Vanderbilt’s Next Era: Campuses, Partnerships and the Power of Place with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier

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Welcome to 'Quantum Potential,' a podcast dedicated to curiosity, discovery and the bold new ideas shaping our future.
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I'm Cybele Raver, provost of Vanderbilt University.
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Today's conversation is a little different from most of the episodes we've shared so far.
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Over the past several months, Vanderbilt has announced and advanced a number of major initiatives—almost simultaneously.
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Today is about stepping back and asking a bigger question—how do these initiatives fit together?
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How do they advance our mission?
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And why is building a multicampus networked university central to our vision of Vanderbilt as a great university of the 21st century? Chancellor Daniel Diermeier is Vanderbilt's ninth chancellor and one of the most powerhouse and influential leaders in higher education today.
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An internationally renowned political scientist and management scholar, he has held senior faculty and leadership roles at Stanford University, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, where he served as dean of the Harris School of Public Policy and later as provost.
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Now in his sixth year as chancellor, Daniel is doing far more than leading Vanderbilt as its chief executive.
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He's actively redefining what it means to be the research university of the 21st century— one that is grounded in academic excellence, committed to free expression and civil discourse, and a university that is bold enough to imagine new models for education, discovery and engagement in a rapidly changing world.
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Since 2020, Daniel Diermeier's leadership has strengthened Vanderbilt's national and global presence and reinforced a culture of radical collaboration, open dialogue and shared purpose so that our students, faculty and staff are empowered to lead with integrity, creativity and impact.
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Diermeier is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Guggenheim Foundation, the author of six books and more than a hundred scholarly articles across political science, economics and management.
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And on a more personal note, you are an extraordinary colleague, mentor and role model for what it means to lead.
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Oh, thank you.
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I'm deeply grateful for your guidance, your trust and your vision.
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Daniel, thank you for joining us and for taking the time to reflect with us in this pivotal moment for Vanderbilt.
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So welcome.
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Thank you.
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Yeah, that's great.
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So Vanderbilt is expanding its physical presence and its partnership, our partnership, uh, in so many different directions at once.
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Mm-hmm.
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It's so incredibly exciting.
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What principles guide our choices and how we engage in these different cities?
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Yeah, I think you, you really have to ask yourself what it ... it means to be a great university today. And I think we had this, we always have this idea, is that, you know, you're kind of in this bucolic place and you know, you read books under the tree and that's wonderful and that's an important part of being a university and uh, and having an education.
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But increasingly what we know is that universities are an enormously important part, an important component of really the innovation system, the ecosystem. And I mean this really broadly.
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Yeah.
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I don't mean it just in tech.
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I mean it like in biomedical side, I mean it in education, I mean it in, um, you know, civic communities.
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Universities play a humongously important role on that.
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Yeah.
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And um, we know that, we know there's a lot of research on that that shows like, uh, how universities can have an impact in their community.
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It's a little bit less, I think, appreciated that this is really a bilateral relationship. And that if you have alignment between a university and its community, magic can happen.
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I love that.
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It's sort of the opposite of the town-versus-gown or the ...
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Yeah ...
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... the magnolia curtain or the whatever.
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Well, ivory tower, right?
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Ivory tower.
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All these are ... all those metaphors...
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Metaphor,
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...right?
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Right.
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Yes.
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Yeah.
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Right.
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So these are all these, they're all, they're all border metaphors.
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And I think the, the, my own personal experience of that was I was, uh, when I, when I started my career as a faculty member, it was in the mid-90s at Stanford, and the alignment between the university and Silicon Valley created magic.
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I mean, it was really the birth of the internet age.
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It was amazing to see that.
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And, um, a couple of things that follow from that, right?
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So the first thing is it doesn't happen by itself.
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You have to be intentional about it.
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So rather than having, you know, boundaries, magnolia curtains, ivory towers, all of these things, you need to be permeable.
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You need to be connected with where you are.
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The second thing that is, once you believe that, then it matters where you are. Location suddenly becomes a strategic asset or a strategic liability.
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So to put it differently, it really helps when you want to build a world-class film school that you're in New York or you're in L.A.
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Yeah.
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And, and once you believe that, now the question is how do you think strategically about locations?
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What can you do uniquely well in Nashville?
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And where does it make sense to think about broadening your physical presence uh, in the, in, you know, in our case, New York, west Palm Beach, our quantum campus in Chattanooga and what we are doing in San Francisco.
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And every one of them has a different focus.
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Every one has a different purpose.
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And you know, I'm, I'm, I'm sure we're gonna go into details there, but that's the big picture.
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No, I love that.
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And I love the frame of bilateral, I mean, what a great choice of word, right?
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This sort of, it's mutually,
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Yes.
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Uh, influencing, you know, each party is influencing the other, but it's also each party's benefiting the other that it's, uh, not just trade, uh, uh, in terms of economic uh, transaction, but intellectual and, uh, social capital that's flowing back and forth.
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Yes.
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Really, really fascinating.
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Why does this make sense for Vanderbilt now?
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Well, I think that the, there are a couple of reasons for that.
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The first one is we've been on a roll over the last five years or six years and really started before that.
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Um, the university is in great position in an environment where there's a lot of dynamism here.
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And you have this kind of moment where you can move. Or you can move now you, maybe you can, can do it later, but why?
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Yeah.
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You know, what's the, you have this, you have this great opportunity. Now you have a board that is, has been very supportive, that's ambitious.
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You have a great team with a fantastic provost and, uh, and you know, and, and people, there's an alignment right now.
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So my, my view on that is, you know, opportunity doesn't always present itself.
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Right now the opportunities are very strong, so we want to take advantage of them.
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No, it's great.
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I mean, in so many meetings that we're sitting together and you're leading, you say very forcefully,"Let's go," you know, with a kind of, uh, you know, joy and, uh, there's no question that this time is, is now.
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Yeah.
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Um, and the time is precious and that it, it, you know, let's go.
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Yeah.
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We're ready to go.
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Um, let's talk about West Palm Beach.
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What first drew Vanderbilt into conversation with that region?
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So what follows from this whole perspective is that the great university of the 21st century will be deeply engaged and connected with, with their community— particularly on the innovation side.
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We then looked at this, you know, what can we, what are the things that we can do uniquely well in Nashville?
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And there are many things. For example, we can, you know, so this is kind of like the health care management capital of the world.
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There's additional things we can do in the biomedical side.
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There's obviously music, entertainment.
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Um, but there are also areas where other communities have unique assets.
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And so we looked at a couple of opportunities there, and we kind of did it really like, this is an opportunity.
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That's an opportunity.
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How about this?
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How about that?
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Uh, Florida was on the list, really South Florida.
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That included, you know, basically from Miami all the way up to, uh, yeah, to, um, Palm Beach, Palm Beach County.
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Um, in large part because there was an influx of, um, of talent there, an influx of, uh, businesses relocating.
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And then there are specific industries there that are particularly strong, and where we felt that being located there made sense.
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One of them was in the area of like kind of finance and technology.
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And then another one is space.
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So we have, we have great people already in on the space.
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We, you know, phenomenal student rocket team...
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Great.
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... that does great work.
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But being, being co-located where, um, you know, like a Blue Origin is, for example—which is led by a Vanderbilt grad— there was a lot of opportunities on those dimensions.
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Yeah ...
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So yeah ...
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... energy, I was just talking to you.
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Energy, you know, and there's, and manufacturing is another piece on that.
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So we, you know, we looked at energy, too, separately and it's, so, it was like, there was, there was a lot of pieces that we thought, wow, if we are, if we're located there, we can do things that would be very difficult to replicate here, which is expanding opportunity.
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And then the second piece was— are we welcomed?
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This is very important to us.
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So does the political leadership, the public officials, do they want us there?
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Yes.
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Is there philanthropic support?
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And this is, I think this is important for people to appreciate.
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People always have this kind of zero-sum thinking.
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It's like, "If you do it there, you can't do it here." It is not true.
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Yeah.
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It's like the pie expands, for example, um, philanthropically.
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So Florida's a big investment for us.
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I mean, we're gonna build a building there, we have to have programming, all of that.
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But there's philanthropic support that comes from the community, and that is the land—7.2 acres ...
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Amazing.
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... was given to us by the city and by the county.
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There is tremendous philanthropic support.
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We mentioned at the announcement on Monday that, you know, uh, Steve Ross has been a big supporter there. Now, Steve Ross has no connection with Vanderbilt.
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So interesting.
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When you call him, the Michigan fight song plays, which is super annoying. And you know, that's where he, he is. His connection is, is Michigan.
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That's his, that's his vibe.
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That's what, this is what he does.
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But he realized and he thought having a university of Vanderbilt's caliber would be great.
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We wanted to be there.
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And so he and other people that are, that are local philanthropists are stepping up and saying, "We want that." Now there is that support that allows us to do things there in an innovative fashion is not portable to Vanderbilt.
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It would never happen there.
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We can't, you know, the Palm Beach County is not gonna suddenly like, you know, purchase land in Nashville and give it to us.
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So it's very important— I think people naturally think well if you, if you, if you do this, you can't do that.
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It is, that is just wrong.
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Yes.
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The way to think about growth is to see where's the opportunity?
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How do you make sure that you have partnerships, you have people that wanna support you? And, and then you get into this feedback loop...
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Yeah.
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...which is very positive.
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Yeah.
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Value creation in a completely new way.
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Exactly.
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Right.
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And from my perspective, you know, thinking about the additional thousand students that we can enroll so that our impact yearly is not 13,000 students who are affected or, you know, enjoy a Vanderbilt education, but 14,000 students. You know, it's a, it's a way to expand, um, our reach in that regard too.
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Yeah.
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Let me say one more thing on that, and maybe you want to, you want to zoom in a little bit on that, but another important thing of this of this concept, is once you make a commitment to build a campus, and this is important.
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It was always conceptualized as a residential place...
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Yes.
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...with, with faculty, with students there, with a lot of back and forth between the different locations, but not a fly-in, fly-out thing.
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Yes.
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Um, and not just kind of like a trade mission, you know, like very limited.
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It was ... and, and the point of that was, is that by being there, you're gonna attract people for whom being there is great, right?
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So, so, so that allows you now to do things, and research on the educational side, that are, take advantage of the local community, of the local assets, if you will.
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So you can build something there it would be much more difficult or impossible to build somewhere else at that level of quality.
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My favorite example for that is Chattanooga.
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Okay.
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Why Chattanooga?
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What are they doing there?
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And, um.
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Chattanooga, EPB, which is the public utility there, built the best fiber optics network in the country in Chattanooga 15 years ago.
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It's now clear that you can use the same asset for doing quantum engineering— sensing...
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Totally fascinating.
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...cyber.
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Totally now, but they don't ... what, what they need to build something really phenomenal is people. Is talent.
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Yes.
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So with us being there, we can now bring talent in there, we can bring faculty and students in there that now can utilize this tremendous research infrastructure that's kind of like a mini national lab that you can't do anything else.
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So you couldn't, this work, you cannot do anywhere else.
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Totally.
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I mean ...
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So that's the idea,
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... right?
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We just had dinner with a faculty member who we were able to hire a couple of years ago ...
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Yes.
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... a junior colleague, right?
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Who's totally stoked because his area is physics in, in, in the area of quantum...
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Yeah.
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...and he can now do more work there than he would be able to do if we had to build it from scratch.
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We couldn't build it from scratch.
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This, this, you cannot do. ... No university can do this on their own.
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And by having this wonderful partnership, we can, we can now build something— we basically bring together research infrastructure plus talent, and this is a, you know, just tremendous opportunity.
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May, maybe I'll add say one more thing on that.
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Once you do that now, and once you, once you make a commitment to that, now you can ask just, now it's kind of like, "oh wow, this is a blank canvas" too.
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So you know that you want to do in, let's say in Florida, you wanna do something business, finance, engineering, computer science, AI.
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You know, the engineering areas, maybe space like, like we said before, space and mass manufacturing.
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But how?
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Yeah.
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But how, you know, you can, there's gonna be things that are just gonna translate directly.
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But there also is a good question that we can ask ourselves now— well, what would business education be like, or management education like in the age of innovation?
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Perfect segue.
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Right.
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I was just gonna ask you about this idea, about redefining master's education...
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Yes.
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...in business and technology.
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Yeah.
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So say more about that, it's really exciting.
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So I was a business school professor for 20 years, and um, there is a particular you know, there's a particular way of how business education has evolved.
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And you know, it's not doing so great.
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I mean, I think the typical degree, which is the MBA, has lost a little bit of its luster. And I, I mean if I'm just looking back 10 years ago and where we are now, there's a real question mark of whether the most promising students go back? Lead?
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So the way the model works, you do your undergraduate degree, traditionally, you go for three or four years, maybe more.
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You work at a company, then you go back, you get an MBA. Cybele: Skill up.
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Right?
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Yeah.
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Build your network.
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Yeah.
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And when I started, or, or again, 10 years ago, employers would pay—including consulting firms, investment banks, big companies—would pay their student or their employees to go back to get an MBA.
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That's all gone.
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And so the question mark is really what is, what is the value for, you know, going, leaving your, you leaving your, your job, getting an MBA?
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Now for some people, that's still the right thing.
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Totally.
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But you have to ask yourself, is that the right model?
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Secondly, of course, is the rise of technology.
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So the typical business class to this day, you will go in and then you read a Harvard Business School case, 15 pages, and then you discuss it in class.
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Now it's hard for me to believe.
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That's, that's the education methodology five years from now.
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Yeah.
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That is difficult for me to believe.
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Yeah.
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But it's difficult when you have an existing structure to adjust this sufficiently.
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Well, now we have something where we can really think about this from first principles.
00:16:11.894 --> 00:16:14.144
How do we bring new teaching approaches in there?
00:16:14.144 --> 00:16:14.414
Totally.
00:16:14.504 --> 00:16:22.813
How do we think about technology and also critically, um, how do we add, um, business skills and management skills to engineering students?
00:16:22.875 --> 00:16:23.865
And again, we do it.
00:16:23.924 --> 00:16:24.674
There's a piece of that.
00:16:25.514 --> 00:16:34.470
But we can all reconsider this now and think about it like, uh, you know, how do we do this with a clear vision of doing this from first principles?
00:16:35.070 --> 00:16:35.519
And I just, that's ...
00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:36.004
That's very exciting.
00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:42.779
...I will interject to say, I totally agree with you that it's very exciting because the extent to which we can experiment, right?
00:16:42.779 --> 00:16:59.774
We can try, uh, a thing that maybe our faculty or our students here will feel is too great a leap. Or they may feel uncomfortable or it's just kind of, you know, there's a lot of sort of friction in any kind of change, right?
00:16:59.774 --> 00:17:03.855
But to try something new in a new location is inspiring.
00:17:03.884 --> 00:17:07.664
Everyone is, you know, motivated to see whether it will work.
00:17:07.934 --> 00:17:15.809
And that space where we can try a one-year master's, uh, an accelerated opportunity that shows value very quickly?
00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:17.130
Super exciting.
00:17:17.338 --> 00:17:22.914
There is a famous concept for people that study innovation, which is called the Innovators Dilemma.
00:17:22.914 --> 00:17:29.335
It goes back to Clayton Christensen, who, who coined that. And the, the puzzle there was kind of the following, right?
00:17:29.694 --> 00:17:35.294
It was like, "Why do startups succeed at all?" So, so they have no money.
00:17:35.294 --> 00:17:35.924
They have no people.
00:17:35.924 --> 00:17:36.855
They have no customers.
00:17:36.914 --> 00:17:37.845
It's a crazy idea.
00:17:38.115 --> 00:17:42.253
A crazy idea, and a bunch of how, how, how is it possible that, you know,
00:17:42.315 --> 00:17:43.694
...failure rate isn't a hundred percent.
00:17:43.694 --> 00:17:43.704
Yeah.
00:17:43.753 --> 00:17:43.815
Yeah.
00:17:43.815 --> 00:17:45.855
Two guys in a garage can take on IBM.
00:17:45.944 --> 00:17:52.964
I mean, how? Why, why, why can't IBM just imitate them and, and maintain their dominance?
00:17:53.023 --> 00:17:55.904
If that's the Apple-IBM analogy that I'm using right now?
00:17:56.263 --> 00:17:56.325
Yeah.
00:17:56.325 --> 00:17:56.345
Or crush.
00:17:56.834 --> 00:17:57.494
Crush them, right?
00:17:57.494 --> 00:17:57.674
Yeah.
00:17:58.003 --> 00:18:09.855
And the answer is, is that once you have, once you are an established entity, the reason why you're successful is you have kind of interlocking capabilities.
00:18:09.914 --> 00:18:15.013
So there's, and for university context is there's a way you teach, you got the
00:18:15.013 --> 00:18:16.904
Right.
00:18:16.904 --> 00:18:18.615
You have their things, you have admissions.
00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:20.369
You have a whole system of that.
00:18:20.700 --> 00:18:23.039
The degrees are structured in a particular way.
00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:33.450
And for, you know, for companies, they have a, they have a way to do product design, they have marketing, they have all these things that, that, for a successful company, they're like, it's like an organism. Cybele: Right.
00:18:33.450 --> 00:18:36.150
You need, you need blood.
00:18:36.569 --> 00:18:44.190
But if they're now say, well, you know, in the IBM-Apple example, mainframes, these large things, we don't want that anymore.
00:18:44.579 --> 00:18:46.680
We wanna have small things that everybody can have.
00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:48.539
Suddenly this wildly disruptive thing occurs.
00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:48.779
Exactly.
00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:50.878
It's like, it's like, what are you gonna do?
00:18:50.878 --> 00:18:51.930
Not have a lie anymore?
00:18:52.019 --> 00:18:52.079
Yeah.
00:18:52.109 --> 00:18:52.829
What about that?
00:18:53.250 --> 00:18:56.339
So that's why, that's the, that's the insight.
00:18:56.759 --> 00:19:05.159
But what's really exciting about this now, like we have this great hyper-successful Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
00:19:05.159 --> 00:19:05.250
Yes.
00:19:05.638 --> 00:19:16.634
And now we can try something over here that has access to all the things that make Vanderbilt great, but we don't have to be constrained by how we've always been doing things.
00:19:16.934 --> 00:19:17.954
The way it's always been done.
00:19:18.013 --> 00:19:18.794
The way it's always been done.
00:19:18.794 --> 00:19:19.664
It's great.
00:19:19.664 --> 00:19:30.345
We've done some of that already in Nashville, like for example, as you know because you led that, you led the implementation and the execution of that, the, uh, creation of the College of Connected Computing, which we love.
00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:39.180
That's an innovative thing, but that is still in the context of how we do things and how we'll be doing things in a long time.
00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:44.009
So, so there is an exciting thing about this kind of a, you know, like a Goldilocks thing.
00:19:44.009 --> 00:19:54.305
You can create something new, but it is connected to the mothership, you know, to having all the things like from admissions to faculty and ... Cybele: Exactly.
00:19:54.309 --> 00:19:55.619
... and, and accreditation.
00:19:55.619 --> 00:19:56.940
All these things are available.
00:19:57.404 --> 00:20:04.694
And getting, figuring this out in the right way how to do this is gonna be super interesting and, and also will have, of course, its challenges.
00:20:04.753 --> 00:20:04.994
Yeah.
00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:05.019
Yeah.
00:20:05.174 --> 00:20:16.500
No, I mean, I think the interesting and exciting far outweigh the challenge side in the sense that with everyone we've spoken, immediately their eyes light up.
00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:16.589
Mm-hmm.
00:20:16.829 --> 00:20:19.440
Immediately the energy is really, really high.
00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:19.859
Yeah.
00:20:19.888 --> 00:20:21.359
So let's talk about San Francisco.
00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:21.450
Yeah.
00:20:21.509 --> 00:20:29.759
I think, uh, the third area where uh, immediately, you know, everyone is just, you know, it captures everyone's imagination.
00:20:29.789 --> 00:20:31.109
Uh, it's really breathtaking.
00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:32.849
Why San Francisco?
00:20:32.849 --> 00:20:37.138
What, what are we building there, and what kinds of academic programs do we envision?
00:20:37.669 --> 00:20:51.799
What is it San Francisco has to offer, uniquely? What San Francisco has to offer uniquely, it is an incredibly innovative city—and has been for a long time, and then it's now the capital of AI, if you will.
00:20:52.220 --> 00:21:09.210
The last time I've, I've, I've looked, and the numbers may be a little bit out of there, but was something like 58 percent of all the investment in AI is happening in San Francisco globally. So it's an enormous, an enormous innovation economy, community, has been for many years and, and is now.
00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:14.099
Secondly, it is a very creative place.
00:21:14.130 --> 00:21:16.589
The arts play an enormously important role there.
00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:19.529
It's a, it has a rich cultural life.
00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:23.309
Uh, always has been a place that has been kind of challenging conventions.
00:21:24.209 --> 00:21:29.579
It's, it's a, it's, it has a very unique place, I think, in, not only in American life, but kind of globally.
00:21:29.609 --> 00:21:29.759
Yeah.
00:21:29.789 --> 00:21:32.219
So, And to your point earlier, sort of why not?
00:21:32.369 --> 00:21:33.209
Why not, why not?
00:21:33.209 --> 00:21:33.419
Right?
00:21:33.419 --> 00:21:38.638
So everyone's sort of frame there in my experience is always, yeah, you, it has to be this way.
00:21:38.849 --> 00:21:39.719
Why can't it be different?
00:21:39.719 --> 00:21:39.809
Right?
00:21:39.809 --> 00:21:40.589
Why can't it be different?
00:21:40.589 --> 00:21:41.250
This is very true.
00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:43.469
So, so that's the broader context.
00:21:43.469 --> 00:21:48.239
Now, the specific context is, is that there are a couple of things that are important here.
00:21:48.869 --> 00:21:53.099
Um, one of them is, is that people say, "Well, there's Berkeley and there's Stanford.
00:21:53.894 --> 00:21:59.263
That's like right next door." And you know, I was at Stanford, I know Berkeley very well, and these are wonderful universities.
00:21:59.714 --> 00:22:09.825
But what's happening is that, um, because the, the kind of center of gravity of innovation has been moving up the peninsula into San San Francisco.
00:22:09.944 --> 00:22:10.964
Into San Francisco.
00:22:11.414 --> 00:22:17.773
Important part of being in Silicon Valley was you could meet for coffee and discuss ideas, right?
00:22:17.773 --> 00:22:19.365
So you just had, it wasn't a big deal.
00:22:19.424 --> 00:22:26.700
You don't have to schedule any, it was all like, you know, people meet for, for coffee and, you know, and in Palo Alto on campus.
00:22:26.700 --> 00:22:32.759
And, uh, it, it, it created for these very low, low cost interactions.
00:22:33.809 --> 00:22:35.849
Well, now you have to go back and down on 1 0 1.
00:22:35.849 --> 00:22:42.150
That's an hour 15, you know, and that, so there's a little, this is, this has created a void.
00:22:42.839 --> 00:22:46.890
And it's very clear when you're talking to people in San Francisco that the void is felt.
00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:52.230
And there's always a question of why isn't in this city, why isn't there a great university?
00:22:52.230 --> 00:22:53.819
You have of course UCSF.
00:22:53.819 --> 00:22:55.025
You have the U.C.
00:22:55.650 --> 00:22:56.519
U.C. Law School.
00:22:56.519 --> 00:22:56.579
Yeah.
00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:57.630
San Francisco there.
00:22:57.630 --> 00:23:06.420
So you have kind of in particular areas, you have world-class institutions, but it's just an odd thing for why, why is that?
00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:10.950
And it's become more prominent now because of all the tech-based innovation that's happening.
00:23:10.950 --> 00:23:14.424
So... the third piece is San Francisco went through hard times.
00:23:15.329 --> 00:23:31.589
What happened Um, I think, you know, part due to the front with COVID, you know, there's real challenges in downtown, um, and the new mayor, um, that took over a year ago, Um, Mayor Lurie, is very focused on revitalizing ...
00:23:31.799 --> 00:23:32.069
Yeah.
00:23:32.128 --> 00:23:33.299
...that part of San Francisco.
00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:33.359
Yeah.
00:23:33.900 --> 00:23:43.589
So it was, remember when we talked about what are, one of, some of the conditions that make sense for us is, is there support from public leadership?
00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:45.359
Is there support from the community?
00:23:45.450 --> 00:23:45.660
Yeah.
00:23:45.750 --> 00:23:47.250
That invitation piece, right?
00:23:47.460 --> 00:23:47.730
We want you here.
00:23:47.730 --> 00:23:48.690
Are we being invited?
00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.769
Are we being invited here?
00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:50.009
Yeah.
00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:52.380
And that was off the charts.
00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:52.500
Yeah.
00:23:52.500 --> 00:24:09.720
I mean the, the level of enthusiasm, um, the level of support, um. When you plan these things, I, you know, you have to spend a lot of time meeting. The level of, I would say I, I don't know of a better word for it, local patriotism, the love that people have for this place.
00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:09.730
Yeah.
00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.000
The willingness to support it.
00:24:12.029 --> 00:24:14.130
It's a very strong civic community.
00:24:14.549 --> 00:24:16.049
It was really something.
00:24:16.380 --> 00:24:18.900
So that's, that's when we started thinking about it.
00:24:18.900 --> 00:24:28.259
And then the question of course is just like we discussed a little bit earlier, is like, what exactly do you want to do there. And what's the thing that would be uniquely great in this location?
00:24:29.730 --> 00:24:31.349
So it has to be something innovation.
00:24:31.710 --> 00:24:37.409
I think, you know, for any university that dares to set up shop in San Francisco, you better deliver.
00:24:37.409 --> 00:24:41.220
It can't just be, "Oh, we're doing this over here and now we're doing this over there."
00:24:41.220 --> 00:24:41.634
Right.
00:24:41.730 --> 00:24:47.039
Many universities that have expanded it was the idea kind of, "We are doing this great here.
00:24:47.069 --> 00:24:48.569
Now let's do it over there as well."
00:24:48.628 --> 00:24:48.750
Yeah.
00:24:48.750 --> 00:24:50.099
That is not what we're doing.
00:24:50.339 --> 00:24:52.349
No, I mean it's been fascinating to think ...
00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:59.684
I think this whole process has forced me to really uh, use metaphors to understand our work, right?
00:24:59.684 --> 00:25:02.114
So this idea that we have a product line, right?
00:25:02.114 --> 00:25:04.753
We have a series of types of degrees that we offer.
00:25:04.753 --> 00:25:04.814
Yeah.
00:25:05.174 --> 00:25:14.114
And you are great at, uh, consistently saying to the senior team, "I don't want you to take the standard products off of one shelf and put them on another."
00:25:14.174 --> 00:25:14.263
Yeah.
00:25:14.263 --> 00:25:14.503
Right?
00:25:14.503 --> 00:25:23.174
This idea that we really lean in to innovating for the 21st century, what new thing do we need to teach students?
00:25:23.263 --> 00:25:31.394
This is a, this is I think is an important thing, is that other universities may see their mission to, you know, educate 200,000 students.
00:25:31.394 --> 00:25:31.454
Yeah.
00:25:31.454 --> 00:25:32.234
And that's great.
00:25:32.325 --> 00:25:38.144
And that's why that's strength of the American system of higher education is just a kind of diversity and variety of things.
00:25:38.503 --> 00:25:44.773
So the question is, how can we develop models and think through things that then ... that others may find inspiring?
00:25:44.773 --> 00:25:44.835
Yeah.
00:25:45.734 --> 00:25:51.224
Just like, you know, like a hundred years ago when we invented the medical school or the business school or the law schools.
00:25:51.674 --> 00:25:52.753
I think it's time for that.
00:25:52.784 --> 00:25:56.054
Yeah, I mean, I hear you saying "embrace disruption, embrace..."
00:25:56.115 --> 00:25:59.319
...not knowing everything today because you're gonna figure it out."
00:25:59.319 --> 00:25:59.420
This is true.
00:25:59.474 --> 00:26:11.025
You express an incredible level of confidence in us to collectively at Vanderbilt to come up with something new, super exciting and with huge amount of value.
00:26:11.625 --> 00:26:14.295
Yeah, and and we've done this in Nashville too.
00:26:14.444 --> 00:26:14.684
Yeah.
00:26:14.865 --> 00:26:18.075
It's just like, now we're kind of thinking about it at a broader scale.
00:26:18.075 --> 00:26:23.355
So when we decided, you know, I'll give you three examples.
00:26:24.329 --> 00:26:28.740
"We're gonna be competitive in the SEC." We didn't really know how to do that.
00:26:28.859 --> 00:26:30.059
We had a commitment.
00:26:30.059 --> 00:26:33.779
We said like, "okay, so there are a couple of things we know we have to do."
00:26:33.785 --> 00:26:33.875
Yeah.
00:26:33.875 --> 00:26:39.480
"we have to invest in facilities, we have to attract the right people." But exactly how do you do that?
00:26:39.480 --> 00:26:43.019
You learn that you take a leap and then you figure it out.
00:26:43.890 --> 00:26:55.109
When we did the College of Connected Computing, as you know, we had the vision was the sense was— every aspect of the university will be touched by AI.
00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:55.829
Absolutely.
00:26:55.829 --> 00:27:01.079
It's from, you know, the basic sciences and protein foldings and all the way down to anthropology.
00:27:01.170 --> 00:27:01.500
Totally.
00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:02.579
And we could feel that already. Cybele: Right.
00:27:02.579 --> 00:27:06.210
We'd see faculty and students were already doing that...
00:27:06.509 --> 00:27:08.220
Ancient texts and antiquity.
00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:08.369
Right.
00:27:08.369 --> 00:27:14.159
Ancient text and antiquity, which now we—it's a little footnote on that, I think the impact that this will have on the humanity and the
00:27:14.159 --> 00:27:15.898
Yeah.
00:27:15.929 --> 00:27:16.949
...is gonna be massive.
00:27:17.009 --> 00:27:17.099
Yeah.
00:27:17.194 --> 00:27:17.684
Mind-blowing.
00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:22.994
So, but now you have to have students that have to basically go to, you know, do engineering and do it over there.
00:27:22.994 --> 00:27:24.365
That's not gonna work well.
00:27:24.365 --> 00:27:24.605
Yeah.
00:27:25.023 --> 00:27:28.773
So what was the vision? Computing for all.
00:27:29.069 --> 00:27:34.079
So we said, "Okay, let's not do this halfheartedly, but let's create a whole new college...
00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:34.138
Yeah.
00:27:34.378 --> 00:27:35.490
Daniel. ...that has that vision.
00:27:36.029 --> 00:27:39.809
And then that was an exciting vision for us to develop.
00:27:39.809 --> 00:27:46.799
And then another important part of that is it attracts people that are excited by vision that's new and where you can embrace that.
00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:48.898
And so that's what we're trying to do there.
00:27:48.898 --> 00:27:50.069
So now what are we trying to do?
00:27:50.069 --> 00:27:53.398
We're trying to say, "Okay, how do we do this from first principles?
00:27:53.429 --> 00:28:09.029
How do we think about, this is an undergraduate focus about an undergraduate college, if you will, that is designed from day one to ... good way to say this— we wanna create a place that creates creators.
00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:09.329
Yeah.
00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:09.630
Okay.
00:28:10.049 --> 00:28:13.380
Great tagline, and actually very clearly conveys...
00:28:13.380 --> 00:28:14.279
Great, great T-shirt.
00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:14.490
Right?
00:28:14.490 --> 00:28:15.750
That's a great, it's a great tagline.
00:28:15.750 --> 00:28:17.940
And so how, so how do you do this?
00:28:18.269 --> 00:28:19.500
So what do we know about this?
00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:26.400
What we know about this is that a lot of creativity is because people combine different, different pieces.
00:28:26.849 --> 00:28:31.784
They combine engineering with aesthetics or you know, kind of visual arts.
00:28:32.294 --> 00:28:37.875
There are, you know, the people that think about design, they always talk about something needs to, you know, needs to be feasible, right?
00:28:37.875 --> 00:28:40.064
It's a technology site needs to be desirable.
00:28:40.064 --> 00:28:41.503
That's kind of the human dimension.
00:28:42.104 --> 00:28:44.144
Uh, it needs to also work financially.
00:28:44.625 --> 00:28:49.034
That's like three or four different lenses on how you look at the world.
00:28:49.664 --> 00:28:55.335
Physic..., you know, engineering lens, artistic lens, a management sense, a sense about responsible.
00:28:55.335 --> 00:28:59.444
That's kind of where like the question of, you know, "What are the consequences of that policy...
00:28:59.565 --> 00:28:59.744
Right?
00:28:59.835 --> 00:29:02.414
...ethics, those type of things come into that.
00:29:03.224 --> 00:29:06.659
Now, we can do this by people triple majoring.
00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:09.180
And by the way, that's what our students are doing.
00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:09.990
Entirely.
00:29:10.138 --> 00:29:14.099
Our Vanderbilt kids are like constantly doing two majors and a minor, right?
00:29:14.099 --> 00:29:14.250
Yeah.
00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:19.230
I mean the typical, not the typical, but a so common thing is "What I'm doing?
00:29:19.230 --> 00:29:23.519
I'm a Blair student. I'm doing piano major and I'm doing computer science." Seventy...
00:29:23.549 --> 00:29:23.849
what is it ...
00:29:23.849 --> 00:29:26.099
78 percent of our students double major.
00:29:26.105 --> 00:29:26.234
Yep.
00:29:26.939 --> 00:29:29.909
So you see that in this existing structure...
00:29:29.970 --> 00:29:30.898
They're craving it.
00:29:31.109 --> 00:29:31.829
...they're craving it.
00:29:31.829 --> 00:29:31.919
Yeah.
00:29:31.919 --> 00:29:32.759
That's what they want.
00:29:32.759 --> 00:29:37.710
Because they have broad interest and they're, they wanna, they wanna combine these things.
00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:41.490
They wanna develop these different parts of who they are.
00:29:42.119 --> 00:29:43.799
Well, so let's do that from scratch.
00:29:43.859 --> 00:29:45.210
Let's do that from first principles,
00:29:45.210 --> 00:29:46.289
Which I so love, right?
00:29:46.289 --> 00:29:49.589
That you're seeing that the next generation is self-creating it.
00:29:49.619 --> 00:29:50.009
Yes.
00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:50.460
Right.
00:29:50.460 --> 00:30:08.054
They're already generating the prototype, uh, just through their behavior, through their choices and that you are observing that and lifting it up and saying to the rest of us, "Look at this, we could actually utilize this as a map, as a model, as the clay model," as you often say...
00:30:08.144 --> 00:30:08.324
This is true.
00:30:08.324 --> 00:30:10.365
...to think about what we wanna build.
00:30:10.424 --> 00:30:10.664
Yes.
00:30:10.753 --> 00:30:17.519
Well, it's, I think it's reflecting a lot of what you said earlier— capitalizing on the staying power, the gravitas,
00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:17.579
Yeah.
00:30:17.609 --> 00:30:21.119
the deep level of value that Vanderbilt holds.
00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:23.279
And utilizing that as the springboard...
00:30:23.490 --> 00:30:23.579
Yes.
00:30:23.670 --> 00:30:27.329
...to build all of this highly innovation-based...
00:30:27.390 --> 00:30:27.630
Yes.
00:30:27.630 --> 00:30:30.569
...new framing for what higher education could look like.
00:30:30.569 --> 00:30:30.875
This ...
00:30:30.990 --> 00:30:31.710
this is the idea.
00:30:31.710 --> 00:30:43.890
So, so you, so you utilize what you have already, and now you can do something that's new and that's exciting and then, you know, maybe there're lessons that you're gonna be able to incorporate with, you know, the other campuses and so forth.
00:30:43.890 --> 00:30:58.470
So important part of that in San Francisco is that there is a storied arts community already. Is, um, you know, we have the, the location there, which is this, this campus has a lot of studio space already.
00:30:58.470 --> 00:30:58.529
Yeah.
00:30:58.710 --> 00:30:59.279
Very hip.
00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:00.839
Lots of warehouses.
00:31:00.930 --> 00:31:01.650
It's great place.
00:31:01.740 --> 00:31:01.890
It's great.
00:31:01.894 --> 00:31:02.789
Great coffee shops.
00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:04.529
All, all there, right?
00:31:04.535 --> 00:31:07.500
All the, all the ingredients that lead to arts creation.
00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:07.890
Right.
00:31:08.099 --> 00:31:08.460
Exactly.
00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:10.769
So, so putting all of these things together.
00:31:11.189 --> 00:31:12.210
It was really great.
00:31:12.359 --> 00:31:15.569
It was great to have all of these things together, and it worked for that environment.
00:31:15.569 --> 00:31:15.628
Yeah.
00:31:15.628 --> 00:31:19.109
You know, again, in another environment it may be a different conversation, what you want.
00:31:20.159 --> 00:31:24.089
Uh, but for that environment is, uh, we were, it, it, it was great.
00:31:24.089 --> 00:31:30.750
And we are very committed to having and, you know, to making sure that the, that the, the arts education component is strong ...
00:31:30.809 --> 00:31:31.259
Yes.
00:31:31.263 --> 00:31:31.500
...of that.
00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:51.554
That's, uh, that's part of the legacy of, uh, of the, uh, California College for the Arts, which, you know, that's the campus. And so it's an important part for us, and so we want to make sure that that is, that that continues to thrive— A. because it's important, and secondly, because it will help reinvigorate the vision that we want to create at this campus.
00:32:00.974 --> 00:32:06.284
In the next episode of 'Quantum Potential,' different types of music often become the soundtrack of our lives.
00:32:06.854 --> 00:32:14.505
In my conversation with musicologist Melanie Lowe, we'll dive into the meaning of music and the significance of different genres of music over time and culture.
00:32:15.285 --> 00:32:18.194
But first, let's get back to my conversation with Daniel.
00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:39.045
I will say that often because I have, uh, science and technology very foregrounded in terms of, uh, the folks on, uh, 'Quantum Potential,' it might be misunderstood that that's where Vanderbilt sees its strength.
00:32:39.345 --> 00:32:55.513
But I think we see our strength equally in the arts and the humanities and um, it's really wonderful to reaffirm that in this new campus, right, that that is really as exciting, as the most exciting of many, most exciting things, um, that we're able to do.
00:32:55.753 --> 00:32:58.424
So it's great to have you really reaffirm that.
00:32:58.429 --> 00:32:59.804
Can can I add one more comment on that?
00:32:59.804 --> 00:32:59.894
Sure.
00:33:00.314 --> 00:33:03.674
So we haven't talked about New York at all, but one of the things that was,
00:33:03.763 --> 00:33:04.454
I can't wait.
00:33:05.414 --> 00:33:29.954
One of the things that, uh, that's yet another thing and, and it speaks to the arts, I think in a, in a powerful way, is what we're learning is like once you plant the flag and you have a vision about what you're trying to do, new opportunities emerge because people that are members of the community now see you coming, and they see opportunities that you didn't envision.
00:33:30.464 --> 00:33:40.755
So the best example to me is in the art space, is in New York where we we have this beautiful campus and it's kind of, you know, study away for undergraduates, maybe we're gonna have a master's in business and technology.
00:33:40.755 --> 00:33:41.085
Great.
00:33:41.144 --> 00:33:41.325
Yes.
00:33:41.325 --> 00:33:45.045
I mean, we haven't talked on the'Quantum Potential' podcast about New York, so tell us a little bit.
00:33:45.045 --> 00:33:48.734
Yeah, so, so I'll tell you the original thing and then I, and then I wanna connect to the other.
00:33:48.734 --> 00:33:48.825
Yeah.
00:33:48.855 --> 00:34:08.985
So New York was basically that the, you know, we wanted to have a presence in one of the great global cities. Because we felt that for, for undergraduates to be able to really be part of the richness and complexity that a global city has for an extended period will, will be great...
00:34:08.985 --> 00:34:09.045
Yeah.
00:34:09.074 --> 00:34:10.275
...will create opportunities.
00:34:10.304 --> 00:34:13.875
And that's, you know, and not that many places, but New York is certainly one of them.
00:34:14.175 --> 00:34:15.554
So we were thinking about this.
00:34:15.554 --> 00:34:27.735
We then had an opportunity that presented itself where, um, it's called the General Theological Seminary, which was a small liberal arts college with a religious Christian orientation, was going through hard times.
00:34:27.795 --> 00:34:31.920
And this we see, of course, across, uh, across the country.
00:34:32.519 --> 00:34:38.369
So they basically have this beautiful campus, about 2.2 acres...
00:34:38.429 --> 00:34:40.590
Right in the heart of Chelsea.
00:34:38.429 --> 00:34:40.590
Daniel: ...right in the middle of Chelsea.
00:34:40.590 --> 00:34:44.730
And, but it looks like you take a piece from Vanderbilt and teleport it.
00:34:44.730 --> 00:34:46.079
So it's this neo-gothic thing.
00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:48.599
There's this, you know, kinda has this Harry Potter-esque feel to it.
00:34:49.769 --> 00:34:50.398
A unique place.
00:34:50.398 --> 00:34:51.713
...beautiful park.
00:34:52.108 --> 00:34:56.338
So we said, "This is great." And we, we had to act very quickly.
00:34:56.338 --> 00:35:00.358
So we, we were able to do this, um, uh, really in a very short time.
00:35:00.568 --> 00:35:06.449
And then another question was,"Okay, so, so how do we think about this study away idea?"
00:35:06.539 --> 00:35:06.719
Right?
00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:12.358
If we can send our students to Rome and Istanbul, surely we should be able to send our students to New York, right?
00:35:12.750 --> 00:35:12.849
Yes, exactly.
00:35:12.898 --> 00:35:19.934
And, and now, you know, when you, when you do a study away, it's like, study abroad, you are working usually with partner.
00:35:19.994 --> 00:35:21.824
It's not a fully fledged...
00:35:21.824 --> 00:35:22.094
Right.
00:35:22.275 --> 00:35:24.885
...curriculum, it's not really a career opportunity.
00:35:24.885 --> 00:35:34.065
So if you study a, you know, you study in as a junior in Florence, you're not going there because you're thinking about, "I'm gonna...
00:35:34.094 --> 00:35:34.875
Getting a job there.
00:35:34.875 --> 00:35:37.514
...I'm gonna get a job in Florence." This is ... this a different thing.
00:35:38.144 --> 00:35:45.914
But if you're interested to work in, you know, international finance or policy or, or marketing or media or the arts.
00:35:46.304 --> 00:35:47.894
Or you think you have a startup idea.
00:35:47.923 --> 00:35:48.644
or a startup, right?
00:35:48.644 --> 00:35:50.085
It's a great place to be.
00:35:50.144 --> 00:35:54.704
And so that was kind of the vision.
00:35:50.144 --> 00:35:55.844
And um, again, we wanted to do it experimentally a little bit.
00:35:55.844 --> 00:36:04.574
So we wanted to think about that this, this study away year would not be just kind of like, you know, you're doing your classes there and then you go to the Met.
00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:12.059
But it's like integrated, it ... being part of the fabric as having opportunities that New York has to offer.
00:36:12.568 --> 00:36:13.679
So that was the thought.
00:36:14.009 --> 00:36:14.759
Okay, great.
00:36:14.818 --> 00:36:21.210
You know, and then we, we, we are doing a master's degree in business and technology was kind of the first iteration of what I talked about before.
00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:25.079
But then we, we, we get an inquiry from the Whitney.
00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:28.409
Now the Whitney is moved from the Upper East Side to Chelsea.
00:36:28.920 --> 00:36:30.690
They were looking for an academic partner.
00:36:31.769 --> 00:36:34.559
Well, we didn't, we didn't, it wasn't really on our radar screen, I mean.
00:36:34.619 --> 00:36:43.949
It wasn't really in anything that we planned, but now, you know, you build a great program there already and we're, we're doing a partnership with them now and...
00:36:43.949 --> 00:36:45.630
super, super interesting, right?
00:36:45.630 --> 00:36:46.380
Super interesting.
00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:51.088
And now you have a world class museum there of the quality of the Whitney.
00:36:51.778 --> 00:36:52.739
You want to connect with that.
00:36:52.858 --> 00:36:52.980
Yeah.
00:36:52.983 --> 00:36:54.599
So, so that's the...
00:36:54.599 --> 00:37:07.844
I would just, I'll say on that front, you know what's so exciting is ... that's not just exciting, I think, from our perspective in terms of being able to send students for internship on the business of running a world premier arts organization, right?
00:37:07.844 --> 00:37:16.693
Where a student can not just do a, an internship on arts curation, but an internship on, you know, how to finance, uh, Biennial.
00:37:16.693 --> 00:37:31.900
Um, in those instances, they're not just great opportunities for students, they're great opportunities for our alumni, they're our great opportunities for future prospective students who might wanna learn more about Vanderbilt and about the Whitney, right?
00:37:31.900 --> 00:37:48.559
So that the chances of partnering to expand the general public's excitement, you know, we can do programming at our campus, uh, to provide art history and the future of the arts lectures in ways that Scott Rothkopf and others are excited about, right?
00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:52.639
So just to say a word on that, um, you're absolutely right.
00:37:52.639 --> 00:38:00.530
It gives us this remarkable foothold in a new community of organizations that are really at the top of...
00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:00.860
Right.
00:38:01.010 --> 00:38:05.210
And now, now add that to what we're doing in San Francisco.
00:38:05.510 --> 00:38:10.250
And of course there's an emerging art scene in South Florida, mostly in Miami, right?
00:38:10.250 --> 00:38:11.780
which is, but which is an hour away.
00:38:12.409 --> 00:38:18.525
So now you can think about, what's an art strategy that connects these three things?
00:38:18.974 --> 00:38:25.724
Just like what's the space strategy that connects what's happening in Florida, what's happening in Huntsville, what's happening in Nashville?
00:38:25.994 --> 00:38:26.534
So,
00:38:26.923 --> 00:38:27.195
Love that.
00:38:27.403 --> 00:38:29.324
That's yet another way to think about it.
00:38:29.324 --> 00:38:42.719
So there are all these, there are all these kind of things that are, I would say, additional, um, opportunities that emerge once you're in it, once you do it once, you know, you see like, "Oh my God, I can build this connection."
00:38:42.778 --> 00:38:45.269
You've talked about that as the networked university.
00:38:45.269 --> 00:38:45.539
Yeah.
00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:47.039
That's, that's the way we're thinking about it now.
00:38:47.043 --> 00:38:47.153
Yeah.
00:38:47.188 --> 00:38:47.429
Yeah.
00:38:47.519 --> 00:38:52.469
The network is not just a social network, it's actually networks of locations.
00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:53.429
Networks of location.
00:38:53.429 --> 00:39:02.489
They have their own strengths, you know, with our, you know, with a hub in Nashville and where, where now you can see how do you do these connections?
00:39:02.550 --> 00:39:02.610
Yeah.
00:39:02.610 --> 00:39:02.789
Right.
00:39:02.789 --> 00:39:04.679
How do you do, how do you, how do you do these connections?
00:39:04.679 --> 00:39:07.469
How do you, how do you think through that?
00:39:07.469 --> 00:39:11.280
There are common themes that are emerging.
00:39:11.639 --> 00:39:16.949
You saw this already with New York, is that people may spend some time here, and so all these things need to be figured out.
00:39:17.429 --> 00:39:22.800
Um, but um, I think the important big lesson for us is that you have a vision.
00:39:23.159 --> 00:39:24.210
You develop something.
00:39:24.974 --> 00:39:25.844
That's great.
00:39:25.934 --> 00:39:27.344
If that works, awesome.
00:39:27.434 --> 00:39:31.875
But then as you're doing that, new opportunities emerge and then you have to evaluate them as well.
00:39:32.025 --> 00:39:32.565
Amazing.
00:39:32.565 --> 00:39:34.485
And which then brings us back to Nashville, right?
00:39:34.485 --> 00:39:34.724
Yes.
00:39:34.965 --> 00:39:38.985
So tell us a little bit about the innovation district that we've also recently announced.
00:39:39.164 --> 00:39:49.394
You know, I feel that these announcements have been, you know, actually not month by month, but day by day. We've been releasing, um, this really fantastic news about the innovation district.
00:39:49.425 --> 00:39:49.635
Yes.
00:39:49.635 --> 00:39:53.144
So, Nashville is on a roll.
00:39:53.684 --> 00:39:56.355
We see so much energy.
00:39:56.594 --> 00:40:00.974
People want to be here, creativity, but there are also pieces that need to be added.
00:40:01.335 --> 00:40:13.784
And one thing I think that, um, Vanderbilt's role always has been is kind of where like, you know, there are multiple universities here, but with the big, you know, research university, not only for Nashville private research unit, but for the entire region.
00:40:14.474 --> 00:40:19.664
And so I think that creates an opportunity, but also a responsibility for us to take a leadership position on that.
00:40:20.338 --> 00:40:29.608
And, um, nowhere better than when we're thinking about, um, innovation here because of the tremendous work that our students and faculty do every day.
00:40:30.269 --> 00:40:35.128
So there are certain pieces that need to be added.
00:40:35.338 --> 00:40:45.059
And you see this in communities across the country, which are these innovation districts, innovation neighborhoods, the data are kind of breathtaking.
00:40:45.059 --> 00:40:56.954
So once you have that, you know what that can do and the impact that it can have on the success of universities to take their, their research and the work of their students and translate into impact.
00:40:57.463 --> 00:40:59.983
They're really, really startling once you see that.
00:40:59.983 --> 00:41:00.914
But you have to build it.
00:41:01.065 --> 00:41:01.304
Yeah.
00:41:01.724 --> 00:41:04.545
Sometimes communities build it, sometimes universities build it.
00:41:04.963 --> 00:41:06.795
Many universities have been engaged with that.
00:41:07.409 --> 00:41:08.429
So that's what we're doing.
00:41:08.460 --> 00:41:18.360
But we want to do it in a way that is uniquely Nashville, that captures, I think, the spirit of the place, the soul of the city, if you will.
00:41:18.780 --> 00:41:23.280
So my sense is always is what Nashville is about.
00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:29.219
It's about a place where people come together, creative people that wanna do something together they couldn't do on their own.
00:41:29.699 --> 00:41:32.969
So to me the central metaphor for Nashville is the band.
00:41:33.480 --> 00:41:36.389
You know, the central metaphor for L.A. is the star.
00:41:36.480 --> 00:41:37.260
That's different.
00:41:37.679 --> 00:41:41.125
You know, a lot of that is a little bit more sharp elbows and, you know, who's listed first.
00:41:41.804 --> 00:41:43.934
But, you know, people, people form a band.
00:41:43.934 --> 00:41:46.215
There's the round, there's like, you know, there's a,
00:41:46.335 --> 00:41:47.414
Sorry, just to interject.
00:41:47.414 --> 00:41:48.735
Didn't you play the guitar at one point?
00:41:48.735 --> 00:41:51.135
I did, but classical guitar, which was a huge mistake.
00:41:51.284 --> 00:41:53.534
So, so, so this is, this is just kind...
00:41:53.534 --> 00:41:55.635
Trying to check in on whether there was a personal segue.
00:41:55.635 --> 00:41:58.695
There's a, that that's a, that's a, that's a, that's...
00:41:59.414 --> 00:41:59.565
We'll let that go.
00:42:00.105 --> 00:42:03.375
Let's, let's think about, let's think about that in a future episode, okay?
00:42:03.375 --> 00:42:04.094
So, um.
00:42:04.735 --> 00:42:07.764
So I played classic guitar, played actually in a string orchestra.
00:42:07.795 --> 00:42:08.005
There you go.
00:42:08.005 --> 00:42:09.864
So moderately successful.
00:42:09.864 --> 00:42:10.014
All right.
00:42:10.014 --> 00:42:15.054
So good for you that you're expanding past, uh, you know, classical orchestra into band metaphor.
00:42:15.054 --> 00:42:15.235
Go for it.
00:42:15.295 --> 00:42:16.255
Exactly, exactly.
00:42:16.255 --> 00:42:21.594
So, um, so what did ... You know, it's creative, it's collaborative.
00:42:21.594 --> 00:42:23.875
People support and challenge each other.
00:42:24.025 --> 00:42:25.795
It's kind of like what the university's values are.
00:42:25.795 --> 00:42:25.855
Yeah.
00:42:25.855 --> 00:42:27.414
You have to be super flexible, right?
00:42:27.414 --> 00:42:27.505
Yes.
00:42:27.534 --> 00:42:32.775
You might be a classical guitarist, but you're called to play on it in a yes for a jazz gig, right?
00:42:32.775 --> 00:42:33.434
Yes, yes.
00:42:33.434 --> 00:42:36.315
You know, it's, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss?
00:42:36.554 --> 00:42:38.474
You know, how did that, how did that happen, right?
00:42:38.474 --> 00:42:42.855
So, but that's, that's what this place is, and I think that's what the university is.
00:42:42.855 --> 00:42:53.625
I think this, you know, we, we, what we talk about radical collaboration— at the root is this, it's a manifestation of the same spirit, of the same values, if you will.
00:42:53.630 --> 00:42:53.750
Yeah.
00:42:53.809 --> 00:42:58.003
So that means, now, I don't want an office park.
00:42:58.184 --> 00:43:06.943
You know, I don't want a place where people, you know, drive there and they go there and they're go, they're go, I don't want that want, I want to think about something that is a neighborhood, right?
00:43:06.943 --> 00:43:06.954
Yeah.
00:43:06.954 --> 00:43:08.625
That is that where...
00:43:08.625 --> 00:43:09.733
Live, work, play...
00:43:09.733 --> 00:43:10.213
Exactly.
00:43:10.273 --> 00:43:11.054
All of that, right?
00:43:11.054 --> 00:43:21.630
That has a, that captures physically, you know, in a, in a physical manifestation what this place is. So, you know, I don't wanna look like Manhattan.
00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:21.900
Yeah.
00:43:21.900 --> 00:43:23.789
You know, this is not, this is, this is a different place.
00:43:23.789 --> 00:43:24.090
Yes, totally.
00:43:24.335 --> 00:43:25.530
It has, it has a different thing.
00:43:25.530 --> 00:43:28.380
And so it's important for us to get this right.
00:43:28.860 --> 00:43:36.780
And another piece I think that's critical here is that it needs to be a place that's really inviting for people to try out things.
00:43:36.869 --> 00:43:36.960
Yes.
00:43:36.960 --> 00:43:40.650
You know, it's kind of like, it, it, it need the barriers.
00:43:41.250 --> 00:43:44.519
We, we do want companies to relocate.
00:43:44.519 --> 00:43:53.458
We just had a wonderful example that the, you know, Japanese biomedical company, Nissha, had their R&D capabilities moved here.
00:43:53.458 --> 00:43:54.088
That's great.
00:43:54.509 --> 00:44:01.918
But we do want it to be a place for the equivalent of, you know, the person who comes with the guitar on the Greyhound.
00:44:01.918 --> 00:44:02.923
You know what, what is that?
00:44:02.923 --> 00:44:03.164
No, I love it.
00:44:03.483 --> 00:44:04.324
The test bed, right?
00:44:04.434 --> 00:44:05.730
The venture studio.
00:44:05.730 --> 00:44:08.699
The place that somebody can do exactly what we are doing in other cities.
00:44:08.699 --> 00:44:08.938
Exactly.
00:44:08.938 --> 00:44:09.659
Try something out.
00:44:09.659 --> 00:44:10.318
See if it works.
00:44:10.438 --> 00:44:10.889
If not...
00:44:10.894 --> 00:44:10.923
Exactly.
00:44:11.188 --> 00:44:11.579
Exactly.
00:44:11.579 --> 00:44:12.699
So that's what we're trying to do.
00:44:13.724 --> 00:44:21.494
There's a whole 'nother thing that's super interesting here, which is the land that we have is, is adjacent to our athletics facilities.
00:44:22.273 --> 00:44:25.664
Football stadium, basketball stadium, Memorial Gym.
00:44:26.443 --> 00:44:28.903
Now we, we just, we built this phenomenal...
00:44:29.144 --> 00:44:29.414
Yeah.
00:44:29.474 --> 00:44:30.403
...beautiful stadium.
00:44:30.989 --> 00:44:31.500
It's great.
00:44:31.500 --> 00:44:32.579
Everybody loves it.
00:44:32.699 --> 00:44:33.449
It's fantastic.
00:44:33.449 --> 00:44:35.010
It's packed, but we have a great team now.
00:44:35.010 --> 00:44:35.550
That helps.
00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:36.824
Uh, but it's a, it's a
00:44:36.960 --> 00:44:37.920
Shout out to Candice Lee.
00:44:37.920 --> 00:44:38.280
I know.
00:44:38.280 --> 00:44:38.429
It's amazing.
00:44:38.429 --> 00:44:42.030
Candice, Candice, I hope you're listening and uh, that's great.
00:44:42.030 --> 00:44:46.650
But, but now notice something right?
00:44:42.030 --> 00:44:48.929
Is that we're using this a few times a year, but there's great space in there.
00:44:49.469 --> 00:45:06.793
So is there a way to reimagine how we think about these innovation areas that is more connected with that. And the great, actually, examples from Europe on that where soccer stadiums that are also double as conference centers—all sorts of things that I think are gonna be interesting there...
00:45:06.855 --> 00:45:07.125
So cool.
00:45:07.394 --> 00:45:12.585
...and will help us to activate kind of the athletics village, if you will, in a different way.
00:45:12.585 --> 00:45:17.894
So there's, we're, there are a lot of new ideas that are, that are coming on, on that.
00:45:17.894 --> 00:45:24.585
But, but what's important to us is that, that this needs to be something that feels right for the university and for the community.
00:45:32.355 --> 00:45:37.125
I think across all of that set of investments and opportunities.
00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:44.338
You know, we're moving super fast, which is extremely exciting, and we are in a lot of places all at one time.
00:45:44.639 --> 00:45:50.250
How do we hold on to, um, our values, our vision, our mission?
00:45:50.579 --> 00:45:59.009
Tell us a little bit about the ways in which you and I have talked so much about delivering at the level that we deliver here, everywhere.
00:45:59.909 --> 00:46:06.119
And that notion that you brought to the table earlier, that we don't have to take a zero-sum perspective to this, right?
00:46:06.119 --> 00:46:08.099
You've helped me immensely in my own leadership.
00:46:08.429 --> 00:46:13.619
You know, I think you said, "Cybele, free yourself from zero-sum thinking," right?
00:46:13.679 --> 00:46:13.739
Yeah.
00:46:13.798 --> 00:46:19.048
Tell us a little bit about how you think of, um, Vanderbilt as we expand.
00:46:20.309 --> 00:46:27.150
I think the greatness of both individuals and institution, is about being super clear on who they are, who we are.
00:46:27.510 --> 00:46:39.480
So before we did all of this, right after we got through the worst of COVID, which was, you know, kind of a crucible for us but that really showed us what we can do.
00:46:39.539 --> 00:46:39.750
Yeah.
00:46:39.750 --> 00:46:40.889
I think that was an important part.
00:46:40.889 --> 00:46:41.849
Super galvanizing.
00:46:41.940 --> 00:46:42.000
Yeah.
00:46:42.000 --> 00:46:43.289
It showed us what we can do...
00:46:43.349 --> 00:46:43.409
Yeah.
00:46:43.800 --> 00:46:53.550
...under the difficult circumstance that we can, we can be clear to our values, we can operate kind of at a high level of metabolism, and we can be proudly and uniquely ourself.
00:46:53.550 --> 00:46:54.750
We don't have to cop out everywhere.
00:46:54.750 --> 00:46:58.483
So that was an important, kind of, moment for us to experience that.
00:46:59.264 --> 00:47:00.344
Then what is that?
00:47:00.403 --> 00:47:02.204
I mean, how do we, how do we maintain that?
00:47:02.233 --> 00:47:03.585
What, what did we learn from that?
00:47:03.585 --> 00:47:12.253
How do we take this kind of experience that we all had together and, and help us to sharpen our understanding of who we are?
00:47:12.943 --> 00:47:14.684
And everything was there.
00:47:15.403 --> 00:47:21.284
Everything was there, all the way down to like our position on free expression, open forum and institutional neutrality...
00:47:21.284 --> 00:47:21.375
Yep.
00:47:21.375 --> 00:47:22.903
...that goes back to the sixties.
00:47:22.903 --> 00:47:23.349
Was all there.
00:47:24.599 --> 00:47:30.179
And so, and the same is true on our point of view on education and research.
00:47:30.179 --> 00:47:30.239
Yeah.
00:47:30.269 --> 00:47:30.570
Right?
00:47:30.570 --> 00:47:46.530
And the, the kind of the, what we call the identity, the values of Vanderbilt, the growth mindset, you know, we what we now call "dare to grow." So this has always been a place that fundamentally was committed to helping every member of its community realize their full potential.
00:47:47.039 --> 00:47:55.335
So on the student side, this always meant you combine academic rigor with an environment where students can grow as people.
00:47:55.364 --> 00:47:55.634
Yeah.
00:47:55.693 --> 00:47:59.204
This great combination between challenge and opportunity.
00:47:59.204 --> 00:47:59.954
A hundred percent.
00:48:00.045 --> 00:48:00.255
Right.
00:48:00.255 --> 00:48:01.574
Challenge and support.
00:48:01.875 --> 00:48:02.744
I love that.
00:48:02.835 --> 00:48:04.219
So challenge and opportunity.
00:48:04.219 --> 00:48:04.514
And challenge...
00:48:04.514 --> 00:48:10.934
It's always kind of like, you know, I would say that's almost the second pillar, which is like this, this is a place, it's not a sharp elbow place.
00:48:10.934 --> 00:48:14.775
It's a place where we are all members of one community that support and challenge each other.
00:48:14.775 --> 00:48:15.614
Kind of like a team.
00:48:15.673 --> 00:48:15.795
Yeah.
00:48:17.369 --> 00:48:26.789
The growth piece is, is that we have such a strong track record in educating leaders across the board.
00:48:26.849 --> 00:48:27.059
Yeah.
00:48:27.239 --> 00:48:27.539
Right?
00:48:27.539 --> 00:48:31.019
It wasn't you have to be an entrepreneur.
00:48:31.110 --> 00:48:31.170
Yeah.
00:48:31.170 --> 00:48:34.920
You have to be go to go to Ph.D.
00:48:31.170 --> 00:48:34.920
or you have to be an engineer.
00:48:35.818 --> 00:48:38.909
I always say we do from, you know, from Bach to baseball and everything in between.
00:48:39.389 --> 00:48:39.480
Yeah.
00:48:39.480 --> 00:48:42.750
We have world class musicians, we have world class engineers, we have people that run businesses.
00:48:42.750 --> 00:48:44.804
We have world-class athletes.
00:48:45.164 --> 00:48:48.224
We have a lot of people that that are ... go to public service.
00:48:48.224 --> 00:48:49.994
We have senators, we have governors.
00:48:49.994 --> 00:48:52.125
We have a lot of admirals and generals.
00:48:52.155 --> 00:48:52.275
Yeah.
00:48:53.175 --> 00:49:00.824
But the secret, I think, was always academic rigor and create an environment where they can develop their leadership capabilities.
00:49:01.545 --> 00:49:05.054
The Residential College model is just a manifestation of that.
00:49:05.324 --> 00:49:19.335
So that piece, the kind of what we call "dare to grow" and then what you pointed out, the kind of collaborative nature, that this is a community that supports and challenge each other— what we now call radical collaboration— those two pillars are what we are.
00:49:19.425 --> 00:49:19.724
Yeah.
00:49:20.175 --> 00:49:21.105
That's what we are.
00:49:21.105 --> 00:49:24.434
And, and that has always guided us.
00:49:24.974 --> 00:49:29.804
So everything we do has to be consistent with that.
00:49:30.014 --> 00:49:30.614
So.
00:49:31.423 --> 00:49:39.614
When we do athletics, right, we want to make sure that we have success on the field. And we can't shy away from that.
00:49:39.614 --> 00:49:43.485
And there can't be an excuse to say like, "Well, it's sort this didn't..." and no, no, no.
00:49:43.514 --> 00:49:43.634
Yeah.
00:49:44.173 --> 00:49:49.784
We, if we, if we're, if we wanna compete at the highest level, we're gonna compete at the highest level and let's do that.
00:49:49.815 --> 00:49:49.875
Yeah.
00:49:49.875 --> 00:49:50.324
Full stop.
00:49:50.715 --> 00:50:06.108
At the same time, we wanna make sure that our student-athletes, you know, when they succeed, when they graduate, that they have either successful careers on the field and then after one, or they have successful careers so that the ...
00:50:06.134 --> 00:50:07.364
They go on to medical school,
00:50:07.364 --> 00:50:09.855
The medical schools, they, you know, become venture capitalists.
00:50:09.855 --> 00:50:09.943
Right.
00:50:09.943 --> 00:50:13.605
They, whatever they, whatever they do, they're, you know, they become governors or ...
00:50:13.605 --> 00:50:13.844
Right.
00:50:14.414 --> 00:50:15.644
they're prepared for that.
00:50:15.704 --> 00:50:15.855
Yeah.
00:50:16.213 --> 00:50:22.903
So the Ingram Center, which is supporting our student-athletes, was a really important investment that we did four years ago.
00:50:23.940 --> 00:50:40.170
It makes me so proud that when we, I just had this a month ago when, uh, you know, Eli Stowers, our you know, our star tight end who is projected to be likely now an NFL, maybe even for first-round pick, leading tight end in the, in the draft...
00:50:40.170 --> 00:50:40.559
Amazing.
00:50:40.920 --> 00:50:45.210
...won this award, which is basically scholar-athlete of the year.
00:50:45.780 --> 00:50:46.289
And
00:50:46.409 --> 00:50:46.710
Right.
00:50:46.710 --> 00:50:51.239
Our students, our student- athletes' GPA on average is 3.5.
00:50:51.239 --> 00:50:51.539
Right.
00:50:51.539 --> 00:50:52.440
Or 3.0.
00:50:52.500 --> 00:50:53.909
It's a, I think it's even a little higher.
00:50:53.909 --> 00:50:55.619
He had, he came in with 3.92.
00:50:55.619 --> 00:50:55.800
Yeah.
00:50:56.309 --> 00:51:00.269
And he had, while he was here, he got a master in finance, and now he's doing a master in legal studies.
00:51:00.539 --> 00:51:00.929
It's just,
00:51:01.259 --> 00:51:05.099
So when we do this right, it's both things together.
00:51:05.099 --> 00:51:10.230
It's this specific skill that we wanna develop, plus we prepare you for life.
00:51:10.259 --> 00:51:10.349
Yeah.
00:51:11.400 --> 00:51:16.155
Everything we wanna do is gonna be consistent with these values and this identity.
00:51:16.155 --> 00:51:16.215
Yeah.
00:51:16.215 --> 00:51:17.414
This is really important.
00:51:17.835 --> 00:51:26.474
So that's not gonna be without challenges, because how do you make sure that this strong culture is really alive and well across multiple locations?
00:51:27.014 --> 00:51:37.664
That's something we need to learn and we need to learn, but the, the focus that this is absolutely critical is something that we need to be aware of and what needs to drive our decision-making.
00:51:37.724 --> 00:51:37.844
Yeah.
00:51:37.844 --> 00:51:42.074
No, and I think it's affecting even the way we think about fall of '26 in New York City.
00:51:42.480 --> 00:51:47.068
You know, we've already started planning January of 26, the faculty orientation...
00:51:47.130 --> 00:51:47.338
Yeah.
00:51:47.639 --> 00:52:00.358
...for every single person who is in a classroom in our New York City campus so that those values, that vision and that commitment is reflected in New York City exactly in the same way that it's reflected here, right?
00:52:00.684 --> 00:52:01.500
This is correct.
00:52:01.500 --> 00:52:01.559
Yeah.
00:52:02.009 --> 00:52:06.119
So the values, the core principle, the purpose is the same.
00:52:06.824 --> 00:52:18.974
And then there's gonna be variety in their experiences. And making crystal clear about this is what a Vanderbilt education is, that's the culture we have on campus, no matter whether it's here or there, is gonna be critical.
00:52:19.275 --> 00:52:20.835
So incredibly important.
00:52:20.835 --> 00:52:26.264
Chancellor, I know this has been a super lively, but also extensive conversation.
00:52:26.565 --> 00:52:37.335
I wanna make sure not to take too much more of your time, but as you imagine Vanderbilt 20 to 30 years from now, what do you hope people will say about this period of our, our growth as an institution?
00:52:37.605 --> 00:52:45.644
Our aspiration is that we define or help define what the great university of the 21st century is—and be that.
00:52:46.634 --> 00:52:53.505
Daniel, thank you so much for your leadership and for sharing such a thoughtful and deeply ambitious vision for Vanderbilt.
00:52:53.505 --> 00:53:14.519
I think this conversation really captures this incredibly pivotal moment, uh, one that's defined by connection, one that's defined by purpose, and uh, really the belief that universities can not only meet the world where it is, but take us to a really exciting new place, um, helping to shape what comes next.
00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:18.329
And to our listeners, thank you so much for spending this time with us.
00:53:18.539 --> 00:53:29.855
As Vanderbilt continues to grow across campuses, partnerships and communities, we really look forward to bringing you more conversations that explore the ideas and people that drive this work forward.
00:53:30.599 --> 00:53:32.405
I'm Cybele Raver, and this is 'Quantum...
00:53:32.405 --> 00:53:35.369
Can I say one more thing before you sign off? One more thing?
00:53:35.369 --> 00:53:47.849
Because not only are you a great host for these podcasts, but you're such a terrific provost, and I think it's like, you know, all, all, a lot of the things that we need to get done, it's really, it's really happening, you know, through your dedication.
00:53:47.849 --> 00:53:59.880
And I think it's important for us, you know, in a, in a time, in a period of where higher education is so often criticized, you know, from different sides of political spectrum.
00:53:59.880 --> 00:53:59.889
Mm-hmm.
00:54:00.525 --> 00:54:01.394
This is noble work.
00:54:01.634 --> 00:54:07.815
This is work that does so much good in our ... for our faculty, for our people, for our students, and for the communities.
00:54:07.844 --> 00:54:17.429
And to be part of a university that is really has the opportunity for doing this great work and doing it now at even a larger scale is fantastic.
00:54:17.429 --> 00:54:17.880
Thank you.
00:54:17.940 --> 00:54:18.869
Thank you.
00:54:18.929 --> 00:54:26.070
What a wonderful way to, uh, close and a way to feel so energized as we go forward.
00:54:26.759 --> 00:54:32.159
And with that, I am indeed Cybele Raver, your provost.
00:54:32.164 --> 00:54:33.965
And this is 'Quantum Potential.'
00:54:33.994 --> 00:54:34.295
Thank you.
00:54:41.375 --> 00:54:44.494
The 'Quantum Potential' podcast comes from Vanderbilt University.
00:54:45.065 --> 00:54:50.585
I'm your host, Cybele Raver, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs with Vanderbilt University.
00:54:51.605 --> 00:54:54.844
This episode was edited and mixed by the team at Sound On.
00:54:54.844 --> 00:54:55.625
Sound Off.
00:54:55.894 --> 00:54:59.824
You can learn more about their work at Sound on Sound off dot com.
00:55:00.659 --> 00:55:06.028
For more information about'Quantum Potential,' go to vanderbilt.edu/quantum potential.
00:55:07.079 --> 00:55:10.108
Thank you for joining us today for the 'Quantum Potential' podcast.
00:55:10.798 --> 00:55:15.989
Stay tuned for more conversations with the thinkers and innovators reshaping our world.
00:55:16.679 --> 00:55:20.639
I'm Cybele Raver, and this has been 'Quantum Potential.'