Thomas Rosenbaum is president of the California Institute of Technology and a physicist known for his research in quantum mechanics and condensed matter physics. He became Caltech’s ninth president in 2014 after serving as provost of the University of Chicago.
[This interview was edited for length and clarity.]
How would you describe the current state of American science?
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Marked by high levels of funding uncertainty, which can be incapacitating; a lack of vision for dreaming big at the federal level; and deleterious overtones of politics. At the same time, a juggernaut of discovery and innovation.
What needs to change in American science?
A recommitment to being the destination of choice for the most talented, creative individuals from every background, perspective and geographical location.
What gives you optimism right now?
The problems to be explored are compelling, and the tools available to push the boundaries of exploration have never been as powerful. Are we alone in the universe? What can quantum computers do that no classical computer can approach? How will artificial intelligence change the boundaries of disciplinary inquiry? How can genomics and proteomics and the immune system be harnessed most effectively to treat disease? We may know the answers to all these questions in the next decade or two.
What’s your best advice for an early-career scientist?
Stay true to your passions. Future generations depend on you.
How has your field changed in the past few years?
Unprecedented opportunity but also too much of a herd mentality.