SYMPOSIUM - Tuesday, October 2, 2007 - UNM Student Union Building (SUB) Ballrooms A & B

 

Innovation – not only is it the key to overcoming increasing global competition, but it's crucial in solving large-scale world problems. On October 2, 2007, The University of New Mexico hosted a symposium, Educating for Innovation: Connecting UNM to the World's Challenges, presenting ideas from national keynote speakers and regional leaders about how to strengthen the culture of innovation and educate students to be able to innovate. The symposium was sponsored by the UNM School of Engineering, UNM Anderson School of Management, Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, Mesa Del Sol, Albuquerque Economic Development and STC.UNM.

Senator Bingaman and Senator Domenici were the honorary symposium co-chairs and have played key leadership roles in raising the awareness of threats to US competitiveness, the importance of innovation, the necessity of re-invigorating investment in research, and, in particular, the imperative of transforming education. Multiple reports, particularly the National Academy of Engineering's Rising Above the Gathering Storm, have emphasized that transformational changes are needed in higher education, particularly in mathematics, science, engineering, and business.

In the morning session, Dr. R. Keith Sawyer, (http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~ksawyer/) Professor of Psychology and Education at Washington University in St. Louis, presented “Creativity, Innovation and the New Sciences of Learning.” Dr. Sawyer's talk was followed by a panel discussion that included Duane Dimos (Sandia), Francis Edwards (Anderson Foundation Board Member), Suleiman Kassicieh (Anderson School of Management), Vera John-Steiner (UNM), and Trevor Loy (Flywheel Ventures).

In the afternoon session, Robert W. Galvin, retired chairman of Motorola and founder of the Galvin Electricity Initiative, (http://www.galvinpower.org/) presented “Three Major Innovative Strategies to Create Wealth and Solve World Problems.” This talk was introduced by UNM President David R. Schmidly and was followed by a panel discussion that includes Terri Cole (Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce), Mike Daly (Mesa del Sol), Ned Godshall (Altela Inc.), Lisa Kuuttila (STC.UNM), Jack McGowan (Energy Control, Inc.) and Jeff Sterba (PNM).

This Symposium was part of a series of events to mark the inauguration of UNM's 20th president, Dr. David J. Schmidly.