{"211811":{"#nid":"211811","#data":{"type":"news","title":"On Compassion in Science and Technology:  Georgia Tech Hosts Discussion among Five University Presidents","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA remarkable dialog among five Atlanta university presidents took place on campus April 24 when Georgia Tech President G. P. \u201cBud\u201d Peterson hosted \u201cA Conversation among Presidents: \u0026nbsp;Compassion in Science and Technology\u201d at the Historic Academy of Medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe topic continued a dialog originating with the 2012 \u003Cstrong\u003EIvan Allen Jr. Prize and Symposium\u003C\/strong\u003E that honored \u003Cstrong\u003EDr. William Foege\u003C\/strong\u003E, a renowned epidemiologist and global champion of compassion in science. It also complemented the freshman reading assignment,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;which explored science, ethics, and race.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Ethics and compassion cannot be separated from science and technology. The driving force behind the discoveries in science and the applications in engineering and technology is the need to improve the human condition,\u0022 said Peterson. \u0022The challenge, and the commitment needed, is to do the right thing, regardless. Ethics has been compared to tennis - either it is in or it is out.\u0026nbsp;While there are many hard decisions along the way about which choice is the most ethical, a good leader\u2019s decision should never be whether or not to remain ethical.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInitiated at the behest of President Peterson, organization of the panel was headed by \u003Cstrong\u003EDr. Kenneth Knoespel\u003C\/strong\u003E, director of the\u003Cstrong\u003E Ivan Allen Institute for Advanced Studies\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u003Cstrong\u003E Ivan Allen College\u003C\/strong\u003E. Joining Dr. Peterson were Presidents Elizabeth Kiss of Agnes Scott College, Beverly Daniel Tatum of\u0026nbsp;Spelman College, James W. Wagner of Emory University and John Silvanus Wilson, Jr. of\u0026nbsp;Morehouse College.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll five presidents agreed that compassion is a quality they are working to successfully incorporate into their respective campus cultures. Moderated by Scheller College of Business Professor Bill Todd, the discussion ranged across science, race, ethics, social courage, and the importance of social compassion in every campus culture.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPerhaps a lack of courage stems from a lack of compassion,\u201d said Todd.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event was open to faculty, staff, parents, and students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis was such an awesome and incredible event,\u201d said Eran Mordel, past president of Georgia Tech\u2019s Student Government Association. \u201cIt\u2019s very rare that you have five intelligent, creative and knowledgeable education leaders in one room, on one stage. The conversation was captivating, and I was inspired by so many statements made by the presidents.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA remarkable dialog among five Atlanta university presidents took place on campus April 24 when Georgia Tech President G. P. \u201cBud\u201d Peterson hosted \u201cA Conversation among Presidents: \u0026nbsp;Compassion in Science and Technology\u201d at the Historic Academy of Medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27663","created_gmt":"2013-05-08 10:35:08","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:14:12","author":"Rebecca Rolfe","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-05-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2013-05-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"211821":{"id":"211821","type":"image","title":"Conversation Among Presidents","body":null,"created":"1449180039","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 22:00:39","changed":"1475894874","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:54","alt":"Conversation Among Presidents","file":{"fid":"196940","name":"conversationpresidents_500x201.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/conversationpresidents_500x201_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/conversationpresidents_500x201_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":22693,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/conversationpresidents_500x201_0.jpg?itok=fS0oGgmh"}}},"media_ids":["211821"],"related_links":[{"url":"internal:\/files\/wysiwyg\/file\/AconversationAmongPresidents.pdf","title":"Event Program"},{"url":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/news-and-events\/annual-founders-day\/ivan-allen-jr-prize-recipients","title":"Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage"}],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1545","name":"Ivan Allen Jr. Prize"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERebecca Keane\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-1720\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}