2024 Hertz Summer Workshop and Topical Forum: A Vibrant Gathering of Minds
The Hertz Foundation has long distinguished itself as a catalyst for scientific innovation, nurturing an ecosystem in which intellects of the highest caliber tackle the most pressing challenges of our time.
In the summer of 2024, two flagship events — the annual Hertz Summer Workshop and the inaugural Hertz Topical Forum — offered fresh opportunities for research collaborations and exchange of ideas. These gatherings, supported by philanthropy, underscored the foundation’s commitment to fostering multidisciplinary collaboration and providing a platform for discourse that propels science forward.
A Dual Focus: Building Networks and Advancing Solutions
The Hertz Summer Workshop is the foundation’s hallmark event, uniting the Hertz Community in an unparalleled forum for interdisciplinary discussion since its first event in Steamboat Springs in 2006. This year’s workshop was held August 1–4 at the Mont Tremblant Resort, returning to a ski town, and attracted a record 171 participants. This cross-generational community exchanged ideas, provided mentoring for the younger scientists in attendance, and explored presentations on many exciting research frontiers.
Hertz Fellow and Board Member Ray Sidney, who first envisioned this event and has been a major funder of each workshop since 2006, noted his excitement for this year’s event. “We had an amazing collection of speakers who inspired us to think about some of society’s most pressing problems. In addition, I met new community members and caught up with old friends in an interesting and stimulating venue,” Sidney shared. “This event is the highlight of the annual Hertz event calendar for good reason, and I’m excited to see new fellows attending each year— both young and old.”
Complementing this core gathering was the first-ever Hertz Topical Forum, held July 31–August 1, supported by the generosity of Eric and Wendy Schmidt. The forum focused on the future of energy and served as a novel venue for addressing intersecting energy topics from artificial intelligence to national security to climate change.
Mont-Tremblant provided an idyllic backdrop for both events, offering participants a setting that encouraged not only professional exchanges but also informal networking in nature, whether during structured hiking sessions, afterhours hangouts, or adventurous pursuits like racing down the ski hill road on a summer “luge.”
A Stellar Lineup: Speakers and Programming
The Hertz Summer Workshop has broad appeal, stemming from its ability to attract top thinkers across a wide range of disciplines. The 2024 workshop was no exception, featuring a robust lineup of speakers:
- Adam D’Angelo, CEO, Quora
- William Dally, Chief Scientist, NVIDIA
- Hugh Herr, Professor, MIT, renowned for his work in bionics
- Victoria Kaspi, Professor, McGill University, studying fast radio bursts
- Thomas Mason, Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Tony Pan, CEO, Modern Hydrogen, and Hertz Fellow
- Ellen Pawlikowski, retired general, U.S. Air Force, and Hertz Fellow
- Joelle Pineau, VP of AI Research, Meta
These leading figures in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and national security spurred conversations on topics critical to preserving our nation’s role as a leader in science and technology. Workshop sessions ranged from formal talks to fireside chats enabling the cross-disciplinary dialogue that is a hallmark of the Hertz Community. The workshop peaked with a mountaintop dinner on Saturday evening, our “Closing Ceremony: The Olympians of the Hertz Foundation,” which marked the fellowship’s 60th anniversary and provided attendees with further occasion for reflection and engagement.
The Hertz Topical Forum featured four noteworthy speakers, who each led dynamic and engaging sessions:
- Nancy Haegel, Senior Research Advisor, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “Photovoltaics at Multi-terawatt Scale: Trajectories, Challenges, and Choices”
- John Platt, Google Fellow, Google, “A Framework for Climate Change Projects”
- Sarah Sclarsic, Founding Partner, Voyager, “Supercharging Climate Tech”
- Kim Budil, Director, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Hertz Fellow and Hertz Board Member, “Shaping the Future: Leveraging Emerging Technology for Science, Energy, and National Security”
The forum fostered an environment where technologists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and academics could engage in a level of dialogue that provided lively debate and actionable insights. This, after all, is what the Hertz Foundation does so well: assembling a group of people whose varied expertise converges on common goals, whether they are tackling energy sustainability or the next leap in artificial intelligence.
The Results: Outcomes and Impact
The Hertz Summer Workshop proved, once again, to be a fertile ground for innovation. The cross-pollination of ideas among fellows, mentors, and industry leaders resulted in new connections for the foundation and inspiration for new research directions for attendees.
A featured activity was the Fellows Showcase, where early-career scientists presented their latest work, sparking discussions that stretched across disciplines and generations. Of particular importance was the high level of interaction between esteemed speakers and attendees, with many speakers staying for the full length of the event and joining fellows in conversations, hikes, and celebration.
“Seeing the fulfillment of our strategies around engaging fellows in a laid-back but professional environment was really exciting, and the culmination of three years of work with volunteers and staff,” said Ashvin Bashyam, co-chair of the Program Committee that oversees the workshop.
Adding to this was Co-Chair Po-Shen Loh’s perspective that “we have created something that is a can’t-miss event where fellows and their guests feel welcome to dive deep, enjoy each other’s company, and be inspired by world-class talks.”
Equally significant were the outcomes from the Topical Forum on Energy, which addressed the technical aspects of energy transition, as well as geopolitical and environmental implications. Discussions led by speakers Sarah Sclarsic and John Platt centered on which strategies to pursue for future climate tech and how to think about scoping a good climate project. Kim Budil shared advances at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and further propelled fellows to think about working in energy spaces for national security. These conversations laid the foundation for continued collaboration among the Hertz Fellows and invited guests, with 16 new ideas coming out of the event, along with strategic partnerships continuing to emerge. This year’s successful pilot signals the start of new programs offered by the Hertz Foundation to host future topical forums on critical global issues.
Looking Forward: Colorado Springs and More
As we look to the future, the Hertz Foundation plans to hold the 2025 Hertz Summer Workshop in Colorado Springs from July 17–20, promising an opportunity to build on the momentum generated this year. Meanwhile, additional Hertz Topical Forums are expected, with themes and locations soon to be announced. Both events underscore the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in addressing complex global challenges, and their success signals the continued importance of the Hertz Foundation in driving connections and positioning top science and technology leadership for our nation.
The Hertz Foundation’s mission, firmly rooted in facilitating intellectual exchange, is more critical than ever. As the pace of technological advancement accelerates, these gatherings play an essential role in ensuring that the brightest minds continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. Thank you to those who attended this year, and we welcome seeing all returning and new attendees next July in Colorado Springs.