Institute of Politics

In a world where politics, conventional wisdom and longstanding institutions are facing myriad challenges, there’s a push among some leaders, including University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos and Rockefeller Foundation President Rajiv Shah, to take bold action to tackle major problems. Whether taking on climate change or grappling with the effects of a pandemic, bold moves can have a global impact. How does failure inspire leaders to stay the course and what does it mean to take big bets while trying to change the world?

President Alivisatos will moderate a conversation about leadership, optimism and taking risks with Shah, who served as administrator of USAID under President Obama and whose new book, Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens, explores how leaders and students can reimagine what’s possible.