2019 Cross Industry Innovation Summit - NASA

to recycle and reprocessspace debris into refinedmetal for use in spacefor manufacturing andconstruction. Ideally, alluseful mass should stay inspace for re-use in a futurein-space economy.That makes sense. As wespend millions bringing itup to there, why not use itto create something new?Can we 3D-print our newmoon homes with spacejunk? Can we generateenergy from controlled collisions usingthe 28,000 km per hour speed of the spacewaste? Can we pull the space waste to Earth’satmosphere, where it burns, to make fallingstars—cleaning up space and creating a newspectacle, as a replacement for pollutingfireworks for the Olympics or World Expo? Iam sure we can.Right now the Space Waste Lab has afocus on our “Shooting Stars” project, tocreate artificial fallen stars from capturedspace waste, as a visual performance andimprovement of humanity. ESA and expertshave validated this is realistic in terms ofscience and technology. Or can we use9captured space waste to 3D print habitats onthe moon, as NASA has already scheduled?That is the new way to go—to create aneconomy in which waste for the one is aresource for the other.We need to look at space in a better way. Itis our new space to explore, and we shouldapply the lessons learned on planet Earth.What is space waste, how can we fix it, andwhat is its potential? Only then we can createa future which is good for all humanity. Daan Roosegaarde is a Dutch artist and innovator, andthe founder of Studio Roosegaarde.

Leveling thePlaying Field: AtSchool and At WorkBy Sian BeilockIt’s been said that fortune favors the bold.We live in a world that values being assertive,being agile, and — yes — being bold. But forwomen, these are not traits that are typicallypraised or rewarded. Instead, from a youngage, girls are taught to follow the rules andstrive for perfection. And we’re long overduefor a change.We’re at a pivotal moment right now. Genderequality is not yet the norm, but women aremaking strides and working to claim theirseat at the table. More women than everbefore serve on corporate boards. A historicnumber of female candidates are seeking theDemocratic nomination for president, anda record number of women are serving inCongress. Women outnumber men in college,in medical school, and in law school. But ifwe want to keep trending upward, we needto recognize how gendered socialization hasheld women back and will continue to do so— unless we take steps to correct it.It starts early in life. On the elementaryschool playground, boys are the daredevils,the risk-takers, and the troublemakers. Girls,however, tend to be more cautious. Andtheir parents are more likely to support themremaining on the sidelines. These behavioraldifferences carry into the classroom. Workinghard and following instructions to a T getsgirls good grades; they are conditioned tostrive for order. The end result is that girlstend to avoid breaking the rules.Math tests are a clear example of this. Girlsare more likely to follow the conventionalproblem-solving techniques they learn inthe classroom. Boys will look for shortcutsinstead of adding up the ones’ columns,the tens’ columns, and then the hundreds’columns, as students are often taught to do.As students hit their teen years, this behaviorpersists. Consider one study that examinedhow male and female students performed on10the math section of the SAT. Just as in theelementary school years, boys were morelikely to use shortcuts — or, if you will, takemathematical risks — as they completedthe standardized test. Rather than diligentlysolve an equation, as girls do, boys movedthrough questions as quickly as possible. Inthe context of a timed exam, that can givethem an advantage — an advantage that is notnecessarily reflective of mathematical ability.Case in point: Among girls and boys whoattain comparable SAT-M scores, girls go onto achieve higher math grades at the collegeor university level.Once they enter the working world, women’sproclivity to follow the rules again holds themback. They undersell themselves when askingfor raises, often abiding by the rule of havingan outside offer before they ask. They’re lesslikely to apply for jobs unless they meet everyrequirement of the role, as was the case ina now-famous Hewlett-Packard study thatrevealed women nominate themselves for apromotion only if they meet 100 percent ofthe job requirements. Men, on the other hand,do so when they meet 60 percent. Makingmatters worse, when women do make it to thetop, they’re held to more rigid standards thantheir male counterparts.It doesn’t have to be this way. Starting froman early age, we can actively encourage our

daughters to take risks, to pursue sports,clubs, and classes that go beyond theircomfort zone, and to be comfortable whenthere are no step-by-step instructions. Theymight even push the instruction book to theside. In their adult lives, problem-solving willrequire intuition and innovative thinking andrisk-taking, not a clear step-by-step process —and it’s essential to develop those skills earlyon.Beyond this, we need to teach girls andwomen not to fear failure. A bad grade on analgebra test doesn’t mean you “aren’t a mathperson.” It likely means you didn’t study theright way. And a negative performance reviewdoesn’t mean you’ll never get that promotion.Setbacks and stumbles are times for personalgrowth, and without them women will neverachieve the gender parity they are seeking.Gender equality won’t happen overnight. Butif we can confront and correct our valuessystem, at school and in the workplace, wecan make a lasting difference — and makesure our girls and women are rewarded forbeing bold. Sian Beilock is President of Barnard College, ColumbiaUniversity.Starting from an early age, we canactively encourage our daughters totake risks, to pursue sports, clubs,and classes that go beyond theircomfort zone, and to be comfortablewhen there are no step-by-stepinstructions.11

Mirrorworld: OurFuture DigitalReflectionBy Gray ScottNature is technological and technology isnatural. Nature is reflective. It mimics. Itis the original source code from which allfutures will emerge.The mirror is one of the most influentialtechnological objects to emerge from nature.It is a technological instrument of profoundenlightenment. It has enabled humanity to seethe unconscious mind’s inner space as well asouter space and the mysteries of the cosmos.The mirror has had profound impacts onart, culture, and cosmic exploration. It actsas a time machine, enabling us to look backthrough our modern-day telescopes. Itenables us to see ourselves more clearly andto view starlight billions of lightyears away. Itstrue gift is its insight and foresight.From primordial dark clay pots filled withstill water, to the polished copper mirrors ofancient Egypt, to the modern mirrors that willbe used in the James Webb space telescopeand that may show us the universe’s first light,nature has been hinting at what our futuremight look like.We are on the cusp of discovering a newdigitized, quantified, and hyper-realisticsimulated world that will enable humanityto digitize the human experience. In otherwords, it may lead us towards the digitizationof consciousness. This new world has beencalled the mirrorworld, and it is our futuredigital reflection.The foundation of the mirrorworld hasalready begun to take shape throughinnovations and emerging technologiesincluding digital twin systems, virtual reality,augmented reality, brain-machine interfaces,bi-directional neurotechnologies, digitalcontact lenses, nanobots, and haptics.Eventually, once artificial general intelligenceemerges, it may create deeper levels of thisnew simulated mirrorworld. The complexity12and innovation that we will find there willbe, as Arthur C. Clarke once suggested,“indistinguishable from magic.”Futurist Kevin Kelly recently wrote, “Somedaysoon, every place and thing in the realworld—every street, lamppost, building,and room—will have its full-size digital twinin the mirrorworld.” The implications areprofound.Google Earth is a current example of themirrorworld’s promise. We can travelanywhere that has mirrored and digitized. Wecan fly around Mount Everest, walk the streetsof Paris, and window shop in Rome—all whilesitting on our sofas.Now, imagine a more advanced version ofGoogle Earth that includes detailed virtualscans of the insides of our offices, our homes,our favorite restaurants, our faces, and ourbodies. Imagine if every person had a digitaltwin inside this new mirrorworld. They wouldbe hyper-realistic simulations of our bodiesthat are indistinguishable from our currentrealities.Might this mirrorworld become the futureinternet? The next social media platform?How would this change the way we interactedin the digital universe? Might there be nomore URLs or two-dimensional pages, butrather a three-dimensional digital world thatincludes simulated space-time coordinates.The information inside this virtual spacecould then be linked to places that we couldvisit. In the future, Wikipedia may becomethe new digital destination, with virtual walls,chairs, and expert avatars waiting to speak

with you.enlighten and educate humanity.Information will be a destination, anadventure, a journey. There will be a newvirtual economy with virtual real estate thatwill have enormous economic value. Whowill dominate this mirrorworld ecosystem?Facebook? Google? Amazon?The cultural, philosophical, and psychologicalimplications cannot be understated.Technology is a reflection of nature and ofour consciousness.Within this future space, earth and all of itsdigital assets will be only one destination.We will want to mirror the moon and Mars.If approached with empathy and ethicalwisdom, this simulated virtual future couldThe mirrorworld will reflect who and what wereally are. Gray Scott is a futurist, techno-philosopher, and host ofthe web series “Futuristic Now.”There will be a new virtualeconomy with virtual realestate that will haveenormous economic value.Who will dominate thismirrorworld ecosystem?13

How toAccelerateInnovation inGovernmentInstitutionsBy Nima ElmiIn the age of the Fourth IndustrialRevolution, governments across the worldhave been faced with the difficult task ofdeveloping, iterating, and deploying policiesto keep pace with the rapid emergence andevolution of technology. It is clear that thetraditional notion of “governance” in thiscontext increasingly requires public-privatecollaboration, as it is no longer limitedexclusively to governments.The first three industrial revolutions havetaught us that innovation happens inunpredictable ways and causes unforeseeabledisruptions across societies and economies.However, governments are not completestrangers to innovation. Whilst they havepreviously served as drivers of innovationacross industries, they are increasinglylagging private sector actors whose agilegovernance structures and corporateincentives are driving the accelerationof technology innovation at a rate neverpreviously experienced by humankind. Itis against this backdrop that traditionalmodels of governance and governmentinstitutions, as currently structured, arestruggling. Whilst there are several ways toaccelerate innovation across governmentinstitutions, outlined below are three broadthemes that function as a starting point in thisconversation.Shift in mindset and skills for the futureThere is a real need for governments to adopta mindset shift by embracing new approachesto policymaking, and empoweringcivil servants with the digital skills andinfrastructure to navigate the evolution ofemerging technologies. Technology, in and ofitself, will not replace the role of government.Citizens will continue to elect public officials14to represent their views and will requirepublic services, yet emerging technologiescan enhance transparency and accountability,and provide policymakers with moreaccurate real-time data to make importantdecisions for their societies. A rethink instandard regulatory approaches is necessary,by embracing new and agile solutionsfor governing technology, encouragingexperimentation, learning from failure, anditerating policies as a continuous endeavor.Alongside this mindset shift should be greaterinvestment by governments in digitizingtheir processes and training civil servantswith digital skills. Successful models forstrengthening digital leadership includeappointing Technology Ambassadors,Chief Digital Officers, or Chief InnovationOfficers, where policymakers are recruitedwith a specific mandate to follow technologyinnovation and design technology policyacross different government institutions.These digital leaders can successfully steergovernment institutions by increasing skillsthrough on-the-job training, followed bymentoring.Experimentation and open governmentAs social media platforms provide peoplewith the ability to communicate directlywith their representatives in real-time, new

modes of policy generation are neededso governments can better translate theinteractions and recommendations fromcitizens into efficient and effective policies.At the same time, the trust of citizens thatgovernment institutions alone can deal withtechnology policy questions is declining. Torestore trust, governments need to engagewith citizens and industry to understand andco-design solutions that are human-centredand inclusive. Technology itself can be anenabler of such processes, by providingopportunities to crowdsource input fromcitizens and industry to address real-worldchallenges in a constructive and transparentmanner.Similarly, the proliferation of policy labsand regulatory sandboxes across countriesillustrates that these are key tools in creatinginnovative technology policy (combiningthe principles of scientific labs and productdesign—experimenting, testing, andmeasurement—to technology innovation).Such initiatives empower policymakers tointeract with citizens, private sector actors,and civil society organizations to co-designhuman-centred technology policy that canlater be scaled.Technology for governmentA nuanced yet growing area of innovationis the emergence of new technologiesspecifically designed for governmentpurposes and tailored to public services.Governments are faced with challengingquestions about how well they can leveragenew technologies to deliver welfare services;collect taxes; maintain security; addressenvironmental, health, energy issues; andmuch more. As new technology solutionsbegin to address challenges in the publicrealm—often in a streamlined and userfriendly way for citizens—questions beginto rise about the future of government.GovTech is an emerging trend, predominantlyin economies with advanced digitalinfrastructure, that promises better servicedelivery for citizens and better tools forpublic servants. This places governments atthe heart of technology development, withthe ability to deliver public services, developpolicies, and serve citizens in transparent,efficient, and effective ways through bespoketechnology innovations.Across all areas of emerging technologies,governments that think proactively abouttheir processes and governance structures;seek to address challenges through agilepractices; and embrace new technologies will,undoubtedly, enjoy an advantage over nationswhose governance institutions and structuresremain stagnant and stifled. Fundamentally,governments in the Fourth IndustrialRevolution will be divided between those thatembrace a “disruptive attitude” by showing awillingness to adopt unconventional modesof governance, experiment with the use ofnew technology in the provision of internalprocesses and public services, and accepta higher tolerance to take risks through theadoption of agile principles—and those thatdo not. Nima Elmi is Head of Government Affairs at the WorldEconomic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth IndustrialRevolution.The first three industrialrevolutions have taught usthat innovation happens inunpredictable ways.15

The Importance ofExaptation in anEra of AbundanceBy Omar Hatamleh & Scarlett SieberThe technological landscape is evolvingat a fast rate, and industry, academia, andgovernment need to constantly adapt andtransform to remain relevant. The synergybetween various industries is incrementingas well. Look at 3D printing technologies,for example, initially thought to be atechnology for manufacturing, but now usedin medical, food, apparel, construction,and space applications. That is opening thedoors for cross-industry collaboration inunprecedented ways, and the result will havepositive impacts across the board.The Cross Industry Innovation Summit hasbeen offering a platform over the last fouryears for global industry and governmentleaders to strategize about the future andforge inner-circle relationships, while gaininginsights on the most profound innovationdynamics and emerging technology trendsin various industries across the globe andbeyond Earth’s boundaries. The vibrant andgenuinely unconventional narrative here hasgotten industry leaders and subject-matterexperts to step out of their boundaries andcomfort zones, challenge themselves, andenvision novel approaches to reshape thestatus quo.An example of the uniqueness of bringingdivergent industries together is the valueof exaptation. Exaptation is typically usedto describe a change in the function of afeature during theevolution process.For example, atrait can evolvefrom serving aparticular function,to subsequentlyserve another.Exaptation is sharedin both anatomyand behavior. Anexample of anatomy16exaptation would be the co-option of feathersin birds, initially evolved for the purpose oftemperature regulation and display, but lateradapted to enable birds to fly.Exaptation is not only applicable inbiological evolution, but also in technologicalinnovation. In an era of technologicalabundance, it is important that corporationsand government institutions use innovationand exaptation to create other functions andmodels from existing ones used for otherpurposes. Microwave oven technology,for example, started as radar and was laterexapted for food cooking and heating.Currently, there is a copious amount ofintellectual property and technologies thatcan be repurposed or used in areas andfunctions outside of their original intendedapplication. The Summit has been leveragingthat concept, and by doing so, variousindustries will benefit substantially froma fresh infusion of technologies that areexapted from their original intended use tocreate vast economic value.There is no limit to what can be achievedby applying our collective intellects tosolve some of the world’s most challengingproblems. Working together as a communitywill create a new world in which thepossibilities will be endless. Omar Hatamleh is the Founder and ExecutiveChairman of Cross Industry Innovation Summit, andthe Chief Innovation Officer for Engineering at theJohnson Space Center. Scarlett Sieber is ManagingDirector and Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer atCCG Catalyst.

Your Business Won’tThrive Unless You DoBy Kara GoldinThe numbers are daunting: About half ofnew businesses fail with

Ashlee Adams, Head of Open Innovation, Nestlé USA Charlotte Hubbert, Partner, Gates Foundation 8:30 AM Innovation X Talk Angela Lee, Former Chief Innovation Officer, Columbia Business School 8:45 AM Innovation X Talk Daan Roosegaard, World-Renowned Artist 9:00 AM Innovation X Talk