Who owns the future?

Toronto, ON - These are the big questions that graduands were asked to ponder during their Convocation ceremony last week at the University of Toronto’s Spring Convocation.

In his keynote address, “Who Owns Tomorrow?”, Dr. Paul Smith, Vice President and Centre Manager of the Xerox Research Centre of Canada, spoke on themes of imagination, entrepreneurialism, and opportunity. He called on the newly graduated to look at themselves, their ideas, and their opportunities to do good, as they consider the future.

He reminded those in attendance that we live in an age that is ripe with the ‘winning conditions’ for human progress – imagination, entrepreneurialism, and opportunity. The 4th Industrial Revolution, the Internet of things, and smart objects are just a few of the opportunities that the future business leaders will get to help shape. “Look at the innovation around us. There is amazing human imagination at work”, said Smith.

He left the students with a compelling thought: “The best way for you to own tomorrow, to own the future, is to imagine it, grasp the opportunity and invent it.”

Dr. Paul Smith is Vice President of Xerox Innovation Group, the Centre Manager of Xerox Research Centre of Canada, and an Officer of Xerox Canada Inc. He leads the Xerox Global Materials Research Centre, which is responsible for advanced materials research and development.

The University of Toronto is one of the world’s top research-intensive universities and ranks as Canada’s most innovative university and one of the top three universities in the world.

By Michael Demone