Ken Caldeira
@kencaldeira.com
Mostly mentoring a group of postdocs at Stanford.
Senior Scientist at Gates Ventures.
climate / energy / etc
https://sustainablesolutions.stanford.edu/people/ken-caldeira
Posts imperfectly represent the views of my former self and not my employer.
Senior Scientist at Gates Ventures.
climate / energy / etc
https://sustainablesolutions.stanford.edu/people/ken-caldeira
Posts imperfectly represent the views of my former self and not my employer.
Life is iterative decision making under uncertainty with learning.
That is the human condition.
We can run quantitative models, but we need to interpret the results qualitatively -- they are tools to aid thought; they are not a substitute for thought.
That is the human condition.
We can run quantitative models, but we need to interpret the results qualitatively -- they are tools to aid thought; they are not a substitute for thought.
November 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Life is iterative decision making under uncertainty with learning.
That is the human condition.
We can run quantitative models, but we need to interpret the results qualitatively -- they are tools to aid thought; they are not a substitute for thought.
That is the human condition.
We can run quantitative models, but we need to interpret the results qualitatively -- they are tools to aid thought; they are not a substitute for thought.
I think there is no business opportunity there and these people will just lose their money.
November 10, 2025 at 6:53 PM
I think there is no business opportunity there and these people will just lose their money.
I spoke to someone about this, and they said that these investments were not philanthropy but were from people who hoped to see a positive return.
November 10, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I spoke to someone about this, and they said that these investments were not philanthropy but were from people who hoped to see a positive return.
We did this paper together when she was a visiting student in our lab.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Combustion of available fossil fuel resources sufficient to eliminate the Antarctic Ice Sheet
Fossil-fuel resources are sufficient to eliminate the Antarctic Ice Sheet.
www.science.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:22 PM
We did this paper together when she was a visiting student in our lab.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
This is a sad day for America.
When the opposition party does not oppose, much is lost.
When the opposition party does not oppose, much is lost.
November 10, 2025 at 1:49 AM
This is a sad day for America.
When the opposition party does not oppose, much is lost.
When the opposition party does not oppose, much is lost.
The Gates Foundation gives out about $8 billion per year.
Education needs in Sub-Saharan Africa may be on the order of $200 billion per year.
Gates has given out a total of about $200 billion so far, and he expects to be able to give out another $200 billion.
blogs.worldbank.org/en/developme...
Education needs in Sub-Saharan Africa may be on the order of $200 billion per year.
Gates has given out a total of about $200 billion so far, and he expects to be able to give out another $200 billion.
blogs.worldbank.org/en/developme...
The high price of education in Sub-Saharan Africa
Digital financial services are one way to help families manage school fee payments so they can keep their children in school.
blogs.worldbank.org
November 10, 2025 at 1:39 AM
The Gates Foundation gives out about $8 billion per year.
Education needs in Sub-Saharan Africa may be on the order of $200 billion per year.
Gates has given out a total of about $200 billion so far, and he expects to be able to give out another $200 billion.
blogs.worldbank.org/en/developme...
Education needs in Sub-Saharan Africa may be on the order of $200 billion per year.
Gates has given out a total of about $200 billion so far, and he expects to be able to give out another $200 billion.
blogs.worldbank.org/en/developme...
Better cow DNA is nearly free.
Better schools cost money.
Better schools are likely better than better cows, but who is going to allocate sufficient funds?
www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/pro...
Better schools cost money.
Better schools are likely better than better cows, but who is going to allocate sufficient funds?
www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/pro...
Global Education Program - Improving Access to Education in sub-Saharan Africa and India
How the global education program is improving basic literacy and numeracy skills among children of primary school age in sub-Saharan Africa and India.
www.gatesfoundation.org
November 10, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Better cow DNA is nearly free.
Better schools cost money.
Better schools are likely better than better cows, but who is going to allocate sufficient funds?
www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/pro...
Better schools cost money.
Better schools are likely better than better cows, but who is going to allocate sufficient funds?
www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/pro...
Would families in poverty in Kenya, were they fully informed about climate risks, forego the opportunity to trade in their current low-productivity dairy cows for cows containing DNA that resulted in higher milk productivity?
I do know the right answer, but these are not simple questions.
I do know the right answer, but these are not simple questions.
November 9, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Would families in poverty in Kenya, were they fully informed about climate risks, forego the opportunity to trade in their current low-productivity dairy cows for cows containing DNA that resulted in higher milk productivity?
I do know the right answer, but these are not simple questions.
I do know the right answer, but these are not simple questions.
People in poverty in hot places will likely be hardest hit by climate change.
How to help them out of poverty, with limited resources, without exacerbating climate change, is a tough problem, but simply leaving them in poverty is not the answer.
www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articl...
How to help them out of poverty, with limited resources, without exacerbating climate change, is a tough problem, but simply leaving them in poverty is not the answer.
www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articl...
Meet the farmers and scientists using remarkable cows to help their communities thrive
How selective breeding of cattle led to better grades in Kenya. Bringing productive dairy cows to Africa for better local nutrition and economic opportunity.
www.gatesfoundation.org
November 9, 2025 at 6:24 PM
People in poverty in hot places will likely be hardest hit by climate change.
How to help them out of poverty, with limited resources, without exacerbating climate change, is a tough problem, but simply leaving them in poverty is not the answer.
www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articl...
How to help them out of poverty, with limited resources, without exacerbating climate change, is a tough problem, but simply leaving them in poverty is not the answer.
www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articl...
That is the goal !
If the biggest problem my brain feels like it has to solve is something to do with scientific or technical analysis, then I feel like my life is going pretty well.
If the biggest problem my brain feels like it has to solve is something to do with scientific or technical analysis, then I feel like my life is going pretty well.
November 9, 2025 at 2:51 PM
That is the goal !
If the biggest problem my brain feels like it has to solve is something to do with scientific or technical analysis, then I feel like my life is going pretty well.
If the biggest problem my brain feels like it has to solve is something to do with scientific or technical analysis, then I feel like my life is going pretty well.
And then we can have a bot watch it for us and summarize it for us in a few bullet points.
November 9, 2025 at 2:46 PM
And then we can have a bot watch it for us and summarize it for us in a few bullet points.
Victims of persuasive PowerPoint decks?
November 6, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Victims of persuasive PowerPoint decks?