THE DALAI LAMA CENTER FOR ETHICS AND TRANSFORMATIVE VALUES AT MIT ANNOUNCES A NEW CO-DIRECTOR

Photo: Dr. Scott Kennedy, Ph.D., Co-Director of The Center at MIT

The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT announced today the appointment of Scott Kennedy as a new co-director for the Center. Kennedy comes to the center from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, where he served as the Dean of Research and an Associate Professor of Engineering Systems and Management. As co-director of the Center, Kennedy will be responsible for overseeing the development and deployment of the various educational and research programs.

For the past ten years, Kennedy has gained recognition through his involvement in multiple international programs at MIT focusing on building new educational institutions. In 2003, he joined the Technology and Development Program (TDP) at MIT to work on the establishment of the Malaysia University of Science and Technology. He subsequently spent three years at the new university in Kuala Lumpur to develop and lead a novel Masters program in Energy and Environment. He continued to work with TDP to establish the Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi; a graduate-level research university focusing on advanced and energy and sustainability. He has spent the past five years based in Abu Dhabi overseeing the development of the institute’s research activities, as well as contributing to teaching and research in the area of energy systems policy, planning and design. While in Abu Dhabi, he has developed and supported numerous partnerships with MIT, including work with the MIT & Masdar Institute Cooperative Program, the MIT Energy Initiative, the D-Lab, and most recently, joint programs with the Center for Ethics and Transformative Values.

“Dr. Kennedy’s experience in building new institutions internationally, and particularly his focus on creating a dynamic research culture with an emphasis on innovation and sustainability, will make him a tremendous asset to the Center,” explained Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi, founding director of the Center. “He has been involved in supporting the growth and development of the Center from its inception. We are very happy to have him become a full-time member of our team and help to expand and deepen our programs and impact.”

Kennedy received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University (1997) and an S.M in Applied Math and Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University (2003). His research work has focused on modeling, simulation and evaluation of complex socio-technical systems, with a particular focus on understanding how national and institutional policy can support the transition to more sustainable energy systems.