Community Corner
Engineers for a Sustainable World to hold Annual Conference at Northwestern University
Engineers for a Sustainable World’s Annual Conference will be held April 10th-13th, 2014, in Evanston, IL. It will be hosted by Northwestern University, with help from ESW-IIT. The conference is targeted at a variety of groups – students, faculty, and professionals – that are interested in sustainability. The conference will focus on how innovative entrepreneurial ideas – both traditional and social – can help to implement a sustainable world.
Friday’s conference session will be integrated with the annual NU Summit on Sustainability (NUSOS), featuring panelists and keynote speakers with a wide range of expertise. Keynote Mark C. Weick serves as Director for the Sustainability Program Office at The Dow Chemical Company. The morning keynote Jill Boughton is President and CEO of W2Worth Innovations, an organization seeking to extract value from solid waste. Panelists will address integrating sustainability into education and economic policy, innovating energy, materials, and agriculture, and creating new models of community engagement and environmental justice. Local panelists include Karen Weigert, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Chicago, and Chuck Templeton of Impact Engine and OpenTable.
Saturday features a variety of workshops, including student presentations on projects happening on campuses, communities, and internationally. Other workshops focus on topics such as effective team dynamics, passive solar design, and careers in sustainability. “Saturday’s sessions offer everyone a chance to learn new skills and understanding in an interactive way,” said Executive Director Alexander Dale. “Beyond the copious network opportunities, we want people to walk away from our conferences better able to create a more sustainable community.”