When disruptive moments arrive in life, it’s usually not the time to sit down and try to figure out what to do. You need to get in the habit of being ready to handle the extraordinary before the extraordinary happens to you, and few people understand this better than the men and women in the armed services. On this episode of If/When, we discuss leadership, fortitude and teamwork in the face of uncertainty with Lt. Heather “Lucky” Penney, a senior fellow at the Mitchel Institute of Aerospace...

Members of the armed forces are used to contending with stressful situations. However, making the move from deployment to employment as a civilian professional brings with it a different set of challenges. In this episode of If/When we discuss how service members can successfully embark on the next phase of their careers with Isaac Barnes, president of Eminent Future, and Cleophus Thomas, Jacobs Vice President and Director of Operation for Jacobs’ Global Digital Center of Excellence.

On this episode of If/When, we discussed the topic of precision medicine with Dr. David Fajgenbaum, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Translational Medicine & Human Genetics, University of Pennsylvania and author of the book, Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope Into Action, and Francesa McBride, Director, Regulatory Compliance at Jacobs.

The beauty of design automation is how it leverages computing power to bring an unbelievable combination of scale and efficiency to projects, while also managing repetitive tasks and freeing up professionals to focus on higher value, higher thinking responsibilities. Thanks to design automation technology, you can really shift thinking about your computer as a tool, and instead look upon it as a partner. On this episode of If/When, we’re discussing design automation with Anthony Hauck,...

When it comes to cyber-based threats, few things are as critical to safety and success as the element of time. With the proliferation of bad actors, malicious activity and the exponential growth of technology, it is imperative that to survive, you need to be able to identify and respond to a cyber threat very, very quickly. Sometimes it’s not enough to go it alone. You need strategic alliances to develop innovative solutions to stay a step ahead of the dangers around you. On this episode of...

When it comes to tackling big challenges, innovative partnerships can be the key to sourcing differentiated outcomes. Earlier this year, Jacobs put the idea of radical collaboration to the test when it partnered with not one, but two student teams from Virginia Tech’s Consulting Group for a three-month exercise on design thinking methodologies and processes. The students had access to Jacobs subject matter experts and professionals in the field, whereas Jacobs had access to a team of academic...

According to a report published by National Geographic earlier this year, sea levels are expected to rise one foot by 2050, due to the effects of ocean heating, climate change and carbon emissions. This is especially problematic for coastal areas, which simultaneously are seeing an increase in their population densities. Add in the difficulty of aging infrastructure in many geographies, and you have a real recipe for disruption. On this episode of If/When we discuss the topic of sea level...

The ever-increasing pace and impact of technological change has been the subject of fascination for investors, educators, entrepreneurs, and pundits of varying stripes at least as far back as 1965, when Gordon Moore first postulated his now-famous law. As emerging technology continues to build upon itself, the trajectory of change is likely to continue accelerating, and tomorrow’s workforce needs to get a handle now on the critical technical disciplines necessary to thrive in the future. On...

In the world of popular music and culture, in terms of longevity, breadth and diversity of projects, he has few peers. From being the front man for legendary new wave band and video pioneers, Devo (2022 nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame), to a prolific film and TV composer whose credits include Thor: Ragnarok, The Royal Tenenbaums, Pitch Perfect 2, Happy Gilmore and The Lego Movie, Mark Mothersbaugh has left his own unique imprint on the world of audio and video media. In this...

When it comes to weaponized AI, you can forget Skynet, Ultron and Hal 9000 – the AI villains plaguing commercial operations these days come in the forms of poisoned data sets, hijacked AI models, and adversarial samples. The world of malevolent data is no longer just the stuff of science fiction, but a reality that cybersecurity experts, data scientists and supply chain managers all need to be cognizant of. In this episode of If/When, we explored the topic of adversarial artificial...

With the goal of improving environmental stewardship and economic resilience, innovators are employing new solutions to address the challenges of municipal waste management. At the forefront of concepts being explored is the circular economy model. In this episode of If/When we explored how a circular economic model can be deployed to address opportunities to advance the circular economy in the waste management sector, with guests Eric Oddo, Environmental Engineering Program Manager, Western...

First observed in 2006, World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated annually to raise public awareness and insight into the lives of people who have Down Syndrome. Recognizing the need for global support in this endeavor, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in December 2011 to officially codify March 21 as World Down Syndrome Day. In this episode of If/When, we spoke about family life and Down Syndrome with Nicola Enoch, chief executive officer of Positive About Down Syndrome, a...

Ever since the Space Age began in the 1950s, man-made objects have been filling the nighttime sky in an increasing number. But what happens to all those rockets and components floating around our world? Though some burn up in the atmosphere, an ever-growing number of artificial objects litter the stratosphere, presenting potential dangers to astronauts and costly damages to satellites and spacecraft. In this episode of If/When we explored the topic of orbital debris with Dr. Phillip...

In April 1972, he became the youngest person ever to walk on the Moon – a record he still holds to this day. Just three years prior, he served in a critical role as part of the Mission Control team for Apollo 11, and he was later a member of the backup crew for the ill-fated Apollo 13. But in the heyday of NASA’s lunar explorations, he would eventually get his own shot at walking on the moon. As we close in on the 50th anniversary of the flight of Apollo 16, we sat down with General Charlie...

As more and more investors and boards elevate the importance given to Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance metrics, greater emphasis is being placed on reporting and transparency. To help ensure investors are able to make informed decisions related to ESG matters, the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (or TCFD) was founded in 2015 as a mechanism to provide standardized reporting methods for organizations to communicate their climate impact data. To learn more...

With the intersection of advanced data technologies and the evolution of healthcare, both providers and patients look to benefit, but security, privacy and data hygiene still loom as potential areas of concern. In this episode of If/When, we discuss data science advances in the context of healthcare with two data science experts from Jacobs - Dr. Jennifer Blum and David Morgareidge.

Wishing you and yours the very best holiday season, from all your friends at Jacobs...

On this episode of If/When we sat down with two experts from the famed SETI Institute whose passion is listening to the stars and seeking new life - Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, Director of the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe and Dr. Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer. We asked Nathalie and Seth to expound on topics such as, "If intelligent life is out there, why has it been so hard for us to find any evidence of it?"; "What kinds of advances in technology will be needed to...

As sea levels rise, coastal habitats will find it necessary to migrate landwards. But when human-made constructions such as sea walls impede their progress, the habitats are squeezed, resulting in the loss of life-sustaining environments. To lessen those impacts, scientists are developing solutions such as compensatory habitats to preserve affected sea-life. In this episode of If/When, we explore the challenge of coastal squeeze with Dr. Chrissy Mitchell, National Principal Research Scientist...

Winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, Dr. Daniel Kahneman is Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs Emeritus at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, the Eugene Higgins Professor of Psychology Emeritus at Princeton University, and a fellow of the Center for Rationality at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In this episode of If/When, Dr. Kahneman shared his thoughts on how to recognize cognitive noise and decrease its negative effects, as well as where...

On this episode of If/When we discuss the evolving role of the data scientist and how organizations can embrace greater confidence in the use of data and analytics in their decision-making activities, with Dr. Kirk Borne, chief science officer at DataPrime, and Michael Brown, Global Technology Lead for Predictive Analytics at Jacobs.

Gary Rydstrom, film director and sound designer with Skywalker Sound, has built a career of using innovation, imagination and technology to help bring to life some of the most beloved cinematic stories of the last forty years. On this episode of If/When, we discussed the lessons Gary has learned as an innovator, the role of playfulness in the creative process, and what keeps him motivated to continue delivering superior results.

With a body of work that includes two dozen solo records and a resume of working with the who’s who of rock royalty, our guest’s place in the pantheon of popular music is as truly unique as the inventive sounds and songs he produces with his guitar. On this episode of If/When we had the pleasure of sitting down with the one and only Adrian Belew.

On this episode of If/When, we’re discussing cybersecurity with an emphasis on the built environment and the infrastructure needs of smart cities with Dr. Rick Robinson, Jacobs Director – Smart Places, Telecommunications & Digital Infrastructure, and Nigel Stanley, Jacobs Director of Cybersecurity - People & Places Solutions.

On this episode of If/When we discuss situational responsiveness and leadership lessons in the context of uncertainty with two very distinguished guests: General (Ret.) Stan McChrystal, founder and chief executive officer, McChrystal Group, and Lt. General (Ret.) Bruce Crawford, Jacobs Senior Vice President - Strategic Development, Critical Mission Solutions.