Summers practically glowed when speaking on the topic of globalization and its ramifications for the University.

"I don't think there is anything more important to the future of the country or the world than the way young people are educated and the way new ideas are generated," he said. "Life is becoming more complex and complicated. The degree of specialization of knowledge is increasing, the rate at which new knowledge is acquired is increasing, but at the same time the need to cut across traditional boundaries is increasing."

"Biomedical scientists need to know more about ethics, economists need to know more about politics and culture," he added.

In his interview with The Crimson, conducted in a dimly-lit parlor off the main hall of Loeb House, Summers was relaxed, joking about his press conference performance.

During the public question-and-answer session, Summers slipped up, forgetting Harvard's Allston properties when he spoke about visiting Cambridge many times in the coming months.

A reporter immediately asked him about the quote, asking why he did not intend to visit Harvard's properties in Boston.

Summers laughed off the question, quoting Fiorello LaGuardia, a former New York mayor, saying, "When I screw up, it's a whopper," adding that he meant to visit Boston as well.