Tomiko Brown-Nagin named dean of Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The new leader of Radcliffe, an interdisciplinary institution, embraces the mission of bringing scholars together across disciplines and is committed to promoting equality and opportunity through education.

Transcript

I'm excited about this role in part because Radcliffe feels like home to me as a scholar who has devoted her career to interdisciplinary study, I fully and enthusiastically embrace Radcliffe's mission, which is to bring scholars together across disciplinary boundaries, across professional areas. I can remember my own experience there: when, I'm a h... Read More

Key Insights

• 👶 The new leader's interdisciplinary background and devotion to scholarship make her a natural fit for the role at Radcliffe.
• 👨‍🏫 Her personal experience with school desegregation has shaped her commitment to promoting equality and opportunity through education.
• 👮 Law plays a foundational role in various aspects of society, and the new leader's perspective on law and society will inform Radcliffe's approach to interdisciplinary study.
• 💱 Radcliffe has the opportunity to continue its role as a convener, bringing people together to discuss important issues such as leadership, climate change, social change, and healthcare.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the new leader's background and why is she excited about the role at Radcliffe?

The new leader has a background in law and history and is excited about the role at Radcliffe because it allows her to engage in interdisciplinary study and embraces the mission of bringing scholars together across professional areas.

Q: How did the new leader's experience with school desegregation shape her perspective?

The new leader's experience with school desegregation allowed her to witness the promise and peril of the nation's experiment with desegregation and understand the crucial role of lawyers and judges in standing up for students and creating pathways of opportunity.

Q: How does the new leader view the relationship between law and society?

The new leader has a long-standing interest in the relationship between law and society, particularly in matters of equality and opportunity. She believes that law is foundational to every other discipline and can shape public policy, healthcare, and criminal justice systems.

Q: What motivates the new leader to serve the community?

The new leader's parents, who grew up under Jim Crow in the deep south, imparted the values of hard work and education, but also instilled the importance of giving back to the community. This value of serving others and promoting community engagement is integral to the new leader's identity.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The new leader of Radcliffe, a scholar with a background in law and history, is excited about the role as it aligns with her interdisciplinary interests and experiences.

• She highlights the importance of cross-fertilization and learning from different perspectives, emphasizing the unique opportunities offered by Radcliffe.

• Having personally experienced the impact of school desegregation and witnessing the role of lawyers and judges in creating pathways of opportunity, she is dedicated to using her intellect to serve others and promote equality and opportunity through education.