Thriving Neighborhoods

Fr. Paul Demuth, Housing and Safety Team

We constantly hear of the increased need for housing. At the same time, office and business space sits empty or half-used. Then, from an isolated, cost prohibitive lifestyle comes an affordable, inclusive living space that used to be a shopping mall  Read about this housing match made in heaven.

To Do Something That Matters

Devon Christianson, Board Member

“Water drew me here,” explains Bridget O’Connor: It was the view of the Fox River that brought Bridget here from Minnesota as an SNC undergrad. Today she is the president and CEO of the O’Connor Connective, a marketing and communications firm that seeks to “be the chosen partner for the advancement of our community.” Read about her efforts to apply Strategic Foresight for business success.

Easter 2050

Nanette Nelson, Board Member

Another Easter, another survey showing religion’s recent ebb: This one is from Gallup, confirming a deepening of the 21st-century decline in church attendance. But diminishment coexists with transformation… So let’s try to imagine how these trends might shape American religion a generation hence. 

Tomorrow’s classroom – with AI, BCI and more!

Beverly French, Arts, Culture and Entertainment Signals Team

With all the talk lately about AI trends, here is a thoughtful discussion on AI usage in education sixteen years from now.  Daniel Bron discusses the applications of AI (Artificial Intelligence), Web3 Technologies (the next generation), IoT (Internet of Things), BCI (Brain-Computer Interfaces), and ITS (Intelligent Tutoring Systems). “Imagine a classroom,” he says, “where the physical environment adapts to the needs of the lesson, lights adjust based on time of day, air quality is continuously monitored and improved, and interactive displays come to life when a student approaches”… then pile on equity, geography and regulation!  This article opens a window into the complexities we face.

A Hip Hop Department at Duke University?

Beverly French, Arts, Culture and Entertainment Signals Team

Imagine a university music department offering, under one roof, transformative artistic encounters musical practices that include beatboxing, beat-making, Djing, dance, fashion, poetry, theater, and visual arts. Mark Katz, Professor of Music at UNC-Chapel Hill, challenges higher education in his article called 2040 Vision:  What will Arts Education Look Like in the Triangle 20 Years From Now?  He suggests we might find “The 9th Wonder Department of Hip Hop” at Duke University.  Professor Katz is proposing a fundamental change in the way universities teach music and the arts in general. Learn about Duke University.

 

Gas stations in space? Apparently so.

Judy Nagel, Upward Mobility Signals Team

Fifteen thousand satellites have been sent to space since 1957, and only half are still working. Others are floating uselessly or have burned up. Orbit Fab is now building gas stations in space, providing hydrazine, the most common fuel for satellites.  Read more on satellites.