Join the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs for a seminar featuring Olivier de Weck, Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics and Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Drawing from his recently published book, Technology Roadmapping and Development, Prof. de Weck will discuss what he has learned from studying the evolution of technology over longer periods of time. This includes how to quantify technological progress (generalized Moore's Law, S-Curves and Pareto fronts) and how to plan for its future improvement through technology roadmapping. He will present case studies of civil aviation which connects humans and cargo across our planet, as well as the Deep Space Network (DSN) that is used to communicate with interplanetary probes. He will conclude with his perceptions on the major challenges and opportunities for technology in the 21st century.

This event will be moderated by Dr. Afreen Siddiqi, Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School, and Research Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Speaker Biography:

Olivier de Weck is the Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics and Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His main research is in Systems Engineering with a focus on how complex technological systems, such as satellites and launch vehicles, are designed and optimized and how they evolve over time. He is a Fellow of INCOSE and a Fellow of AIAA and served as Senior Vice President of Technology Planning and Roadmapping at Airbus and he is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. His passion is to improve life on our home planet Earth, while paving the way for humanity’s future off-world settlements.