INTERVIEWS

PODCAST/VIDEO INTERVIEWS by Stephen Ibaraki

Discussion with Sir Roger Penrose: Emeritus Professor at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford and David Russell, Software Development Manager, Amazon Prime Video

This week, Stephen Ibaraki has an exclusive interview with Sir Roger Penrose and David Russell.

Sir Roger Penrose, Emeritus Professor at the Mathematical Institute of the University of Oxford, Emeritus Fellow at Wadham College, and winner of the Wolf Prize in Physics, has made profound contributions across a broad range of scientific disciplines. His work encompasses geometry, black hole singularities, the unification of quantum mechanics and gravity, the structure of space-time, and the origin of our Universe.

His geometric creations inspired the works of Escher, and the Penrose steps have been featured in several movies. His tilings adorn many public buildings, including the Oxford Mathematics Institute, and will soon decorate the San Francisco Transbay Terminal.

The five-fold symmetry, initially thought impossible or a mathematical curiosity, has now been found in nature. In 1989 Penrose wrote The Emperor's New Mind which challenged the premise that consciousness is computation and proposes we need new physics to understand it.

Awards:

• The Clay Award for Dissemination of Mathematical Knowledge – 2018
• The Royal Society – Copley Medal – 2008
• Dirac Medal for the Advancement of Theoretical Physics – 2006
• London Mathmatical Society – De Morgan Medal – 2004
• London Mathematical Society – Naylor Prize and Lectureship – 1991
• Albert Einstein Society – Einstein Medal – 1990
• Dirac Medal of the institute of physics – 1989
• Wolf foundation – Wolf Prize in Physics – 1988
• Royal astronomical Society – Eddington Medal – 1975
• Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics – 1971
• University of Cambridge – Adams Prize – 1966

Profile Credit: Sir Roger Penrose Profile from Penrose Institute website.

Sir Roger Penrose Photo Attribution: "English physicist Roger Penrose at the 2011 Festival della Scienza, held in Genoa, Italy" Cirone-Musi, Festival della Scienza [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]

Dave Russell is a software development manager at Amazon Prime Video leading an engineering team that maintains and develops the Network Edge which deals with distributed high scale highly available systems. He recently completed his Masters in Computer Science focusing on intelligent agents and published a journal entry based on his dissertation. This has led him on the journey into the world of AI Safety. His current focus is on how society can leverage AI while proactively mitigating negative impacts that AI potentially brings. He is currently working with IFIP TC12 to brainstorm and come up solutions to address various potential problems AI can bring from Ethical, Socio-economic impacts, to malicious AI.

TO WATCH STEPHEN'S VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH SIR ROGER PENROSE AND DAVID RUSSELL, CLICK ON THIS MP4 file link