Fire It Up
By Oliver Greene, Mar 19th, 2009 | In Community
Organized by one of China's largest corporate training firms ClarkMorgan, Spark 09 is a full-day "ideas conference" featuring speakers culled from a variety of creative, non-profit, and commercial fields, addressing contemporary business, technology, and environment issues.
Although centered around four thematic topics -- "Humanity, Environment, Business, and Science" -- the presentations themselves span the gamut from the practical to what seems like science fiction-like supposition. Examples of the latter include, "How can buildings defy gravity?" and "What can nanoparticles do for us?"
What indeed? How many times have I asked myself that question today?
Spark 09 is a full twelve hours of 20 minute presentations, taking place at the Shanghai World Financial Center (floors 3 to 5) on March 28. Tickets are 450rmb with all the profits going to charity (Hands on Shanghai, 51Give, Lifeline Shanghai, Juccce).
Below are some of the presentations that I'm looking forward to. Head off to their webpage here for more topic previews.
Humanity
Presentation Title: How can enthusiasm make children smarter?
Speaker: Tom Stader
Time/ Location: 6pm, Conference Room One
Tom Stader is the founder of The Library Project, an organization that donates books and libraries to schools and orphanages in the developing world. Their mandate is to break the cycle of poverty though the strengthening of education infrastructure, and in the winter of 2006 they donated two libraries in Dalian. They project that number increasing to 225 by 2010.
At Spark 09, Stader will discuss the process of getting the government, local community, parents, teachers, and students involved in improving their school's library: "once enthusiasm and commitment surround your charity initiative, amazing things can be accomplished in a very short period of time."
More info on The Library Project at http://www.library-project.org/
Environment
Presentation Title: How does cooking with spice save the panda?
Speaker: Linnet Kwok
Time/ Location: 11:30am, Grand Hall
Linnet Kwok is the Deputy Head of Marketing at WWF China, and focuses on cooperate involvement and co-operation with the WWF. In her presentation, she'll talk about how the WWF has teamed up with Carrefour and the Sichuan Pepper Assocation (there is such a thing?) in Sichuan to reduce the environmental pressure on the Giant Panda habitat.
Science
Presentation Title: Can a cell phone solve the HIV epidemic?
Speaker: Ravi Chhatpar
Time/ Location: 1:45pm, Grand Hall
Ravi Chhatpar is the Strategy Director for frog design, which is a multidisciplinary design studio focusing on working with companies helping them design, create, and bring to market "meaningful products, services, and experiences." His frog client portfolio includes Fortune 100s and global multinationals in a range of fields, including consumer electronics, technology, healthcare, and media.
In his presentation, Chhatpar will be discussing frog's work on "Project M", an initiative the design studio conducted in South Africa using mobile technology in education against the cultural stigmatization of HIV, diagnosis, and treatment of the HIV epidemic. He will also be discussing adapting the project in China.
Check out frog design on the web here: http://www.frogdesign.com/
Business
Presentation Title: How can the art of storytelling lead to the next big thing?
Speakers: Melora Zaner-Godsey and Gregory A. Perez
Time/Location: 2:45pm, Grand Hall
Zaner-Godsey and Perez both work for Microsoft China, with the former involved in consumer research with their Mobile Services, and the latter involved in design for online services, including Virtual Earth, Windows Live and Live Search.
For their presentation, they'll be discussing how their research into consumer preferences has lead them to detect a shift in the digital marketplace towards a demand for higher quality design. They'll be qualifying this new digital-savvy demographic, and analyzing ways to approach, appeal, and create new products and services for people who are demanding more from their digital worlds.
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More on Spark 09 on the web here: www.spark09.org. Tickets? Here.
Hassle free ticket purchasing and delivery for Shanghai's cultural and concert events:
morryone, Mar 22nd, 2009
Some more hot topics include:- How can a pig farmer save the world?
- Video killed the radio star, but will Web 3.0 kill the teacher?
- How does cooking with spice save the panda?
- Can we create a carbon-free society?
- Can light bulbs save the world?
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