academy of engineering

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Global Grand Challenges Summit Exploring collaborative approaches to tackling global grand challenges Venue: IET London: Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BL Date: March 12-13 2013 Sustainability panel: Keynote speaker Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University; Professor Angela Belcher, Professor of Energy in Materials Science and Engineering and Biological Engineering, MIT; John Loughhead, Executive Director, UK Energy Research Centre; Allard Castelein, Vice President Environment, Shell; Professor Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University On the 12-13 March 2013 over 450 leading engineers, artists, economists, designers, philosophers, scientists, politicians, industry leaders, educators and policy makers from across the globe gathered in London to attend the inaugural Global Grand Challenges Summit. With the prosperity of future generations relying on unprecedented levels of inter-disciplinary and international cooperation in pursuit of solutions to the world's most pressing challenges, the Summit, organised by the Royal Academy of Engineering in partnership with the national engineering academies of the US and China, sought to provide a new global platform for the world's leading thinkers to share their ideas with the next generation of engineers on how to develop the international frameworks, tools and collaborations needed to solve our common global challenges. The audience of the two day event heard from panels of leading experts in six different sessions covering the themes of sustainability, health, education, enriching life, technology and growth and resilience. The Summit also included plenary addresses from Dr Craig Venter, Founder of J. Craig Venter institute and Bill Gates, Co-founder and trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and an additional surprise address from will.i.am on the need for new approaches to STEM education.