Collegiate Times

Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, left, and former Gov. Mark Warner, right, discussed the future role of technology at the Lyric in Blacksburg yesterday. The pair avoided political issues, instead talking about the need for America to remain a pioneer in information services.

"Blacksburg is the number one most wired small city, but think about how different that could be," Schmidt said. "One of the great things about the Internet is that it continues to grow. The purpose of broadband and communications in rural areas of Virginia has given us the opportunity to play on a much broader stage. It allows you to have a learning center in an incredibly beautiful location."

Warner also considers the expansion of various avenues of technology, and their expansion while America tries to be more competitive from a global standpoint. Through several advancements on many different scales, Google has become increasingly popular over the past decade.

"Who would have thought that the idea of a search engine that Google has developed into these other services and tools like Google Maps ... would continue to recreate itself, as technology needs to," Warner said.

On the other hand, the view for America hasn't always been as positive as it may be for Google itself. One may note the last quarter results for Google, and contrast it with the economic crisis on the stock market, and the country's reliance on other countries for goods, services, and most importantly, oil.

"America has fallen to sixth in the world as far as foreign percentage of their GDP, and that's not good enough," Warner said. "We need a renewed focus on research and development with technology."

Schmidt touched on energy issues during yesterday's talk.

"Realistically, we have to ask ourselves, 'Is there a way we can get out gas prices down, strengthen jobs, build jobs in problem areas, and stop giving money to the people hate us through oil,'" Schmidt said.

Tech students need to be the leadership of the future, Warner and Schmidt said, while also preparing themselves for a more competitive worldwide scene.

"Students have got to be educated and they've got to understand that they live in a global economy, whether they like it or not. And they've got to be involved," Warner said. "The world is changing at a great speed and you've got to engage in the political process. Do things that actually get results."

Warner cautioned against the idea of the United States resting on its laurels.

"Just because America was the pre-eminent in the 20th century doesn't mean we still are. I think America can be the pre-eminent power in the 21st century, but we've got to earn it," Warner said. "And students must be ready for that, and they must demand leadership so that America can stay competitive."

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