Dr. Nicholas Dirks, CEO and President of New York Academy of Sciences & Studiosity Academic Advisory Board member

Dr. Nicholas Dirks, former Chancellor of UC Berkeley, President and CEO of New York Academy of Sciences, and Studiosity Academic Advisory Board member joins Prof. Judyth Sachs for a thought-provoking conversation exploring the role of leaders and educators in adapting pedagogy to spark curiosity in students and stay relevant amid rapid change. Drawing on decades of leadership, Dr. Dirks discusses key pressures reshaping the sector: rising tuition that has outpaced demonstrated value; the squeeze on humanities and liberal arts, even as Nick argues AI makes critical thinking and ethical reasoning more essential; and a culture of credentialism that discourages curiosity well before students reach university. As he reflects, institutions never set out to build "a Maserati or a Bentley" and yet that’s what has happened. A valuable listen for leaders rethinking their university's future.