Forward Research and Innovation Summit ’18 slated for Nov. 10
The Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust will once again sponsor the Forward Research and Innovation Summit, looking to accelerate the scientific and technological activity on the island. The event is slated for Nov. 10 at the Sheraton Convention Center in San Juan.
Manu Prakash, born in India and professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University and with a PhD in Applied Physics from MIT, will be the keynote speaker at this conference.
Prakash is known for its Paper Microscope (Foldscope), a microscope that any individual can assemble. His work focuses on frugal innovation that makes medicine, computer science and microscopy accessible to more people around the world.
He and his team are also working on a computer based on water droplets at Stanford University.
“Our mission is to produce low-cost scientific tools that expand global access to science. Our goal is to break the price barrier between people and the curiosity and excitement of scientific exploration,” according to Prakash Lab’s objective.
Along with Prakash, a selection of more than 30 renowned speakers and panelists, local and international, including: meteorologist Ada Monzón; Shayna Skolnik, from NASA and co-founder of Navteca; Robert Cloutier, from Digital History Studios and Juan Pablo Dulanto, from 500 LaTam Startups, among others.
These experts will offer lectures and educational panels with current issues in their various areas of expertise in order to encourage members of the scientific and business ecosystems to identify new opportunities that bring growth and development on the island.
“With this second edition of the Forward Summit, we intend to serve as a platform to empower the local scientific and technological community; and offer space to connect with personalities, in an environment of innovation and technology, in which the scientific, technological and business communities of Puerto Rico can advance their collaboration potential,” said Science Trust CEO Lucy Crespo.
The “Bajarí Prize,” an institutional recognition by nomination given by the Science Trust to recognize exceptional scientists on the island, will be presented for the first time during this conference. “Bajarí,” a word from the Taíno dialect, means high distinction and represents the path that researchers follow to innovate and achieve high distinctions in their fields, nonprofit officials said.
This year the Forward Summit hopes to reach more than 400 scientists, entrepreneurs and students and will offer in a single event more than 10 hours of top content in three areas of interest to the participants: Research and Development; Innovation and Technology; and Entrepreneurship.
For more information or to obtain tickets to attend the event, visit www.fwdsummit.com.
