In conversation at Elsevier's Impact Conference, Chicago - Part 1

In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras talks to Professor Karin Markides about what university leaders can learn by choosing hard institutions in very different countries, then using those lessons to build stronger research cultures and real societal impact. We explore why trust in higher education is slipping, how sustainability needs systems thinking, and what AI and other disruptive knowledge mean for the university mission. Topics include: Transition...

In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, Rafael interviews chemist and university leader Andrew Hamilton, whose career moved from Exeter and Cambridge to UBC, a postdoc in Strasbourg, and faculty roles at Princeton, Pittsburgh, and Yale, before senior leadership as Yale provost, Oxford vice chancellor, and NYU president (2016–2023). Hamilton describes how setbacks and “sliding door” moments shaped his path, and why he maintained an organic chemistry lab during leadership roles f...

In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras sits with President Lily Kong to probe trust, purpose, and the future of universities through the lens of Singapore’s model and global headwinds. From neutrality to rankings and the 100-year life, we explore how institutions can rebuild relevance without losing their soul. Topics include: • Singapore’s planning state and education-led growth • first-generation academic journey and gender in leadership • causes of trust er...

In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, we trace how university leadership split between internal stewardship and external politics, and what that means for mission, trust, and culture. Robert A. Brown lays out why research finance is fragile, how immigration and AI shape the future, and where focus and courage will be required. Topics include: • Growth of constituencies and the provost–president divide • Declining public confidence driven by cost, access and politics • Resear...

In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras speaks with Tony Chan about building a Western-style research university inside a rapidly changing Saudi Arabia, the rising political pressure on US academia, and what AI can and cannot do. The through line is leadership that protects the university’s soul while adapting to new realities. Topics include: • Why KAUST adopted US-style research culture and governance • Vision 2030 expectations and national impact pressures •...