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Shaping Minds is a powerful tribute to the trailblazers redefining the future of education in 2025. This special edition magazine showcases the most visionary education leaders who are transforming classrooms, policies, and learning ecosystems worldwide. From pioneering EdTech innovators to bold reformers championing inclusive and student-centered education, these changemakers are not just teachingu2014theyu2019re inspiring a global shift in how knowledge is shared and minds are shaped.
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2025 E E E MPOWERING NTREPRENEURIAL XCELLENCE SHAPING MINDS: THE MOST VISIONARY EDUCATION 2025 LEADERS Making a Di?erence in Making a Di?erence in MIT Professor A VISIONARY IN OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
Shaping Minds: The Most Visionary Education Leaders Making a Difference in 2025 ducation is at a pivotal turning point in 2025. As the world becomes more E interconnected and technologically advanced, the demands on education systems and the leaders who guide them are more dynamic than ever. Visionary education leaders are not simply responding to these changes; they are boldly shaping the future of learning. These pioneers are blending innovation with purpose, integrating artificial intelligence, championing inclusive education, prioritizing mental health, and designing curricula that prepare students for the real world. They understand that education must go beyond the classroom to empower lifelong learners, global citizens, and ethical leaders. In this special edition, “Shaping Minds: The Most Visionary Education Leaders Making a Difference in 2025,” we honor the trailblazers who are transforming how knowledge is delivered and how impact is measured. On the cover, we feature Richard Larson, whose leadership and transformative vision have set new benchmarks in modern education. Joining him are Eman Khalid, Waleed Mohamed Ali, Makane Christain, and Nada El Ghossein, inspirational figures who are challenging conventions, uplifting communities, and leaving a lasting legacy through education. Together, they are not just teaching the next generation, they are empowering it to lead.
Kiran K. Chloe Miller Copyright 2025 THE CIO TIMES, All rights reserved. The Images and Content used in this magazine should not be transmitted or reproduced in any form or by any mechanical, electronic, means, recording, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission from THE CIO TIMES. Reprint rights remain solely with THE CIO TIMES
COVER STORY 10 Richard Larson
Eman Khalid 22 Makane Christain 28 Nada El Ghossein 34 Waleed Mohamed Ali 42
A VISIONARY IN OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION MIT Professor JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM I 11
ichard C. Larson, a distinguished academic and Engineering Everyday Life Through Operations Research researcher, has dedicated his career to solving R complex societal challenges through operations Born in Bayside, Queens, New York, in 1943, Richard research and data-driven insights. As a professor at MIT, Larson’s early years were marked by a deep curiosity about the world around him. At age five, his family moved to Larson has pioneered groundbreaking work in urban service Sunbury, Pennsylvania, later to North Plainfield, New Jersey, systems, disaster planning, pandemic modeling, and where he spent his formative years, and finally (at age 16) to technology-enabled education. His expertise in queueing Needham, MA, Massachusetts graduating from Needham, theory has transformed industries, optimizing efficiency in healthcare, transportation, and emergency response. MA High School. His fascination with science, particularly physics, took root during high school, where he found joy in Beyond academia, Richard's contributions extend to understanding the fundamental principles that govern the education reform, where he has leveraged technology to universe. This passion led him to the Massachusetts Institute make learning more accessible and engaging. His of Technology (MIT), where he earned his Bachelor's, leadership in initiatives like MIT BLOSSOMS and the Master's, and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. Learning International Networks Consortium (LINC) has empowered students worldwide with innovative learning Richard's journey into operations research was a methodologies. Through his interdisciplinary approach, serendipitous discovery during his master's studies at MIT. Larson continues to shape the future of research, ensuring He realized that operations research was, in essence, the that data-driven solutions address real-world problems and physics of everyday life a discipline that could be applied to improve lives globally. real-world systems like traffic lights, queueing, and inventory 12 I JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM
control. Unlike traditional physics, technology-enabled education has left policies in unseen ways. However, which often focuses on theoretical a lasting impact, demonstrating how some applications of his work have constructs, operations research allowed data-driven solutions can improve lives been more direct such as his him to solve practical problems that globally. His ability to bridge involvement in New York City's directly impact society. His cross- disciplines and apply scientific emergency response system, where he disciplinary mindset made him principles to real-world problems has applied queueing theory to reduce gravitate toward this field, as he cemented his reputation as a visionary delays in answering emergency calls. preferred working horizontally across in operations research. His contributions have helped disciplines rather than being confined streamline service efficiency, ensuring to a single academic silo. Impact of Queueing Theory on that critical calls are handled faster, Optimizing Systems potentially saving lives. Throughout his career at MIT, Richard has been part of five different academic Richard's research in queueing theory Beyond emergency response, Richard's departments, reflecting his evolving has profoundly shaped real-world Queue Inference Engine (QIE) has priorities and commitment to operations, often in ways beyond his transformed industries by optimizing addressing pressing societal direct knowledge. Once a study is customer wait times, service logistics, challenges. His work in urban service published, its insights ripple through and operational efficiency. His systems, disaster planning, and industries, influencing systems and mathematical models continue to shape JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM I 13
Larson and countless others to challenge norms, pioneer breakthroughs, and share insights across disciplines, making MIT a powerhouse of cutting-edge research and transformative learning. Interdisciplinary Approach to Operations Research Innovation MIT fosters innovation in operations research through its interdepartmental research centers, where faculty and students collaborate across disciplines to tackle complex societal challenges. Richard Larson, who served as Co- Director of the Operations Research Center (ORC) for over a decade, highlights its role in bridging engineering, science, and management to develop data-driven solutions. Beyond ORC, MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) further expands interdisciplinary research, integrating data science, artificial intelligence, and social systems to address public-sector problems. Larson's transition from ORC to IDSS how organizations from healthcare to intellectual freedom and transportation enhance their systems interdisciplinary collaboration. At its to better serve the public. core, MIT operates as a flexible meritocracy, where ability and Innovation and Intellectual innovation take precedence over rigid Freedom academic dogma. Richard describes MIT as a truly Unlike traditional institutions that unique academic environment one impose structured methodologies, MIT that has shaped his entire career since encourages researchers to approach he first arrived as a freshman at age problems creatively, allowing them to 18. As an MIT lifer, he has witnessed explore solutions beyond conventional firsthand how the institution fosters boundaries. This openness has enabled 14 I JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM
world challenges, leading to insightful educating the next generation of theses and published research. His operations researchers is bridging the commitment to mentorship and gap between academic excellence and practical learning has shaped real-world application. Many students generations of scholars, reinforcing enter the field with outstanding MIT's reputation as a hub for academic records, yet their experience innovation and interdisciplinary is often confined to classrooms, problem-solving. textbooks, and theoretical exercises. Richard emphasizes the importance of The Real-World Challenge Beyond "boots on the ground" learning, urging the Classroom students to step outside their academic comfort zones and engage directly with One of the biggest challenges in real-world systems. reflects MIT's fluid academic ecosystem, where scholars are encouraged to explore new methodologies and cross-disciplinary insights. This culture of flexibility and collaboration ensures that operations research remains at the forefront of innovation and real-world impact. Mentorship and Real-World Learning For Richard, the most fulfilling aspect of his decades-long career at MIT has been the one-on-one mentorship of graduate students. Even after retirement, he reflects on the deep satisfaction of guiding Master's and PhD candidates, helping them translate academic theories into real-world applications. Beyond the classroom, Larson ensured his students gained hands-on experience by involving them in consulting projects, often in New York City's public sector. These immersive experiences allowed them to apply operations research principles to real- JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM I 15
writing enhances comprehension and retention a principle now supported by modern research on cognitive learning. Even in an era of data-driven education, Richard's emphasis on fundamental problem-solving techniques ensured that students developed deep analytical skills, preparing them to tackle real-world challenges with clarity and precision. Democratizing Education Through Technology Richard sees technology as a powerful force in democratizing education, breaking down barriers that once limited access to world-class learning. Before the rise of the Internet, students Operations research is not just about equations it's about observing, interacting, and understanding the nuances of complex systems. Whether it's traffic flow, emergency response, or supply chain logistics, true expertise comes from experiencing these challenges firsthand. Richard has consistently encouraged his students to immerse themselves in fieldwork, talk to professionals, and apply their knowledge in practical settings. This hands-on approach ensures that future operations researchers develop solutions that are both innovative and grounded in reality. The Power of Hands-On Learning in a Digital Age Despite advancements in technology and data science, Richard's approach to teaching has remained rooted in active engagement and traditional problem-solving methods. As an MIT professor, he championed the idea that true learning happens when students physically interact with concepts, rather than relying solely on digital tools. While many educators embraced computer-based learning, Richard encouraged his students to turn off their screens, pick up a sharpened pencil, and work through problems on blank sheets of paper. He believed that motorizing thought through 16 I JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM
Balancing Innovation and Engagement in MIT's Learning Evolution MIT has long been at the forefront of technology- enabled learning, pioneering advancements through initiatives like the MIT Media Lab and MIT Open Learning. The institution has consistently introduced cutting-edge educational models, often ahead of global trends. However, Richard emphasizes that while technology plays a crucial role, true learning is driven by engagement and commitment. Richard remains skeptical of over-reliance on digital tools, arguing that attitudinal and emotional investment in learning is far more impactful than technological novelty. MIT's approach reflects this balance leveraging interactive learning models like Technology- Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) while ensuring that students remain deeply engaged in problem-solving and critical thinking. The Shift Toward Practical, Impact-Driven Operations Research Operations research has evolved from a rigidly mathematical discipline into a dynamic, interdisciplinary field that prioritizes real-world in remote areas had little opportunity to engage with top-tier academic resources. Today, however, digital platforms have revolutionized education, allowing learners from any corner of the world to access MIT lessons, research, and interactive learning tools. Through initiatives like MIT BLOSSOMS, Richard has championed the global distribution of knowledge, ensuring that students in rural China, Africa, and beyond can benefit from high- quality educational content. As technology continues to evolve, he envisions an era where AI, data-driven learning, and virtual classrooms further enhance accessibility, engagement, and personalized education, making learning borderless and inclusive. JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM I 17
applications. Richard global challenges. Richard's highlights how the profession perspective underscores the has moved beyond theorem importance of hands-on proving once the dominant experimentation, much like a focus of academic research to physicist testing theories in the embrace practical problem- real world, ensuring that solving that directly impacts operations research remains industries and society. relevant, adaptable, and Today, emerging trends in transformative. operations research include AI- driven optimization, From Research to Real-World sustainable systems modeling, Impact and real-time decision analytics. The field is Academic research has long increasingly interdepartmental, played a crucial role in shaping integrating insights from policy and decision-making, engineering, management, and influencing presidents, prime data science to tackle complex ministers, and legislators across 18 I JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM
the globe. While Richard has not directly studied political impact, his work has led to tangible changes in public systems. One notable example is his research on New York City's 911 emergency response system, which resulted in immediate improvements in how emergency calls were handled, reducing delays and enhancing efficiency. Looking ahead, Richard's focus is on spreading the principles of Model Thinking, a concept he developed to enhance problem-solving and decision-making. His book, Model Thinking for Everyday Life, written during the COVID-19 lockdown, encourages individuals to approach challenges with structured reasoning, using conceptual and mathematical models to make smarter decisions. As he enjoys retirement, his mission remains clear: to share knowledge, inspire critical thinking, and ensure that research continues to drive meaningful change. The Leader's Mantra: “Be true to yourself.” Whenever you commit to something, give it your best effort. You never want to look back and regret not trying hard enough. If you experience failure, let it be because the challenge was difficult not because you didn't give it your all. Sometimes, even when you try your best, problems can be incredibly tough, and life's obstacles may prevent you from achieving exactly what you set out to do. However, at the very least, you should be able to look in the mirror and say, "Richard, I gave it my best, and this is the outcome." If you hadn't put in your full effort, even if the result wasn't what you wanted, it could have been much worse. So always be true to yourself and try your best. JUNE 2025 I WWW.THECIOTIMES.COM I 19
