About the Center

The Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future convenes symposia and conducts interdisciplinary, policy-relevant, and future-oriented research that contributes to long-term improvements in the human condition. The center's focus is defined by its longer-range vision and is not confined to any particular set of issues. Our work seeks to identify, anticipate, and enhance the long-term potential for human progress; in all its myriad dimensions.

The Pardee Center's Mission can be defined along three dimensions.

• Research: To facilitate intellectual inquiry and generate scholarly discourse and policy options on longer-range challenges and to seek to identify, anticipate, and enhance the potential for human progress in the longer-range future (35-200 years range).
• Education: To cultivate a new generation of scholars working on interdisciplinary, policy-relevant, future-oriented, and global (or multi-national/regional) research that contributes to improvements in the human condition in the longer-range future.
• Outreach: To establish linkages between the worlds of scholarship and practice for meaningful cross-learning so that scholarly insights on the possibilities of improved human well-being can be translated into practical programs of action.

The Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future at Boston University was established in the year 2000 through the generosity of Frederick S. Pardee. Mr. Pardee, a Massachusetts native, received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Boston University, and he pursued his passion for analyzing trends for the future as a systems analyst and an economic forecaster. In recognition of his intellectual contributions and knowledge in the area of futures research and human well-being, Boston University dedicated a historic brownstone at 67 Bay State Road as the Pardee House in the year 2000 and awarded Mr. Pardee an Honorary Doctorate Degree in 2006.

The Frederick S. Pardee Endowed Chair is appointed by the Trustees of Boston University, on the recommendation of the University President. The Pardee Chair acts as the Director of the Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future.

Prof. David Fromkin served as the Founding Director (2000-2007).

Prof. Adil Najam serves as the current Director.