Transcribing the Words of Tomorrow: Keystone hosts Nobel Laureate Professor Eric Maskin
Since the industrial revolution, technological innovation has been on an incredible pace. Now, in the age of computing and artificial intelligence (AI), innovation is more important than ever. But how can schools and societies cultivate innovators? This question served as the inspiration for a recent discussion hosted at Keystone with Professor of Economics and Mathematics at Harvard, Eric Maskin.
One of the foremost minds in the field of economics, Professor Masking has made contributions to game theory, contract theory, social choice theory, political economy, and more. In 2007, he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics (with L. Hurwicz and R. Myerson) for laying the foundations of mechanism design theory. His rich background was perfect for answering any questions students had about innovation in the future. KingLead, an international education platform that ranked Keystone as the top internationalized school in China this year, helped facilitate this special visit.
As Professor Maskin took the stage of the Keystone Performing Arts Center, he began with a brief introduction about the importance of cultivating innovative talents. He shared with Keystone students that innovation often came from people not much older than them – younger people who know a bit but who aren’t overburdened by the knowledge of the past. “There’s a danger in knowing too much,” he explained, “it prevents you from seeing how to go past the confines of present-day knowledge.” The problem-solvers of tomorrow will need to think outside of the box to overcome the complex challenges faced around the world.
The question-and-answer session that followed drove this point home. Keystone students asked Professor Maskin many astute questions about economic development, inequality, and sustainability. While they clearly had strong background knowledge, each student pushed beyond such concepts to ask how we could use what we know to change the world for the better. Having pioneered mechanism design, a field of game theory that looks to include positive social change in the decision making of actors, Professor Maskin was the right person to ask such questions.
During the Q&A, Executive Head of School Dr. Emily McCarren also asked a question that is on the minds of many educators about how teaching should change in response to innovation, especially with regards to recent technology such as artificial intelligence. As a Harvard professor himself, Professor Maskin has had plenty of firsthand experience with the irruption of AI in education. He stated that, although such innovation can bring about new tools, it lacks the new insight that is critical for progressing humanity’s knowledge. Professor Maskin wants all his students to have new insights on the topics they are learning. Keystone practices a similar philosophy, encouraging students to conduct their own research on topics they are passionate about, and share their own conclusions with others. Teaching students to be strong critical and creative thinkers who can imagine things that haven’t even been invented yet is critical for cultivating future innovative talents.
Education is inherently a tool to shape the future. It is the role of schools to equip students with the tools they will need to be the next great innovators. It is equally important to inspire students to focus on finding solutions to problems faced by the global community. Through educational events like this talk with Professor Maskin, and through classes and extracurriculars focused on real-world applications and sustainability, students will transform into citizens who will transcribe the words of the grand poem of tomorrow.
