The Progress Machine

<p><b>Why research universities remain society's most powerful engines of progress.</b></p><p>Public trust in higher education is under strain. Expertise is questioned, costs are rising, and universities face mounting political pressure. In <i>The Progress Machine</i>, Darryll J. Pines responds to this moment with a clear argument: Research universities remain uniquely equipped to confront the world's most urgent challenges. </p><p>Pines, the president of the University of Maryland, examines how institutions of higher learning have driven technological, economic, and cultural change for generations. He identifies five elements that make this possible: a sense of purpose shaped during formative college years; a commitment to scientific inquiry; communities strengthened by diversity and disagreement; an entrepreneurial orientation toward real-world problem-solving; and the arts and humanities, which supply meaning, ethics, and imagination. Rather than treating universities as abstract ideals, Pines grounds his argument in institutional practice. He addresses criticisms head-on, including concerns about affordability, free speech, political polarization, and public accountability. These challenges, he argues, demand reform rather than retreat—and reaffirm the responsibility of universities to serve society at large. </p><p><i>The Progress Machine </i>offers an optimistic vision at a moment of uncertainty while presenting the research university not as a relic of the twentieth century, but as an adaptable institution capable of guiding innovation, sustaining democracy, and preparing future generations to meet complex global problems.</p>