A multidisciplinary approach is a must for the future of entrepreneurship and education.
David Mendlovic is a Full Professor of Electro-Optics, the Vice Dean for Research of the Faculty of Engineering, and the head of the Zimin Institute for Engineering Solutions Advancing Better Lives at Tel Aviv University. In addition to his academic work, Mendlovic is currently the CEO of Corephotonics, a camera tech company acquired by Samsung. He also founded Unispectral, Multiview, and, most recently, Dtect Vision. We discussed the challenges of providing students with a quality, modern college education.
Julia Brodsky: What should be the aim of a modern college education?
David Mendlovic: I believe universities exist to create original content and produce enthusiastic, talented students who can contribute to the betterment of the world. This can be achieved through various means, such as encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging basic and applied research, providing opportunities for hands-on learning, and promoting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. The advancement of AI further raises ethical concerns, highlighting the need for multidisciplinary education that blends STEM skills with humanities, philosophy, and ethics.
Nowadays, people can access information quickly and easily. As someone who specializes in optics, image processing, and vision, I'm known for my expertise worldwide. However, my students can now find materials and learn new facts faster than I can. Since acquiring knowledge is no longer a major issue, we need to focus on teaching students how to think smarter. This entails modifying the course material to give students better tools for critical thinking.
Brodsky: What do you do to encourage multidisciplinary collaboration?
Mendlovic: A multidisciplinary approach is vital. Collaborations between technical and design faculties, for example, can lead to innovations like Apple. Integrating sociology and medicine or ecology and anthropology can also yield valuable outcomes. We partner with renowned universities to learn from them and with smaller institutes to share our expertise. For instance, our water research laboratory is top-notch, and water problems are prevalent in Africa and India. Thus, collaborating with universities in these regions is very valuable.
The Zimin Institute at TAU encourages multidisciplinary collaboration by bridging the gap between basic and applied research and industry. The institute aims to identify new sub-disciplines around medicine and healthcare that will be crucial in the coming years rather than simply seeking researchers in already-established areas. It selects a relatively small number of projects to work on but still manages to produce enough momentum to generate exciting activity in the focus area. To support these efforts, the Zimin Institute has engaged several multidisciplinary campus centers, such as the AI Center, Brain Center, and Cyber Center, each focused on a specific topic with significant practical applications. The Centers bring together high-level researchers to develop solutions to complex problems. The Zimin Institute also selects external projects and invests significant funding to accelerate progress.
Brodsky: Which factors influence the motivation of your students, and how do you address them?
Mendlovic: These days, students are often unwilling to commit seven or eight hours per week to a single course, preferring shorter, more interactive classes with a more personalized approach to teaching. Also, there is a growing trend to prioritize fast, high-paying jobs over the long-term benefits of education. From an economic perspective, it's a major issue to pursue a field of study that doesn't lead to a viable career path or a higher income level. It's unfair that investing time, money, and effort into a Ph.D. in linguistics may not yield the same financial rewards as, say, a programming job. A well-balanced multidisciplinary education, however, is a must for supporting life-long curiosity, innovation, and the development of critical thinking skills. While it may be difficult for some students to alternate, say, between Greek History and AI technologies, we hope that combining distinct modes of thinking will help students become more open-minded and creative.
As an example, research suggests that the demand for professionals in health studies, physiotherapy, and similar health-related disciplines is expected to triple over the next decade, surpassing lucrative careers that are presently in demand, such as computer science. It is, therefore, critical for us to increase students’ involvement in these disciplines. However, the lack of emphasis on innovation and original research in these fields stands in stark contrast with the in-depth and intensive education provided to medical doctors. That’s why we analyze the challenges faced by each school, faculty, or department and develop plans tailored to their specific needs, with the goal of making them more attractive and relevant to students.
Unfortunately, it is challenging to secure donations for education reform. Donors may prefer having a building or research program named after them over a well-thought, multi-year educational investment. However, if we want to maintain excellence, we must take action. With the increasing availability of online options from top universities like MIT and Stanford, we need to ensure that our institution is competitive and offers unique value to students.
Brodsky: As a renowned entrepreneur, what would be your advice on teaching entrepreneurship to young students?
Mendlovic: We have observed that mentoring and applied studies are much more effective than lectures. Therefore, we choose to focus on building virtual startups in class and bringing in alumni mentors. Our university's venture capital arm, TAU Ventures, has the mandate to invest in endeavors that come from our students. Overall, our entrepreneurship program is very promising.
While entrepreneurship can be learned to some extent, luck plays a crucial role, which cannot be taught or bought. Up to 70% of young entrepreneurs are likely to fail - yet it is notable that venture capitalists may prefer to invest in entrepreneurs who have failed before, learned from their mistakes, and developed resilience.
Needless to say, the multidisciplinary paradigm, which brings together entrepreneurs and scientists from diverse backgrounds, plays a pivotal role in creating novel products and businesses. By fostering collaboration and the generation of original ideas, this approach helps shape the future of innovation, education and entrepreneurship.
