Festival co-founder Brian Greene teaches physics at Columbia University. He says one goal of the festival is to acquaint policymakers and the public with the latest strides in medicine, nanotechnology, and climate science.

GREENE: I hope that there's going to be a more sustained and more full conversation between scientists at the cutting edge and the people who can take the fruits of that research and turn it into policy, turn it into products, turn it into something that really impacts everyday life.

REPORTER: There's a public program too, including discussions and family events. The World Science Festival runs through Sunday, June 1.