Harvard University Convenes Experts to Debate and Prioritize World's 'Hardest Problems' in the Social Sciences

First in Series Planned Across Major Disciplines

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, April 8, 2010 - In 1900, the renowned mathematician David Hilbert laid down a challenge
to future generations: 23 mathematical problems, all difficult, all
important, and all unsolved.

Since then, mathematicians have struggled to solve the 23 'Hilbert
Problems'. Ten have been fully solved; 11 are partly solved or simply cannot
be solved; and two remain at large. The pursuit of the solutions had a
profound and fundamental influence on the roadmap for 20th century
mathematics, testament to Hilbert's foresight.

Starting on April 10, 2010, Harvard University will take Professor
Hilbert's vision one step further, shifting his lens to a new field: the
social sciences. After 18 months of joint planning with the non-profit Indira
Foundation, which initiated the effort and also provided financial support,
the Division of Social Science in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will
convene a symposium of multidisciplinary experts to propose and prioritize an
analogous set of the world's hardest unsolved problems in the social
sciences.

"Hilbert's approach is as applicable to the social sciences today as it
was to mathematics in 1900," said Stephen Kosslyn, Dean of Social Science.

During the daylong symposium, which will be open to the public and
broadcast live on the Internet starting at 10:00am EDT (2:00pm GMT), a panel
of experts from multiple universities will present and debate what they
believe are the hardest unsolved problems in the social sciences (including
economics, psychology, political science, gender studies, ethnic studies,
history, sociology, and anthropology), emphasizing why the problems are both
hard and important.

For 45 days following the event, anyone from around the world can view
symposium videos, vote on the proposals, and, most important, submit
additional problems for consideration and voting at
socialscience.fas.harvard.edu/hardproblems.

The final votes will be used, in combination with the symposium
proceedings, to develop a prioritized list that will hopefully serve to focus
and inform research and policy directions in the future.

Speakers include:

    - Peter Bearman, Columbia University
    - Nick Bostrom, Oxford University
    - Susan Carey, Harvard
    - Nicholas Christakis, Harvard
    - James Fowler, University of California, San Diego
    - Roland Fryer, Harvard
    - Claudia Goldin, Harvard
    - Gary King, Harvard
    - Emily Oster, University of Chicago
    - Ann Swidler, University of California, Berkeley
    - Nassim Taleb, Polytechnic Institute of New York University
    - Richard Zeckhauser, Harvard

"We applaud the efforts of Dean Kosslyn and his team in bringing this
idea to realization over the past year and a half," said Nicholas Nash, a
member of the Indira Foundation. "Particularly exciting is the collaborative
nature of the effort, already involving an impressive list of thought
leaders."

About the Indira Foundation

The Indira Foundation is a Connecticut-based charitable organization
dedicated to supporting programs that can make a difference in the fields of
education, health care, and social welfare.

    Media Contact
    Steve Bradt
    Harvard Public Affairs & Communications
    Tel +1-617-496-8070 | Email sbradt@fas.harvard.edu

Steve Bradt, +1-617-496-8070, sbradt at fas.harvard.edu