Dr. Rajiv Shah (BS ’95) is president of The Rockefeller Foundation, a global institution with a mission to promote the well-being of humanity around the world.

Shah will discuss his new book, “Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens” (Simon & Schuster, 2023), and how universities can embrace a big bets mindset of transformative change, especially as it relates to solving the climate crisis.

In his talk, Shah will share a dynamic new model for creating lasting change, inspired by his own work and that of The Rockefeller Foundation on some of the biggest humanitarian efforts of the 21st century. Shah will draw from his experiences working as the 16th administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and his leadership roles at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The event will include an audience Q&A session and a book signing immediately following the talk. A limited number of books will be available for purchase.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Although you may have a ticket, it does not guarantee you a seat. We will be seating ticket holders first and recommend you are in your seat 10 minutes before the start of the event. We will start to let in general public seating 10 minutes prior to the event.

Hosted by the University of Michigan, the School for Environment and Sustainability, and the Frederick A. & Barbara M. Erb Institute, and co-sponsored by the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, Graham Sustainability Institute, Global CO2 Initiative, Planet Blue, and the College of Literature, Science and the Arts and Literati Bookstore.