The Climb

Enough has been written on the topic of optimism to fill the stacks of UCLA’s libraries; More quotes have been uttered than I can spew at you in one day; And so many of the prominent figures that precede us – Keller, Churchill, Gandhi – have subscribed to the laws of optimism. It’s been done before.

I hereby acknowledge the enormous precedent of optimism in this world. And I am beginning this blog for UCLA Grand Challenges because I don’t think it’s enough. The archives of optimism are only a speck of stardust in the universe in which we live.

Today UCLA Grand Challenges announced its goal of achieving 100% efficiency in energy and water in LA without harming biodiversity by the year 2050 – A lofty goal to say the least. A mouthful too. The goal has already been met with feedback both glowing and dark. Some say our optimism is too much. “Research is built on and perpetuated by skepticism,” you say? I agree. Research is not, however, propelled by disbelievers. My hope in writing this blog is that I can help the naysayers navigate between doubt and cautious optimism. We aren’t blindly embarking on this journey toward 2050. Missteps are certain, and the challenges are grand. Their grandness is exactly why we must face them.

The blogs I post here will vary in their content. Some serious, some comical. The common thread between them will be optimism: the spark that lights UCLA Grand Challenges. In choosing the theme of this blog, and also in the creation of UCLA Grand Challenges, there are a few very strong inspirations that must be recognized.

The Optimists

First and foremost is the campaign that brought optimists to the forefront of UCLA: The aptly named Optimists campaign. It makes me immensely proud to be a Bruin. I might even argue it’s the reason I chose to attend UCLA. Granted, this would require some sort of rift in the space-time continuum, as the campaign came out after I began here, but that’s besides my point. It’s that inspiring. I want to acknowledge the incredible vision of The Optimists campaign, and the optimists that it celebrates.

Abundance

The second inspiration is a book by Peter Diamandis, the founder of the X-Prize, called Abundance: The Future is Better than You Think. Diamandis reminds us that we possess an unlimited power to think, adapte, and create. The future is bright.

Our Predecessors

Third, we look to the leaders of Grand Challenges past. President John F. Kennedy inspires us today just as much as he inspired the nation in 1962 when he gave his “Moon Speech,” in which he declared we would go to the moon by the end of the decade. Like our Grand Challenge, Kennedy’s vision invited skepticism. Space: the final frontier? You really want toboldly go where no man has gone before? To some, the idea seemed more science fiction than visionary. To Kennedy, his bold declaration of a goal was the only way to deliver his vision – and he did.

The UCLA Grand Challenge Creators

Finally, I have to acknowledge the ideators, creators, and driving forces behind UCLA Grand Challenges. Michelle Popowitz and Jill Sweitzer are my colleagues. They are also the inspiration that drove my metamorphosis from someone who never saw the best in things to the "Unwitting Optimist" I'm debuting as today. I bumped into this project rather serendipitously, and I joined their work because I heard a passion in their voices. Michelle and Jill conceived of this idea nearly two years ago, and they have climbed Everest-like obstacles to land at this reveal. If it weren’t for their passion-driven work and perseverance, I wouldn’t be at base camp preparing to climb toward the future. Now that I’m here, I hope you’ll join me.