Vantage Points
Peace Tech is Good for Business
We like to say that, “We can spot stories before they become stories.” We’re projecting things like likelihood of protests—some of which are violent—down to the city and date. That’s what we’re actually doing in terms of our projections. We monitor data, and we can see some trends and say, “Hey, this might turn into some big story.”
THE ART OF EFFECTIVE HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS
In the future, I think there’s going to be much more emphasis on local procurement than on the old model of shipping of containers from other countries. I don’t see the old model completely disappearing—there is a legitimate place for excess usable goods, especially new, to be utilized in the humanitarian sector rather than ending up in landfills—but it’s going to be much more thoughtfully and philosophically done going forward.
Life as a Displaced Person in Iraq
Over two million individuals have been hosted in Kurdish refugee camps over the last ten years. There are still over 1.3 million people living in 47 camps and local neighborhoods throughout Kurdistan. These camps were designed to provide temporary shelter.
Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Conversation
"The true end goal is to have an embodied agent moving around. You can think of AI as the brain, and robotics as the body. Right now, we have disembodied voices speaking to us–that’s not real. When we finally have these physically present robots, things will change. Robotics and virtual or augmented reality are two areas to focus on. Robotics is the tipping point. "
Justice is Key to Social Stability and Lasting Peace in Iraq
"There is an immediate need to bring to justice all those who have committed crimes and violated the rights of Iraqi civilians, not only members of terrorist organizations but all who have, in personal or official capacity, committed vicious crimes. A credible justice system should give no consideration to political affiliations, social status, or religious and ethnic identities."
The Way Forward for Iraq After ISIS
"Over three years have passed since ISIS took control of one third of Iraq. The war on ISIS resulted in unprecedented human losses and suffering, economic crisis and destruction of infrastructure and public and private property. It will require billions of US dollars and years to recover."
Addressing the Animal Origins of Infectious Diseases
"We’ve found over the past few years that about 70 percent of new and reemerging infectious diseases have an animal origin. We have found that these diseases are spilling over into humans, and we think a lot of that has to do with humans encroaching more and more into animal spaces."
Economic Empowerment is a Civil Right
"Operation HOPE is the first nonprofit banker in the United States. Our programs serve as a model for economic empowerment that have been acknowledged by President Bill Clinton, Oprah, the United States government, and other leaders and partners around the world. "
The Impact of Private Funding and Research on Lupus
"In the lupus community, we’re all driven by the same goal - improving the lives of people with lupus - but there are silos. The culture of research and collaboration around drug development and working with industry doesn’t yet fully exist."
Bridging the Gaps Between Intentions and Outcomes
"Structures are the organizing components of how you’ll work together. Without a structure, you have people doing things, but cohesion is missing. This makes it hard to prototype and move forward from failure or to the next success. Without a structure, the odds are high that you’ll be unable to do what you said you would do."
