Theo Kocken describes how his upbringing in a large family encouraged his independence. He drew on that experience to rethink the nature of risks by banks and pension funds. He discusses how he came to start Cardano Development in response to the need to account for scenarios that generate serious risks. He points out how his company built models that use derivatives to hedge long-term risks in pension funds. Theo highlights his work with banks, many of which become far more interested in risk management in the aftermath of the financial crisis. He has combined theory with practice, publishing a number of scholarly articles while working on the practical problems faced by pension funds and more recently with development banks helping developing countries.

Dr. Paradis describes growing up in a small town in northern Minnesota, not far from a Native American reservation. While in high school, Jim tells of discovering his interest and love of science. Inspired by President John Kennedy's call for service, he discusses joining the Peace Corps and teaching science in Africa. But later Jim explains his transition from science to literature and the interaction of science and communication. These interests merged and ultimately led to a successful academic career at MIT.

Doug Besharov describes his upbringing in Queens, New York, raised by a widowed single mother. Working his way through college and law school, he landed a position within the New York City government dealing with child abuse and child support cases. Doug explains how he become the first director of the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. After discussing his work at the center, Doug talks about his time at the Brookings Institution, where he wrote the first of 14 books he wrote or edited. In his subsequent career at the American Enterprise Institute and the University of Maryland, he testified many times before Congress and published articles in the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Doug concludes the interview with his perspectives on European social policy.

Though born in the UK, Chris moved to the US at age 8 and attended high school in Larchmont, NY. He entered MIT in 1963 in time to work on the early computers, learning how to program and later how to create computer compilers (translating programs using high-level languages to machine language). Chris recounts his early career at MIT and his subsequent work in gaming and supercomputers. His interview ends with a discussion about where artificial intelligence (AI) and it will be more revolutionary than other aspects of the computer revolution.

David begins by highlighting the background of his parents, how they met in Mexico, and their careers. He discusses his elementary and high school experience in San Antonio and his first national award. He describes how he chose Harvard among other schools at a time when Harvard was not a dominant brand. David provides examples of his intellectually stimulating time at Harvard and then turns to his subsequent decision to enter law school instead of medical school. His early career as an attorney contributed to his finding his wife Ellen and convincing her to marry. David makes interesting points about enjoying courtroom litigation and the jury system. The session concludes with David's innovative practice of taking each child to countries with special histories but only after the children did their homework in reading about the countries.

William Raduchel describes growing up in Houghton County, Michigan, as it evolved from a prosperous to a declining area. Starting from a local college, Michigan Tech, a school focused on engineering, on to Michigan State and then to many roles at Harvard, Bill gained a mastery of economics, computer science, and engineering. His career made fascinating transition from automating Harvard's admissions, to creating special software for economic analysis, to achieving top positions at McGraw Hill, Xeros, Sun Microsystems and AOL Time Warner. He explains why some companies grew with technology while others were unable to make technology work for their business success. Bill concludes with perspectives on the growth of Artificial Intelligence and its likely impacts. He explores these and other issues in his forthcoming book, The New Technology State.

State Senator Jim Rosapepe describes where and how he grew up, his heritage, his early interest in politics, and the beginnings of his business career and entrepreneurship. He then turns to the relationships he built in politics, business, and foreign affairs. Jim's role in the Italian support for President Bill Clinton is one of his many interesting stories. Finally, he explains his success in the legislative process in Maryland and his renewed interest in apprenticeships for America.

Eytan Sheshinski describes growing up in Haifa, Israel with parents who emigrated from Germany and Switzerland in the 1930s to a kibbutz. While initially joining a kibbutz and understanding economics from a Marxist perspective, Eytan talks of his excitement in learning modern economics first at Hebrew University under famed Israel economist Don Patinkin and later at MIT. After building a strong research record in public economics as a highly respected professor of economics, he served without pay as the head of two commissions to ensure that the Israeli public obtained its fair share of profits from oil, gas, and potash resources. Eytan discusses the challenges he faced and the ultimate satisfaction he derived from his public service.

Diane Jones describes coming from a Baltimore family of modest means, attending a state college, and becoming a community college professor as she followed her deep interest in science. Her experience at the National Science Foundation led to new programs and ultimately productive years as a Congressional staffer. In her last public position, Diane served as Deputy Secretary of Education.