Building The Best Richard Newton SCET UC Berkeley Lecture

A Lecture That Turned Into a Startup Simulation
What began as a keynote became a collaborative experiment. Jing challenged the audience of 200 students to join him in creating “the best Richard Newton lecture ever.” Instead of a script, there was a mission. Instead of a monologue, there was a team — students volunteered to become a hipster (design), hacker (tech), and hustler (business) in a pop-up startup.

Together, they built a real-time feedback system using Google Forms, Sheets, and ChatGPT to determine what students actually wanted to hear. The top topics? How to live a good life. How to make money. How to find love. Each response led the direction of the talk, and each pivot embodied the spirit of entrepreneurship. The message was loud and clear: build for your users, not for yourself.

Jing ambition is to invite students to collaborate together in creating the best lecture for A. Richard Newton’s series. This responsibility is a collaborative effort for both him and the students (knowing fully he can’t do it alone).

As an HR professional, I was particularly struck by the emphasis on mission-driven decision making. Jing’s message to the students was this: Find your mission early. Let it guide everything. He openly shared his own turning points — including getting fired from Airbnb — and how that moment of loss became the seed for something greater. He reminded students that setbacks aren’t the end; they’re inflection points.

Another powerful insight was about teams. Jing didn’t lecture about team building — he showed it. He empowered strangers in the room to collaborate, troubleshoot, and lead under pressure. That’s the kind of talent we seek at Bukit Vista — people who thrive in ambiguity and build structure as they go. Jing also tackled deep, academic themes with a level of spontaneity that was both refreshing and profound. His approach to design thinking was demonstrated live—ideating, testing, and iterating on lecture topics based on user feedback. He touched on behavioral economics when discussing what motivates people to say “yes”—tying in techniques of reciprocity and framing. He explored network effects and scalability when contrasting early-stage entrepreneurial efforts with the structural challenges of larger organizations.

These insights bridged the gap between theory and real-world application in a way only lived experience can illustrate. And finally, it was about taking risks. Jing didn’t come with slides. He came with a whiteboard, a question, and a belief in co-creation. The audience didn’t just listen — they helped build the experience.

Students stepped onto the stage alongside Jing, courageously joining the discussion and co-creating unforgettable moments as insights unfolded before their eyes.

Key Takeaways from the Lecture

Lead with purpose — A strong mission fuels motivation and sharpens your sense of direction, especially during uncertain moments.
Build to learn — Experience is the best teacher. Progress often begins by simply starting and refining through feedback.
Bridge theory to practice — Real impact happens when academic ideas are tested and applied to messy, real-world problems.
Empower others — True leadership multiplies. Trusting others to lead fosters creativity, resilience, and stronger teams.
Embrace the unknown — Breakthroughs are born in unfamiliar territory. Don’t fear risk — use it as a catalyst for innovation.

You could also watch the entire lecture through here.

What The Audience Said About The Lecture
Energy Engineering student Zaynab called it “one of the most interesting lectures ever at Berkeley,” noting it wasn’t just entertaining—it felt genuinely transformative. Vicki, a lecturer and coordinator for the Richard Newton Series, praised Jing for his boldness: “You actually showed us boldness. You told the right story, to the right audience, with more audacity than any other speaker we’ve had.” And Assad, a student in Statistics and Data Science, said the talk on co-founders—framing partnerships as 50% expectation and 50% commitment—was nothing short of a game-changer.

Let’s Collaborate & Grow Together
If you’re seeking dynamic, immersive learning experiences for your students, or if you’re energized by the idea of learning by doing, adapting fast, and creating meaningful impact—let’s connect. Whether you’re a university looking to collaborate or a future talent eager to grow, Bukit Vista is ready to welcome bold ideas and inspired minds. Let’s build the best version of the future — together.

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Building The Best Richard Newton SCET UC Berkeley Lecture

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