Latest news with #Queen'sUniversity
Time of India
an hour ago
- Science
- Time of India
Sam Altman vs Elon Musk: Who was a brighter student?
It's a tale of two rebels, each standing at the frontier of artificial intelligence, each reimagining the future of technology, and yet, each shaped by radically different relationships with education. Elon Musk and Sam Altman have both emerged as era-defining figures. One is rewriting the script for interplanetary life and autonomous machines; the other is scripting the very language that machines now use to write back. But beneath the rockets, bots, and billion-dollar valuations lies a question both urgent and timeless: whose educational journey speaks more to this generation, and the next? The premise: Learning beyond the lecture hall In a world where traditional college degrees are losing their monopoly on success, Musk and Altman offer two distinct case studies on how far vision, curiosity, and risk-taking can carry you. Not merely as entrepreneurs, but as self-architected thinkers, their stories challenge the notion that diplomas dictate destiny. And yet, their respective narratives, one shaped by escape velocity, the other by algorithmic reinvention, reveal more than personal ambition. They reflect two competing philosophies of what education should be: An accelerant for bold invention, or a blueprint for structured disruption. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo by Taboola by Taboola Elon Musk: The degree collector who defied the syllabus Elon Musk's educational trajectory was less a straight line and more a launch sequence, each stop a fuel station en route to ignition. Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk exhibited an early obsession with computers and engineering, coding his first video game by age 12. Education, for him, was not a finish line but a toolkit. He began at Queen's University in Canada and transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, walking away with dual bachelor's degrees in Physics and Economics—fields that would later serve as scaffolding for SpaceX and Tesla. But the most revealing educational move Musk made was not one he completed. Enrolling in a PhD program in Applied Physics at Stanford, Musk dropped out within 48 hours, a footnote that speaks louder than any dissertation. That moment wasn't a rejection of knowledge, but of stagnation. He saw no value in waiting for permission to invent the future. Musk's lesson? Learn everything, but don't let anything keep you from building. Sam Altman: The dropout who reprogrammed Silicon Valley Then there's Sam Altman—quietly intense, intellectually omnivorous, and dangerously good at spotting what comes next. Long before he co-founded OpenAI or built ChatGPT into a global sensation, Altman was a precocious kid in St. Louis, disassembling his Macintosh for fun. He attended Stanford University for Computer Science but left after two years to launch Loopt, a geolocation app that fizzled financially but blazed his trail into tech's inner sanctum. His real education began after he dropped out. As President of Y Combinator, Altman became the oracle of early-stage innovation—nurturing Airbnb, Dropbox, and Stripe. He then pivoted into global AI leadership, co-founding OpenAI with a mission as ambitious as it is philosophical: ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. Unlike Musk, Altman doesn't flaunt his dropout status. He doesn't need to. The way he's built OpenAI, Worldcoin, and his own brand of 'tech diplomacy' proves that he wasn't walking away from learning—he was walking towards a more useful version of it. Altman's lesson? Education is everywhere, especially when you leave the classroom. Two roads, one summit While Musk charges ahead with Martian colonization and neural interfaces, Altman is charting the evolution of digital consciousness. Musk imagines machines that move matter; Altman imagines machines that move meaning. And yet, their views on education converge in one quiet truth: school may start the fire, but it's your obsession that keeps it burning. Musk internalized the value of learning but refused to let school slow him down. Altman saw Stanford not as an institution to finish, but a springboard to jump from. Both treated education as modular—taking what served them and discarding the rest. So whose journey is more inspiring? The answer lies not in comparing GPAs or net worth, but in decoding the why behind their choices. If you believe that education should be structured, global, and multidisciplinary, Musk's journey offers the blueprint. His path assures you that yes, institutional knowledge matters—but only if it fuels your launch, not holds you back. If you see education as something lived rather than lectured, then Altman is your north star. His trajectory shows how a college dropout can still become an intellectual juggernaut—provided he's willing to build, break, and rewire systems from the ground up. In a way, both men are rebels—with a cause. And for students watching from the sidelines, the moral isn't 'drop out' or 'go all in.' It's this: Be relentlessly curious. Learn faster than the world changes. And most importantly—write your own curriculum. Because in the age of AI, Mars missions, and machine tutors, inspiration no longer belongs to degrees. It belongs to those brave enough to teach themselves what school never could. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Former top civil servant Sue Gray appointed to Queen's University Senate
Former top civil servant Baroness Sue Gray has been appointed to serve on Queen's University Senate. Dr Feargal McCormack was also announced as a pro-chancellor at the Belfast university, while Anna Beggan and Lyle Watters have been appointed as lay members of the senate. Baroness Gray, a former chief of staff to the UK Prime Minister and permanent secretary at the Stormont Department of Finance, also worked as chief of staff to then leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer in 2023. She currently serves as chairwoman of Consello, UK. Exciting news! We have made four new appointments to our Senate, the governing body that helps shape the strategic direction of the university. Baroness Sue Gray and Dr Feargal McCormack have been announced as Pro-Chancellors. They'll play a key role in guiding the University's… — Queen's University Belfast 🎓 (@QUBelfast) July 29, 2025 'Queen's holds a special place in the heart of Northern Ireland and plays a vital role on the national and international stage,' she said. 'I feel deeply committed to supporting its mission of excellence in education, research and civic engagement and hope my experience in public service will contribute to its strong governance and uphold the values that has made Queen's such an important institution for generations past, and those yet to come.' Dr McCormack is currently senior partner at AAB Group and a former president of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He has also been appointed as pro-chancellor and will serve as the deputy chairman of Senate and chairman of the Senate planning, finance and resources committee. Ms Beggan, a former partner at Tughans Solicitors with extensive experience in employment law, while Mr Watters is a former senior executive at Ford Motor Company with almost four decades of international leadership. The appointments take effect from August 1 2025 and last four years, following an extensive selection process involving students, staff, alumni and independent assessors, and are non-remunerated. Dr Len O'Hagan, pro-chancellor and chairman of Senate, said they are 'outstanding appointments that will strengthen the governance and strategic direction of Queen's'. Professor Sir Ian Greer, president and vice-chancellor, added: 'Effective governance is essential to the success and integrity of global university. 'With these appointments, Queen's gains individuals of exceptional distinction and experience who share a deep commitment to public service and the advancement of higher education. 'I look forward to working with our new Pro-Chancellors and Lay Members of Senate, as we deliver our ambitious Strategy 2030.'
5 days ago
- Health
Are you drinking heavily? You may be at greater risk of liver disease
The rate of serious liver disease among heavy drinkers has more than doubled over the last 20 years as the demographics around who is consuming more alcohol shift, a new study suggests. The research, published (new window) Wednesday in American medical journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that heavy alcohol use is up among women, older adults, lower-income individuals and people with metabolic syndromes like obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. These groups tend to already be at a higher risk for liver disease, and excessive drinking only makes that worse, doctors say. Liver disease is real, it's surging, and your risk is much higher than you might think, said Dr. Brian Lee, a study author and a transplant hepatologist who treats liver transplant patients in the U.S. WATCH | Research suggests heavy drinking is shifting and liver disease is up: Liver disease is a leading cause of alcohol-related deaths in Canada (new window) and the United States (new window) . Severe forms of the illness, which has three main stages (new window) , leads to cirrhosis. That's when the liver has experienced irreversible damage and is significantly scarred. Alcohol causes fat to deposit in the liver, that fat then causes inflammation, the inflammation then causes scarring and the scarring is what causes the long-term complications of liver disease, said Lee. Until it gets to the later stages, there aren't usually many obvious symptoms (new window) related to alcohol-related liver disease. And there's also not any specific treatment that can help. People are often advised to stop drinking or make other lifestyle changes, but in severe cases where the liver has stopped working, a liver transplant might be necessary. Rate of liver disease doubled: study The new research followed more than 44,600 American adults who were 20 years or older from 1999 to 2020. Over that 20-year period, the study found that among heavy drinkers, the rate of serious liver disease increased from 1.8 per cent in 1999 to 2004, to 4.3 per cent in 2013 to 2020. That increase was mostly in women, older people and those living in poverty. Even though the research included only people in the United States, experts say this is a global trend. In Canada, recent research (new window) has also shown that alcohol-related illnesses are on the rise and that women are increasingly impacted. Better consumption guidelines needed: Expert One thing that we need to really try as a population is to better educate our population on how much alcohol they're actually consuming, said Dr. Jennifer Flemming, an associate professor in medicine and public health at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. Flemming says many people don't understand what constitutes a standard drink. Experts blame this uncertainty on a mishmash of alcohol consumption guidelines and little transparency on the amount of alcohol in a standard drink. For example, Flemming says in the United States, 14 grams of pure alcohol is considered a standard drink, compared to 10 grams of pure alcohol in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, in Canada, the national health department says a standard drink is 13.45 grams of pure alcohol (new window) , which includes a 12 ounce bottle of beer at five per cent alcohol, or a five ounce glass of wine at 12 per cent alcohol. Enlarge image (new window) Experts say warning labels on alcohol outlining the health risks related to its consumption would help inform people. Photo: Radio-Canada / Neil Cochrane/ICI Radio-Canada Warning labels may help, study suggests But labels on alcohol products in many parts of the world don't actually specify how many grams the alcohol contains, which Flemming says can make it hard for people to know. Though research is limited, some studies suggest that placing warning labels on alcohol can decrease consumption. A study published (new window) in 2020 examined the effect of warning labels on alcohol in the Yukon. The researchers found that sales of alcohol with warning labels decreased and concluded that these labels resulted in reduced consumption. When people noticed the warnings, they changed their beliefs, said one of the researchers Tim Stockwell, who is a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in B.C. "Those people who increased their awareness of the cancer risk expressed intentions to cut down their drinking. Which consumption guidelines should Canadians follow? The Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released new alcohol consumption guidelines (new window) in 2023. They stated that no amount of alcohol is safe and recommended no more than two drinks a week for men and women. Despite receiving funding from Health Canada to create these new guidelines, the federal health department has not adopted them, and its website features different recommendations (new window) . In an email, a Health Canada spokesperson told CBC News the CCSA's work is ongoing and said the Health Canada website will be updated after this work is completed. As for adding warning labels that better define the risks and serving size, Health Canada says it is monitoring the situation and will continue to inform the public about the harms of alcohol. Enlarge image (new window) Tim Stockwell, a scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, says there's been a shift in public awareness about the health impacts of heavy drinking. That's why he expects future research to show a drop in alcohol-related illnesses like liver disease. Photo: University of Victoria But experts say more needs to be done to better protect people. At this time, Stockwell says the best guidance for Canadians is to follow the recommendations by the CCSA. The pressure is mounting, said Stockwell, though he noted how challenging it is given the power of large commercial alcohol companies. LISTEN | The Dose: How does drinking affect my health? (new window) People more aware of health risks: Expert The new research doesn't account for increased alcohol consumption (new window) during the COVID-19 pandemic, but research in Canada found that (new window) alcohol-related illnesses did significantly increase during that time. It also doesn't account for early suggestions that people have been drinking less post-pandemic, says Stockwell. There's been a shift in the awareness out there in the public … about the health impacts, he said. That's why he expects future research to show a drop in alcohol-related illnesses, like liver disease. He says this is also partly due to inflation. When people have less disposable income, they spend less on everything, and alcohol is no exception, said Stockwell, noting that people also appear to be paying attention to new information about cancer risks related to alcohol consumption.
National Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Raymond J. de Souza: Via Rail's Toronto-to-Vancouver line tells the story of Canada
Article content Having never been north of Lake Superior, the beauty of the vast forest and innumerable lakes was entirely new to me. The reality of that Shield is omnipresent; it seemed that every half-mile or so the train slipped through narrows opened by massive blasting of the rock. Article content The political challenge required a bit of blasting too. Article content 'In the Canada of 1871, 'nationalism' was a strange, new word,' wrote Berton. 'Patriotism was derivative, racial cleavage was deep, culture was regional, provincial animosities savage and the idea of unity ephemeral.' Article content Macdonald and his allies had to promise, persuade, cajole, bully, threaten and fight their way through obstacles as tough as the rock and as high as the mountains. That they did so — and quickly, within a decade — remains improbable at 150 years distance, even though now it is a historical fact. Article content The greatness of the task summoned greatness in the men who would execute it. The cars on The Canadian are named for various heroes of our history, not limited to the CPR. There is General James Wolfe of course, with his plaque including a favourable mention of Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. Joseph Brant. David Thompson (The Canadian follows the Thompson River into the Rockies.) Article content Article content And to my delight, George Munro Grant, the 19th-century principal who made Queen's University what it became, but earlier was a protégé of Sir Sandford Fleming, who was a chief visionary for the CPR project. Sir Sanford, for good measure, developed Canada's first postage stamp and invented Standard Time — a necessity once railways sped up travel across longitudes. Article content Via Rail is bedevilled by delays as it uses the CN track, and CN's freight trains take priority. Pulling over to a siding to await a passing freight is annoying between Toronto and Ottawa. On board The Canadian it was a matter of wonder at the astonishing bounty of Canada's resources — potash, wheat, lumber, coal, oil and shipping containers, sometimes stacked one atop another, of all kinds of goods — would pass in seemingly interminable chains. Continental passenger rail may have seen its day; freight has not. Article content The traditional telling of the Canadian story is peaceable compromise, contrasted with the warmaking American character, which birthed its project in violent revolution and rebirthed it in bloody civil war. Yet when the Canadian Pacific Railway bill finally passed Parliament in 1881, Berton characterized what was to follow in martial terms. A war to liberate a country from the supremacy of the land itself was declared. Article content Article content 'Within one year an army of twelve thousand men would be marshalled to invade the North West,' Berton would write of Macdonald's great political triumph. 'Other armies would follow: ten thousand along the Fraser, twelve thousand attacking the mountain crevices, fifteen thousand blackening the face of the Shield…. The granite shield of Canada has to be cracked open to let the railway through. The mountain barrier must be breasted and broken. But the great adventure was launched.' Article content
CBC
5 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Are you drinking heavily? You may be at greater risk of liver disease
Social Sharing The rate of serious liver disease among heavy drinkers has more than doubled over the last 20 years as the demographics around who is consuming more alcohol shift, a new study suggests. The research, published Wednesday in American medical journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that heavy alcohol use is up among women, older adults, lower-income individuals and people with metabolic syndromes like obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. These groups tend to already be at a higher risk for liver disease, and excessive drinking only makes that worse, doctors say. "Liver disease is real, it's surging, and your risk is much higher than you might think," said Dr. Brian Lee, a study author and a transplant hepatologist who treats liver transplant patients in the U.S. WATCH | Research suggests heavy drinking is shifting and liver disease is up: Who's drinking heavily is shifting and liver disease is up, research finds 1 day ago A study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology shows that rates of serious liver scarring more than doubled over the last 20 years among heavy drinkers as the demographics of drinkers shift to include older adults and women. Liver disease is a leading cause of alcohol-related deaths in Canada and the United States. Severe forms of the illness, which has three main stages, leads to cirrhosis. That's when the liver has experienced irreversible damage and is significantly scarred. "Alcohol causes fat to deposit in the liver, that fat then causes inflammation, the inflammation then causes scarring and the scarring is what causes the long-term complications of liver disease," said Lee. Until it gets to the later stages, there aren't usually many obvious symptoms related to alcohol-related liver disease. And there's also not any specific treatment that can help. People are often advised to stop drinking or make other lifestyle changes, but in severe cases where the liver has stopped working, a liver transplant might be necessary. Rate of liver disease doubled: study The new research followed more than 44,600 American adults who were 20 years or older from 1999 to 2020. Over that 20-year period, the study found that among heavy drinkers, the rate of serious liver disease increased from 1.8 per cent in 1999 to 2004, to 4.3 per cent in 2013 to 2020. That increase was mostly in women, older people and those living in poverty. Even though the research included only people in the United States, experts say this is a global trend. In Canada, recent research has also shown that alcohol-related illnesses are on the rise and that women are increasingly impacted. Better consumption guidelines needed: Expert "One thing that we need to really try as a population is to better educate our population on how much alcohol they're actually consuming," said Dr. Jennifer Flemming, an associate professor in medicine and public health at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. Flemming says many people don't understand what constitutes a standard drink. Experts blame this uncertainty on a mishmash of alcohol consumption guidelines and little transparency on the amount of alcohol in a standard drink. For example, Flemming says in the United States, 14 grams of pure alcohol is considered a standard drink, compared to 10 grams of pure alcohol in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, in Canada, the national health department says a standard drink is 13.45 grams of pure alcohol, which includes a 12 ounce bottle of beer at five per cent alcohol, or a five ounce glass of wine at 12 per cent alcohol. Warning labels may help, study suggests But labels on alcohol products in many parts of the world don't actually specify how many grams the alcohol contains, which Flemming says can make it hard for people to know. Though research is limited, some studies suggest that placing warning labels on alcohol can decrease consumption. A study published in 2020 examined the effect of warning labels on alcohol in the Yukon. The researchers found that sales of alcohol with warning labels decreased and concluded that these labels resulted in reduced consumption. "When people noticed the warnings, they changed their beliefs," said one of the researchers Tim Stockwell, who is a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria in B.C. "Those people who increased their awareness of the cancer risk expressed intentions to cut down their drinking. Which consumption guidelines should Canadians follow? The Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released new alcohol consumption guidelines in 2023. They stated that no amount of alcohol is safe and recommended no more than two drinks a week for men and women. Despite receiving funding from Health Canada to create these new guidelines, the federal health department has not adopted them, and its website features different recommendations. In an email, a Health Canada spokesperson told CBC News the CCSA's work is "ongoing" and said "the Health Canada website will be updated after this work is completed." As for adding warning labels that better define the risks and serving size, Health Canada says it is "monitoring the situation and will continue to inform the public about the harms of alcohol." But experts say more needs to be done to better protect people. At this time, Stockwell says the best guidance for Canadians is to follow the recommendations by the CCSA. "The pressure is mounting," said Stockwell, though he noted how challenging it is given the power of large commercial alcohol companies. People more aware of health risks: Expert The new research doesn't account for increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, but research in Canada found that alcohol-related illnesses did significantly increase during that time. It also doesn't account for early suggestions that people have been drinking less post-pandemic, says Stockwell. "There's been a shift in the awareness out there in the public … about the health impacts," he said. That's why he expects future research to show a drop in alcohol-related illnesses, like liver disease. He says this is also partly due to inflation.
