The Optimistic Outlook

Cracking the code: How to transform industry and infrastructure

Siemens CEO Roland Busch joins Barbara to discuss “glocalization” and how to scale technologies shaping a better tomorrow as industry and infrastructure become more productive and sustainable. 
Show notes:  
Roland on glocalization: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/globalization-isn-t-working-but-glocalization-can-davos2023/ 
Siemens Xcelerator and Industrial Metaverse: https://new.siemens.com/global/en/company/insights.html 
Roland’s annual shareholders meeting speech: https://assets.new.siemens.com/siemens/assets/api/uuid:44ea0485-0c69-4005-be07-ae7364cf41aa/Roland-Busch-HV-Rede-2023-EN.pdf 
Rail Manufacturing Announcement: https://press.siemens.com/global/en/pressrelease/siemens-mobility-invest-220-million-north-carolina-rail-manufacturing-facility 

A turning point for the electric grid

The U.S. power grid has been called both the “greatest machine ever built” and the “great enabler” of our greatest innovations. But can we successfully reinvent it? In this decade of action, with technology companies stepping up and new federal climate and infrastructure laws moving forward that each focus on power grid modernization, Barbara is joined by Karen Wayland, CEO, Gridwise Alliance. Karen is a recognized expert in national energy and environmental policy who has served in leadership positions at the highest levels of government and nonprofits.
Show notes:
Gridwise Alliance: https://gridwise.org/
Grid Modernization: https://www.siemens.com/us/en/company/bipartisan-infrastructure.html
 
  

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: What’s next?

Clarence Anthony, CEO and Executive Director, National League of Cities, joins the podcast to provide a local perspective on the deployment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With many communities directly accessing federal infrastructure funds for the first time, Anthony outlines priorities for cities, towns, and villages nationwide.     
 Show Notes:   
NLC Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources: https://www.nlc.org/initiative/ready-to-rebuild/ 
Siemens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/bipartisan-infrastructure.html 
Youth Excel: https://www.nlc.org/initiative/youth-excel/#:~:text=To%20support%20cities'%20efforts%20to,Youth%20Economic%20Recovery%20and%20Empowerment. 

The power of psychological safety

For the last episode of 2022, Barbara is joined by Dr. Connie Hadley, an organizational psychologist and founder of the Institute for Life at Work, to discuss how to build stronger, more innovative teams. Building on the show’s core theme of optimism and last year’s episode on growth mindset, this conversation unpacks how work cultures rooted in trust and psychological safety foster individual resilience and wellbeing. The outcome? Work environments more conducive to healthy risk taking that lead to growth and more impactful results.
Show notes:
Psychological Safety 101: https://www.institutelifework.org/topic-briefings/psychologicalsafety   

A model microgrid in Bronzeville

Barbara visits a groundbreaking microgrid project in the South Side Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville. Features interviews with ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones and Paul Pabst, who leads ComEd’s Smart Grid department.
SHOW NOTES: 
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecvUf5sdOJs&list=PLF415F6CFBF8D6A91&index=2
Microgrids opportunities in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/bipartisan-infrastructure.html
 

Climate action: how to achieve ‘drawdown’

Chad Frischmann is the co-author of the New York Times best-seller “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.” He also pioneered Project Drawdown and is now the founder of a new organization called Regenerative Intelligence. Barbara and Chad explore how to achieve a moment in time when the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases begins to decline annually and what a regenerative future looks like. Learn about the impact of tech solutions that can be immediately deployed, and the potential for further innovation. 
Show Notes: 
Regenerative Intelligence: https://regenintel.earth/ 
Project Drawdown: https://drawdown.org/ 
TED Talk (100 solutions to reverse global warming): https://www.ted.com/talks/chad_frischmann_100_solutions_to_reverse_global_warming?language=en 
Siemens and Environmental Action: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/environmental-society-governance/environmental-action.html 

Accelerating America’s electric future

Barbara brings listeners inside a United for Infrastructure event focused on accelerating electric vehicle deployment and grid modernization in North Carolina, with commentary from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper; Brian Savoy, Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer for Duke Energy; and Charles Lattuca, President and CEO of GoTriangle, which provides bus services in North Carolina’s Research Triangle region. 
Show notes: 
Electrifying North Carolina transit: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/press/press-releases/smart-infrastructure/siemens-advances-north-carolinas-electric-transit-efforts.html 
Volkswagen and Siemens invest in Electrify America: https://press.siemens.com/global/en/pressrelease/volkswagen-and-siemens-invest-electrify-americas-ambitious-growth-plan?spr_cid=120_12955&spr_pid=300000303245101&linkId=300000002778471 
Acting on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/building-for-a-changing-tomorrow.html 

Platform Revolution

With previous episodes focusing on the power of new federal investment combined with emerging technologies, this one explores the big, overarching trend that promises to truly change everything: a platform revolution. Following the release day of Siemens’ new open digital business platform, Siemens Xcelerator, Marshall Van Alstyne, co-author of international bestseller “Platform Revolution,” offers his view on why platform models giving rise to the likes of Uber, Airbnb and Amazon are now ready to transform industry and infrastructure. Barbara is also joined by Peter Koerte, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer at Siemens, who highlights how the platform model’s focus on ecosystems and creating network effects will accelerate decarbonization as it remakes factories, energy grids, buildings, and transportations system. 
 Show notes: 
Siemens Xcelerator Press Release: https://press.siemens.com/global/en/pressrelease/siemens-launches-siemens-xcelerator-open-digital-business-platform-accelerate-digital 
Platform Revolution: https://www.amazon.com/Platform-Revolution-Networked-Markets-Transforming/dp/0393249131 
Peter’s article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/digitalization-decarbonization-two-megatrends-each-other-peter-koerte/?trackingId=Sg8Tf%2BSWT0%2B%2BRNFwc0fwMg%3D%3D&linkId=300000002456347 

Reversing infrastructure’s legacy of inequality

Barbara looks at infrastructure’s legacy of exacerbating inequality and explores a more sustainable, equitable, resilient approach as the bipartisan infrastructure law is rolled out. Her guest, Stephanie Gidigbi Jenkins, is an expert in and champion for public policies promoting economic, social and environmental benefits for communities. Stephanie is the founder and co-partner of Northstar Strategies, with previous experiences at the U.S. Department of Transportation, in state and local government, and in the U.S. House of Representatives.   
Show notes:
Stephanie’s Politico op-ed: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/06/26/the-racial-history-of-planes-trains-and-automobiles-340285
Building for a changing tomorrow: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/building-for-a-changing-tomorrow.html
Siemens ESG Strategy: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/environmental-society-governance.html

United Airlines CEO on sustainable aviation

Barbara is joined by United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to take a look back at the first passenger flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in December 2021. You’ll learn about United’s Eco-Skies Alliance leading a shift to SAF, the aviation industry’s commitment to decarbonization, and why Kirby sees climate change as the biggest challenge facing our generation.
Show notes:
Eco-Skies Alliance Announcement: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-airlines-to-lead-industry-switch-to-sustainable-aviation-fuel-with-global-corporations-customers-301267616.html
More info: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/company/global-citizenship/environment/ecoskies-alliance.html
Climate action at Siemens: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/environmental-society-governance/environmental-action.html
Airport modernization: https://assets.new.siemens.com/siemens/assets/api/uuid:ee473003-d731-40f4-b75f-257eb9447eb9/sie2021-airports-federal-funding-flyer-final-12-17-21.pdf?ste_sid=f53d07985316289351cb1470f93e409c
Capital campaign to decarbonize SMEs: https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/about/businesses/financial-services/smes-kickstarter-capital.html