William Diamond

Bill Diamond is a Silicon Valley veteran and current President and CEO of the SETI Institute, a position he has held since June, 2015. The SETI Institute is a non-profit astrophysics and astrobiology research and education organization focused on the study of life in the Universe. Prior to joining the Institute, Mr. Diamond held various executive management positions in applied technologies, most recently at the optical networking company, Oclaro, Inc. Mr. Diamond has over 20 years’ experience in photonics and optical communications networks, and more than a decade in X-ray imaging and semiconductor processing technologies. His corporate background covers the spectrum from venture-backed start-ups to Fortune 100 multinationals, with responsibilities ranging from R&D, engineering and operations, to marketing, sales, product management and CEO positions. Executive leadership roles include CEO positions at WaveSplitter Technologies, DenseLight Semiconductor (Singapore) and Xradia, Inc., now part of Zeiss. His photonics background also includes six years with AT&T Bell Laboratory’s Optoelectronics business unit and five years as President of US operations for the Swiss technology company, Comet A.G. Mr. Diamond holds a B.A. in physics from Holy Cross College and a Master’s in Business Administration from Georgetown University. He is a past member of the Advisory Board for the McDonough School of Business Administration at Georgetown and is a current member of the Optical Society of America, the International Astronomical Congress and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Science and Innovation Council, BASIC.

Science, STEM education, alternative energy, global population, climate change and its contributing factors, resource utilization, social welfare, space exploration and origins of life, music, art, discovery and innovation, leadership, pushing the envelope, travel, cultural diversity, vegetarian cuisine, animals, children, compassion.

Basic research and fundamental science are the foundations of technology innovation and leadership, of economic strength and job creation, of national security, and the building of a scientifically literate electorate. Exploration, discovery and the scientific investigation of natural phenomena, all serve to exercise that fundamental trait that makes us uniquely human - our curiosity! Such endeavors also create a platform for international cooperation and provide an opportunity to bridge cultural, ethnic, religious and gender gaps. History has taught us that waging war against science, against education, music, art and literature, leads to the collapse of societies and the elimination of personal freedoms. The current war on science in the United States is worrisome on many levels, and should be seen as a warning sign for social and economic upheaval. An idea worth spreading is to help our political leaders and the general public more broadly, understand the connection between robust funding for science and basic research and such highly prized attributes, as economic strength, national security, and technology leadership. Technologies we take for granted today, were all built on the back of strong federal funding for basic science and R&D. The basic research we conduct today is the engine for the realization of new technologies we will develop tomorrow. Critical challenges we already face in terms of climate change, resource utilization and waste production, all require significant investments in science and basic research, if we are to overcome them. We cannot look to the private sector to make these investments. Increasingly short business cycles, combined with global competition and an unhealthy obsession with quarterly earnings, means that private companies' R&D budgets are tightly constrained, with much more emphasis on "D" than on "R." Legendary research facilities such as Bell Laboratories, and Xerox PARC, are all but gone. If there isn't a direct link to increased revenue and profits, research dollars are not being spent. Perhaps the best example of what societies can achieve through robust government spending on science, research and technology, is China. While concerns remain over individual rights and personal freedom, China has gone from an agricultural backwater to an economic juggernaut, where the political leadership clearly see the importance and impact of investing in science, basic research and education. Science is not the idle pursuit of knowledge for knowledge's sake. It is foundational to a strong economy and a thriving democracy. We under resource science, basic research and STEM education at our peril and we hand over the reigns of global leadership to other countries and societies. It is time for us to embrace science and research and to support and fund those engaged in these endeavors. It is time for our political leaders to connect the dots. Even socially impactful programs like TED talks, come under threat if we fail to understand how essential science is to everything we hold dear. Science matters! Embrace it. Fund it. Educate our children in it and hug a scientist today! Spread the word...

Artist in Residence, Astrophysics, Leadership, Multidisciplinary research, Photonics, Planetary exploration, Program management, STEM, Team building

This is my first TED experience, thanks to the generosity of one of the Trustees of the SETI Institute. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to meet and speak with extraordinary individuals doing extraordinary things and to having my eyes opened to endeavors and pursuits I have never even imagined. I'm looking forward to being informed, engaged, educated and inspired.

Cooking, teaching, mentoring, counseling, bringing seemingly disparate individuals and organizations together to do extraordinary things!