Podcast: In conversation with Karin Markides
October 7, 2026
Professor Karin Markides on sustainability, AI, and lessons from leading universities across vastly different academic systems
In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Professor Rafael Bras sits down with Professor Karin Markides — an analytical chemist and experienced academic leader whose career has taken her from Sweden to Armenia and Japan, including serving as President of Chalmers University of Technology, the American University of Armenia, and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.
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Main topics covered in the episode include:
• Why universities need to take greater responsibility for rebuilding public trust
• The importance of systems thinking in addressing sustainability and climate challenges
• How AI and other disruptive technologies are changing what society needs from universities
• Connecting curiosity-driven research with innovation and economic development
• Lessons from leading universities across Sweden, Armenia and Japan, and searching for “common denominator”
• The 4GU model and universities’ role in regional innovation ecosystems
• Why trust-building, team-building and long-term outcomes matter for effective academic leadership
Whether you’re an academic leader, researcher, policymaker, or interested in how universities can contribute to a more sustainable and innovative society, this episode offers a distinctly global perspective on trust, transformation and the future role of higher education.
Coming up next
In the upcoming December episode, host Rafael Bras talks to Professor Sir Edward Byrne, President of KAUST in Saudi Arabia. He discusses advances and limits in neuroscience, including neuroimaging, genetics, and the unresolved nature of consciousness, and considers how AI and supercomputing might evolve toward human-like judgment, alongside risks and governance concerns.
Not Alone: Leaders in Conversation features in-depth discussions with prominent leaders in academia, business and technology, showcasing their insights to inspire and ignite conversation. It’s hosted by Dr Rafael L Bras, Editor of Not Alone and a Professor in the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
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