Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens-Book Talk w/Dr. Rajiv Shah

The Institute of Global Politics at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) will welcome Rajiv Shah for a discussion of his 2023 book, Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens. The conversation will be moderated by Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo. Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton will provide opening remarks.

Shah offers a new perspective in a world shaped by cynicism and pessimism, that reveals it is realistic to be optimistic about our capacity to make large-scale change. Through big steps instead of incremental improvements, Shah aims to push us to make transformational changes. By offering insights on his work at the Rockefeller Foundation, where he helped vaccinate nearly a billion children, led high-pressure responses to the Haiti earthquake, and much more, Shah’s book is a must read for system thinkers that aim to change the world.

Speaker’s biography:

Rajiv Shah serves as president of The Rockefeller Foundation, a global institution with a mission to promote the well-being of humanity around the world. With a century-long track record of leveraging science, technology, and innovation, The Foundation is pioneering new ways to enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. Dr. Shah is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and the Wharton School. He has received several honorary degrees, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, and the US Global Leadership Award. He is married to Shivam Mallick Shah, and they have three children.