US: Singularity University to study technology change

08 February 2009

Technology is changing the world so rapidly that even geniuses need help making sense of it all. That's the idea underlying Singularity University, an unconventional school based on NASA's Silicon Valley campus that will host its first class of 30 graduate students this year, reports Associated Press. They will take a nine-week course exploring ways to ensure technology improves mankind's plight instead of harming it.

The school will revolve around the concept that the exponential advances occurring in various fields should be melded to solve daunting problems like poverty, famine, disease, global warming and dwindling energy supplies. Futurist Ray Kurzweil, whose 2005 book The Singularity Is Near inspired the university's name, will be the vice-chancellor.

Singularity University found a home last September when NASA agreed to let the school use some of the buildings on its Ames Research Center, which is located near prominent Silicon Valley companies like Google Inc, Yahoo Inc, Intel Corp and Cisco Systems Inc. Google has contributed around $250,000 to the institution.
Full report on the Associated Press site

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