WHERE WHEN YOU HAVE LOTS MORE PEOPLE GOING AND THEY COME

  • FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND LOTS

  • OF DEMOGRAPHIC BACKGROUNDS,

  • NOW ALL THE SUDDEN THEY'RE GOING BACK INTO THEIR COMMUNITY

  • AND THEY'RE NOT ONLY SPEAKING TO EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT

  • AND INSPIRING THEM TO STUDY STEM CAREERS, THEY'RE ALSO GOING

  • AND THEY'RE SPEAKING TO THEIR UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS

  • AND TO THEIR CITY COUNCILWOMAN AND TO THEIR PRESIDENT

  • AND SAYING WE NEED TO INVEST IN THESE KINDS OF THINGS

  • OR OH I HAVE THESE GREAT IDEAS OR OH NOW THAT WE CAN DO THIS,

  • THIS ENABLES THESE TEN OTHER THINGS.

  • SO, I THINK THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY IS GOOD.

  • LIKE ANY OTHER INDUSTRY THAT'S IN A STATE OF RAPID CHANGE,

  • IT'S FRAUGHT WITH PERIL.

  • THERE ARE SOME RISKS.

  • THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD PEOPLE WHO THROUGH NO FAULT

  • OF THEIR OWN ARE HUNTING FOR JOBS FOR THE FIRST TIME

  • IN 40 YEARS BECAUSE DIRECTIONS ARE CHANGING.

  • >> PAUL ROBERTS WHO OWNS OCTALKRADIO.NET WHISPERED

  • IN MY EAR HE WANTED ME TO ASK BOTH

  • OF YOU WHY IS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUCH A HOT BED

  • FOR THIS GENERATION OF SPACE EXPLORATION?

  • >> A PAIR OF REASONS.

  • ONE IS HISTORY.

  • A LOT OF IT USED TO HAPPEN HERE WHICH MEANT A LOT

  • OF THE TALENT IS HERE, A LOT OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS HERE,

  • A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS HERE.

  • IT'S ALSO JUST A NICE PLACE TO LIVE.

  • SO, WHEN YOU'RE ELON MUSK

  • AND YOU'VE MADE A COUPLE BILLION DOLLARS AND YOU WANT

  • TO START A SPACE COMPANY YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE YOU WANT.

  • THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD PLACE TO GO.

  • SO, IT THINK THAT THAT HAS A BIG PART TO DO WITH IT.

  • I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE INCREDIBLE EDUCATION SYSTEM

  • IN THE STATE HAS A BIG PART TO DO WITH THAT AS WELL

  • BECAUSE IT MEANS NOT ONLY CAN I RETRACT THE--

  • ATTRACT THE GRAY-HAIRED VETERANS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

  • TO COME HERE, BUT I CAN COUNT ON, LIKE,

  • KEEPING THOSE CHAIRS FULL WITH CURIOUS

  • AND ENTERPRISING YOUNG PEOPLE AS MY COMPANY GROWS

  • AND THE WORKFORCE AGES, ET CETERA.

  • >> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE AVIATION BUSINESS STARTED BY A COUPLE

  • OF BUCKEYES OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, THE WRIGHT BROTHERS,

  • AND I THINK THEY LAUNCHED THEIR PLANE

  • ON THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST, BUT IF YOU LOOK

  • AT THE HISTORY WILL WAS TALKING ABOUT, REALLY THE GROWTH

  • OF AVIATION TOOK PLACE OUT HERE.

  • PROBABLY BECAUSE OF WEATHER TO SOME DEGREE.

  • THE ABILITY TO PUT PLANES TOGETHER YEAR-ROUND,

  • FLY THEM YEAR-ROUND, MAYBE HAD PLAYED A ROLE

  • IN SOME PART OF THAT.

  • THEN, ONCE YOU HAVE A SORT OF A CRITICAL MASS, YOU KNOW,

  • IT SORT OF BREEDS ON ITSELF.

  • YOU HAVE THE ENGINEERS, YOU HAVE THE SUPPLIERS,

  • YOU HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE TECHNOLOGY.

  • SO, I THINK IT IS IF THERE'S ROOTS

  • IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY HERE THAT GO WAY BACK

  • IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT ARE PROVIDING LIKE A PLATFORM

  • FOR TODAY'S-- THE NEXT GENERATION,

  • THE SPACE EXPLORATION.

  • >> EXCELLENT.

  • CAN WE GIVE THEM BOTH A ROUND OF APPLAUSE?

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • WILL, I'VE GOT A QUESTION.

  • YOU SERVED FOR THREE YEARS AS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR

  • OF SPACE PRIZES FOR X PRIZE.

  • DO I HAVE THAT CORRECT?

  • >> YEAH.

  • >> ALRIGHT.

  • YOU WORKED WITH BOTH GOOGLE AND NASA TO WORK MILLIONS

  • OF DOLLARS IN PRIZE MONEY, YES?

  • CAN YOU SHARE THE ROLE CURIOSITY PLAYS IN--

  • THAT YOU'VE OBSERVED IN GOOGLE AND IN NASA?

  • >> YEAH. WHAT I WAS DOING AT THAT TIME WHEN I WAS WORKING

  • AT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION, WHAT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION

  • AND DOES AND-- DID AND STILL DOES IS THIS--

  • ACTUALLY, IN MANY WAYS KIND OF AN ANCIENT AND UNDER--

  • OVERLOOKED FOR A LONG TIME MODEL

  • OF TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT CALLED THE INCENTIVE PRIZE WHICH SAYS

  • THAT IF I WANT TO ACHIEVE SOME TECHNOLOGY GOAL,

  • INSTEAD OF GOING OUT AND FINDING THE SMARTEST PERSON

  • AND PAYING HIM OR HER AND SAYING GO WORK ON THIS FOR A COUPLE

  • OF YEARS AND COME BACK AND TELL ME WHAT YOU DID,

  • INSTEAD JUST PUT A BIG CARROT AT THE END OF A STICK

  • TO THE WHOLE WORLD AND SAY I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE.

  • I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL, WHAT YOU MAJORED IN,

  • WHAT YOUR GRADES WERE.

  • I DON'T CARE HOW DUMB YOUR IDEA SOUNDED THE DAY BEFORE

  • IT WORKED.

  • IF YOU DO THIS FIRST, YOU GET A BIG CHECK.

  • SO, THAT HAS WORKED MANY YEARS.

  • A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT

  • TO YOUR LIFE TODAY, WHETHER YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM OR NOT,

  • ACTUALLY CAME IN MANY WAYS FROM INCENTIVE PRIZES.

  • YOU KNOW, THE FIRST WAY THAT HUMANS HAD

  • TO CALCULATE THEIR LONGITUDE, WHICH SAVED LIKE MILLIONS

  • OF LIVES AND ALLOWED PEOPLE TO EXPLORE CONTINENTS CAME

  • FROM AN INCENTIVE PRIZE.

  • THE FIRST PLANE TO FLY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC CAME

  • FROM AN INCENTIVE PRIZE.

  • THE FIRST COMMERCIAL VEHICLE TO FLY TO SPACE CAME

  • FROM AN INCENTIVE PRIZE.

  • I GOT TO RUN THESE TWO DIFFERENT PRIZES.

  • ONE WAS A $2 MILLION PRIZE FOR NASA AND NORTHROP GRUMMAN

  • THAT REQUIRED PEOPLE TO TEST LUNAR LANDERS HEAR ON EARTH,

  • SO BUILD THESE FLYING ROCKETS.

  • THE OTHER ONE'S STILL ON-GOING, IT'S FOR COMMERCIAL COMPANIES

  • TO LAND A ROBOT ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL

  • THAT IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE WON BY A PRIVATELY-FUNDED TEAM IN 2017

  • WHICH ISN'T ALL THAT FAR OFF.

  • THOSE PRIZES FUNDAMENTALLY WOULD NOT WORK

  • IF PEOPLE WERE NOT CURIOUS

  • BECAUSE THE WAY THOSE PRIZES WORK ALMOST ALWAYS IS

  • BY ATTRACTING PEOPLE FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES.

  • IF THE PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY ARE ALREADY SOLVING THE PROBLEM,

  • YOU DON'T NEED A PRIZE AND THERE ARE MORE EFFICIENT WAYS

  • TO ACHIEVE THOSE RESULTS.

  • IF YOU ALREADY KNOW ALL THE SMART PEOPLE

  • WHO HAVE ANY RELEVANT KNOWLEDGE IN THAT FIELD,

  • YOU CAN JUST CALL THEM UP AND SAY HEY,

  • PLEASE START WORKING ON THIS.

  • ALMOST ALL OF THOSE PRIZES WERE WON BY PEOPLE

  • FROM TOTALLY OUTSIDE OF THAT FIELD.

  • YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THE ICONIC--

  • THE FIRST BIG INCENTIVE PRIZE IN MANY WAYS WAS THIS ONE

  • TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

  • OF FINDING THEIR LONGITUDE WHEN AT SEA.

  • WHEN THAT PRIZE WAS CREATED, WE ALREADY HAD A WAY

  • TO FIND LATITUDE AT SEA AND THAT WAS THROUGH THE STARS.

  • IT WAS THROUGH CELESTIAL NAVIGATION.

  • SO, EVERYONE FIGURED WE KNOW HOW TO FIND LATITUDE,

  • IT'S THROUGH THE STARS.

  • HOW DO WE FIND LONGITUDE?

  • OBVIOUSLY, IT'S THROUGH THE STARS.

  • IT'S JUST A MORE COMPLEX WAY.

  • SO, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WROTE THE RULES WERE ASTRONOMERS.

  • ALL OF THE JUDGES WERE ASTRONOMERS.

  • ALL THE TEAMS WERE ASTRONOMERS EXCEPT

  • FOR ONE GUY WHO WAS A WATCHMAKER.

  • AND WHICH ONE DO YOU THINK WON?

  • THE WATCHMAKER.

  • OF COURSE.

  • AND IT SURPRISED PEOPLE SO MUCH

  • THAT THEY DID NOT GIVE HIM THE PRIZE UNTIL AFTER HE DIED

  • AND HIS SON COLLECTED THE PRIZE.

  • HE PROVED THAT IT WORKED.

  • THEY SAID I DON'T BELIEVE IT.

  • THEY SAID GO DO IT AGAIN.

  • AT THIS TIME THAT MEANT HE HAD TO SAIL FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM

  • TO I THINK BRAZIL AND BACK,

  • SO THAT TOOK HIM ANOTHER FIVE YEARS.

  • THEY STILL DIDN'T BELIEVE IT.

  • HE HAD TO WRITE ALL THESE PAPERS,

  • HE HAD TO DO ALL THESE THINGS AND IT TOOK LIKE 20 YEARS.

  • THAT'S HOW OUTSIDE OF A BOX AN IDEA THIS WAS.

  • IF THAT GUY-- IF JOHN HARRISON HAD NOT BEEN CURIOUS

  • ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, WE WOULD STILL BE WAITING TO FIND A WAY

  • TO CALCULATE OUR LONGITUDE

  • BECAUSE IT BASICALLY IS NOT POSSIBLE

  • THROUGH CELESTIAL NAVIGATION.

  • EVEN WITH SUPER COMPUTERS AND THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE.

  • IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

  • IT JUST DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.

  • SO, WE ABSOLUTELY-- THAT MODEL THRIVES ON CURIOSITY.

  • >> WHAT A GREAT ANSWER!

  • WHAT? DID WE ALL LEARN SOMETHING TONIGHT?

  • THERE YOU GO.

  • THERE'S THE PRICE OF ADMISSION RIGHT THERE,

  • LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

  • FINAL QUESTION FOR BOTH OF YOU TONIGHT

  • TO KIND OF BRING IT ALL HOME.

  • WHAT ARE YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE POWER OF CURIOSITY

  • IN BUSINESS AND IN ONE'S CAREER?

  • >> WELL, I THINK CURIOSITY IS SOMETHING THAT STARTS

  • WITH INSIDE EACH PERSON, SO THAT'S SORT

  • OF WHAT WE BRING TO THE GAME.

  • PARDON ME.

  • SO, WITHOUT CURIOSITY, ONE WILL JUST BE THAT COG IN MACHINE

  • AND COGS ARE NOT-- SEEM TO BE WORTH LESS

  • AND LESS ALL THE TIME.

  • SO, I THINK HAVING AN ACTIVE MIND AND YOU CAN HEAR

  • FROM WILL'S PATH THROUGH LIFE HE HAS A VERY ACTIVE MIND

  • AND TAKE SOME RISK AND I THINK WILL'S BEEN WILLING

  • TO TRY DIFFERENT THINGS ALL ALONG THE WAY.

  • SO, FOR THE ONE QUESTIONER EARLIER, LEAH,

  • I THINK IT'S BE VERY, VERY OPEN.

  • VERY, VERY WILLING TO TAKE RISK AND DO IT

  • WITH OPTIMISM AND CONFIDENCE.

  • TO SORT OF SUMMARIZE IT, IT'S--

  • IF YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE AN ENGINE.

  • AUTOMOBILE ENGINE.

  • IT'S THE PISTONS THAT GO UP AND DOWN THAT MAKE

  • THAT AUTOMOBILE MOVE, BUT IT'S THE SPARK PLUG

  • THAT FIRES THE PISTON.

  • AND, TO ME, CURIOSITY'S LIKE THE SPARK PLUG IN EACH OF OUR LIVES.

  • SO, IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, WE NEED TO HAVE CURIOSITY.

  • MAYBE WE'VE ALL SEEN THOSE DOS EQUIS COMMERCIALS,

  • THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN THE WORLD.

  • WELL, YOU KNOW, HE SAYS STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS.

  • BUT, HE'S ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING GREAT,

  • INTERESTING, AND EXCITING.

  • RIGHT? SO, I GUESS MY THOUGHT TO YOU ALL WOULD BE IF YOU WANT

  • TO HAVE A GREAT EXCITING LIFE AND CAREER,

  • STAY CURIOUS, MY FRIENDS.

  • [ LAUGHTER ]

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • >> BOY. I HATE TO EVEN SAY ANYTHING AFTER THAT.

  • THAT WAS SUCH A GOOD ANSWER.

  • THIS PODCAST BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOOD PEOPLE-- NO.

  • I HAVE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE IN MY CAREER BECAUSE I'VE WORKED

  • ON A FIELD THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT.

  • I'VE GOTTEN TO MEET A LOT OF ENTREPRENEURS, A LOT OF PEOPLE

  • WHO HAVE STARTED COMPANIES.

  • MANY OF WHOM HAVE STARTED, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE COMPANIES.

  • SOME OF WHOM HAVE MADE OUTRAGEOUS SUMS OF MONEY

  • AND WHEN I ASK THEM ABOUT WHY THEY'VE STARTED THOSE COMPANIES

  • AND HOW THEY'VE STARTED THE COMPANIES, I FOUND ALMOST ALL

  • OF THEM HAVE A SEQUENCE OF TWO EMOTIONS.

  • IT'S FIRST FRUSTRATION AND THEN IT'S CURIOSITY.

  • IT'S SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THEM IN THEIR LIVES

  • THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY DISSATISFYING

  • AND THEY'RE SAYING WHY THE F DID THAT HAPPEN THAT WAY.

  • WHY HASN'T SOMEONE COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER?

  • THIS STUPID THING BREAKS EVERY TIME I TRY--

  • WHY DOESN'T SOMEONE-- AND THEN THEY GET CURIOUS.

  • WHY DOESN'T SOMEONE DO THIS?

  • WHAT IF YOU DID IT THIS OTHER WAY?

  • AND SOMETIMES THAT LEADS NOWHERE

  • BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE EXPLORED ALL THE OTHER BRANCHES ON THAT TREE

  • AND THERE ARE SOLID REASONS WHY YOU DON'T DO THOSE,

  • BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT'S BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE ASKED THAT QUESTION.

  • CURIOSITY IN BUSINESS OF ANY KIND, WHETHER IT'S BEING CURIOUS

  • ABOUT A NEW TYPE OF FOOD AND STARTING A FUSION RESTAURANT

  • OR FOOD TRUCK OR IT'S BEING CURIOUS ABOUT WHY IS IT

  • SO DANG EXPENSIVE TO PUT A GREENHOUSE ON MARS,

  • WHICH IS THE WAY ELON MUSK STARTED SPACEX.

  • HE WANTED TO PUT A GREENHOUSE ON MARS

  • AND HE DISCOVERED IT WAS EXTRAORDINARILY EXPENSIVE

  • AND HE SAID WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE.

  • I CAN ADD UP THE COST FOR BUYING THE ROCKET FUEL,

  • IT'S NOT THAT MUCH.

  • WHY DON'T I JUST GO AND DO THE DAMN THING MYSELF?

  • I THINK THAT EXPRESSION WHY DON'T I JUST GO

  • AND DO THE DAMN THING MYSELF IS LIKE THE FOUNDING CHARTER

  • OF ALMOST EVERY SUCCESSFUL STARTUP OUT THERE

  • AND THERE'S A QUESTION MARK,

  • THERE'S A CURIOSITY EMBEDDED IN THAT STATEMENT.

  • >> I NEED TO ASK EVERYBODY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE

  • TO PLEASE GIVE BOTH OF OUR PANELISTS A ROUSING--

  • AND YOURSELF A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

  • YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO CRITICAL MASS RADIO SHOW.

  • THIS IS OUR COLLEGE SPEAKER SERIES.

  • OUR GUESTS TODAY GAVE US A LOT OF CONTENT.

  • DEAN SOLT, HE IS THE DEAN OF THE BUSINESS SCHOOL HERE

  • AT CAL STATE UNIVERSITY AT LONG BEACH AND WILL POMERANTZ

  • WHO IS VICE PRESIDENT IN SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC.

  • I'M YOUR HOST, RIC FRANZI.

  • I REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE OF YOU THAT STAYED UNTIL THE END

  • AND PARTICIPATED ACTIVELY AND LEARNED HOPEFULLY.

  • TAKE WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT FROM OUR PANELISTS

  • AND FROM THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED BY YOUR PEERS AND SHARE IT

  • WITH AT LEAST TWO OF YOUR FRIENDS.

  • TAKE THAT CHALLENGE TONIGHT, WHETHER IT'S OVER A KEG

  • AT THE HOMECOMING PARTY

  • OR WHEREVER YOU MIGHT BE GOING LATER THIS EVENING

  • OR THIS WEEKEND AND KEEP THIS CONCEPT ALIVE

  • ABOUT BEING CURIOUS.

  • AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ASK IS SAMPLE IT YOURSELF.

  • NOTICE WHO IN YOUR NETWORK IS A CURIOUS SORT.

  • FIND THOSE PEOPLE WHO ASK GOOD QUESTIONS.

  • LEARN THAT SKILL TO ASK GOOD QUESTIONS.

  • LEADERS ASK GREAT QUESTIONS, LISTEN TO THE ANSWER,

  • AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO SOMETHING

  • WITH WHAT THEY'VE HEARD.

  • THE PERSON WHO GIVES THE RESPONSE IS NOW A PART

  • OF THE SOLUTION AND THE BEST IDEAS ARE IN YOUR BRAINS.

  • SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS.

  • ASK THE QUESTIONS.

  • BE A CURIOUS PERSON.

  • MAYBE SOMEDAY WHEN WE'RE BACK HERE DOING THIS

  • IN THE FUTURE WE'LL HAVE THE HONOR OF HAVING YOU AS ONE

  • OF OUR PANELISTS ON THIS STAGE AS WELL.

  • SO, FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THIS PRODUCTION TONIGHT,

  • I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WITH CAL STATE LONG BEACH.

  • WILL, THANK YOU AGAIN.

  • PAUL ROBERTS OC TALK RADIO.

  • THANK YOU ALL FOR STAYING TONIGHT.

  • GOOD NIGHT TO YOU IN THE AUDIENCE.

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

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ヴァージンギャラクティック - 航空宇宙とビジネスの未来 (Virgin Galactic - Aerospace and the Future of Business)

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    richardwang に公開 2021 年 01 月 14 日
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