Member Board of Directors — The Millennium Project
Paul Saffo is a well-known figure in the realm of technology forecasting, living and working in the heart of Silicon Valley. As a Consulting Professor at Stanford University’s School of Engineering, he dives deep into the future of engineering and explores how technological advancements shape what’s to come. In 2008, Stanford’s Media X research network recognized his contributions, naming him a Distinguished Visiting Scholar.
Beyond academia, Paul is an active member of the Long Now Foundation‘s board, showing his commitment to long-term thinking and sustainability. His academic journey has taken him through prestigious halls, earning degrees from Harvard College, Cambridge University, and Stanford University.
Paul has a knack for putting complex ideas into words, authoring books like “Dreams in Silicon Valley” and “The Road From Trinity,” not to mention penning the introduction for “E.B. White: Notes on our Times.” His insights have also caught the eye of the Harvard Business Review, where he served as a McKinsey Judge in 1997—the same year the World Economic Forum celebrated him as a “Global Leader for Tomorrow.”
His expertise isn’t just sought after in the academic world; corporations value his foresight too. Paul chairs the Samsung Science Board and lends his wisdom to various other boards and advisory panels, including the Stanford Advisory Council on Science, Technology and Society. His advisory role extends to CuriosityStream, where he’s part of a board pushing the boundaries of documentary streaming.
In 2000, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences for his contributions to technology and engineering.
Paul’s lighter side is shown in his initiation into the playful “Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus” in 2009, where he humorously claims the title of Chairman of the Most Important Committee. This blend of deep thinking, influential teaching, and a touch of humor marks Paul Saffo as a unique voice in understanding and forecasting the technological landscapes of tomorrow.