May 2012 - change - Mailing Lists

African Robotics Network
by Yaw Anokwa 02 May '12

02 May '12

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce that the African Robotics Network includes members from Ghana, South Africa, and Nigeria, as well as African roboticists working outside of Africa, in America and Europe. We also have several key supporters or "affiliate members" outside of Africa, including prominent leaders in the field of robotics. We would like to encourage you to extend an invitation to AFRON to other interested colleagues, particularly in parts of Africa not already included in the network. There is, of course, no cost and no requirement for joining, except an interest in robotics, and excitement about enhancing robotics-related education, research and industry in Africa. ------------------------------**-------------- Announcing: The African Robotics Network (AFRON) http://robotics-africa.org ** All are welcome to an introductory meeting at ICRA on Tues May 15, ** 12 -1pm , at the Crowne Plaza Hotel - Governors Hall IV, Saint Paul, MN The African Robotics Network (AFRON) is a community of institutions, organizations and individuals engaged in robotics in Africa. AFRON seeks to promote communication and collaborations that will enhance robotics-related education, research, and industry on the continent. To achieve this, AFRON organizes projects, meetings and events in Africa and at Robotics and Automation conferences abroad. Established in April 2012, AFRON hosts a website, Facebook page, and moderated email list. There are no subscription fees or dues. To join, please visit the website above and click "Membership". For the purposes of AFRON, "robotics" is broadly defined to include related areas such as automation, computer vision, signal processing, machine learning, and other related topics. Inaugural Project AFRON USD $10 Robot Design Challenge: This is a competition to develop an extremely low-cost programmable robot for education. More information will be announced in June! Membership. Institutions and individuals may join AFRON as regular or affiliated members. Member institutions are represented by a contact person. ? Regular institutional and individual members are engaged in robotics education, research or industry and have direct links to Africa. Examples of such institutional members include universities, research labs, non-profit organizations and companies in Africa. Examples of such individual members include university faculty and researchers; individuals running robotics programs for tertiary, secondary or primary students; African roboticists in the diaspora, and so on. ? Affiliated members are supportive of the AFRON initiative but may not have direct links to Africa or may not be directly engaged in robotics initiatives on the continent. co-Founders: Ayorkor Korsah <akorsah(a)ashesi.edu.gh> Asst. Professor, Computer Science, Ashesi University, Accra, Ghana Ken Goldberg <goldberg(a)berkeley.edu> Professor, IEOR, EECS, Information, UC Berkeley

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Gates Program Officer - Sanitation Innovation Market Readiness
by Yosem Companys 02 May '12

02 May '12

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has posted a job opening for a Program Officer in sanitation innovation market readiness in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene team of the Global Development Program.**** ** ** The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WSH) initiative focuses its efforts on supporting effective, sustainable and scalable ways to assist the 2.5 billion people who lack access to adequate sanitation. The WSH team launched its new strategy in July 2011 under the banner “Let’s Reinvent the Toilet” and is developing an ambitious research and development program to turn this vision into a reality.**** The science and technology initiative within the WSH strategy invests in the development of new technologies and innovative business models. The initiative has made a series of initial investments to support radical technological innovation aimed at step-changes in the sustainability and profitability of sanitation. Our future investments to reinvent the toilet aim to expand and build on these with the objective of making safe and affordable toilets available to many millions of low income consumers and making neighborhoods and cities cleaner and safer. The focus will increasingly support market readiness for uptake of innovation and early stage development and prototyping.**** ** ** The new Program Officer will support the WSH team in making the reinvented toilet a reality.**** ** ** The job description is at this link: Gates Program Officer in Seattle<http://careers.gatesfoundation.org/job/Seattle-Program-Officer-Sanitation-I…>

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Bulletin of the WHO, Special issue on e-health
by Yaw Anokwa 01 May '12

01 May '12

Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2012;90:321-321. doi: 10.2471/BLT.12.000512 In the editorials of this special theme issue on e-health, Najeeb Al-Shorbaji & Antoine Geissbuhler (322) discuss how to establish an evidence base for e-health, while JEWC van Gemert-Pijnen et al. (323) look at ways to improve the credibility of e-health technologies. In the news section, Claire Keeton (326–327) examines ways of measuring e-health impact, while Michael Dumiak (328–329) looks into the future of e-health. In an interview, five leading e-health thinkers (330–331) debate key challenges in the field. http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/90/5/12-000512/en/index.html

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Fwd: Deadline May 15! Gates Foundation seeks ideas to optimize immunization systems
by Nicola Dell 01 May '12

01 May '12

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Balderston, Beth <bbalderston(a)path.org> Date: Tue, May 1, 2012 at 8:14 PM Subject: Deadline May 15! Gates Foundation seeks ideas to optimize immunization systems To: "nixdell(a)cs.washington.edu" <nixdell(a)cs.washington.edu> Hi Nicki, Could you post this final reminder to Change? Thanks! -Beth**** ** ** If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online<http://e2.ma/message/x97wb/1krap>. **** Share This: <http://e2.ma/share/outbound/e/x97wb/1krap><http://e2.ma/share/outbound/t/x97wb/1krap><http://e2.ma/share/outbound/f/x97wb/1krap><http://e2.ma/share/outbound/l/x97wb/1krap> **** *Calling everyone with good ideas: engineers, public health professionals, designers, entrepreneurs, students, inventors, nongovernmental organizations, scientists. Please share this announcement with your networks and colleagues. There are only two weeks left—the deadline is May 15!* *What could you prove with $100,000?***** *Gates Foundation seeks bold new ideas to optimize immunization systems* The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations grant program is offering US$100,000 grants to help prove the potential of innovative approaches to optimize immunization systems. Successful projects may be eligible for additional funding up to $1 million.**** *A search for daring solutions* Anyone with a good idea is eligible to submit a two-page proposal. That includes all engineers, public health specialists, entrepreneurs, and students—anyone working in a nongovernmental organization, ministry of health, university, or company.**** *Priority areas for funding* *Vaccine product characteristics: How can we improve vaccine products for use in low-resource settings and make it easier for decision-makers to select products that will meet their needs?* *Examples: Tools for evaluating different product presentations and formulations; low-cost temperature indicators for vaccine vials; packaging solutions to prevent freezing and/or guarantee sterility. * *Supply system design: How can we make vaccine logistics more efficient, cost-effective, and reliable? * *Examples: Innovative solutions for vaccine transport; synergistic partnerships with non-vaccine supply systems; global location information software to optimize logistics and transport.* *Environmental impact: How can we minimize waste, energy use, and environmental impact in vaccine supply systems?* *Examples: Fuel-efficient delivery routes and vehicles; fuel-efficient cooling equipment; equipment that uses alternative fuels; safe treatment of medical waste; other strategies for minimizing environmental impact.* *Information systems: How can we take advantage of information technology in vaccine supply systems*? *Examples: Logistics management and vaccine tracking software; low-cost, durable hardware and devices to improve data collection and accuracy.* *Human resources: How can we better train and mobilize human resources?* *Examples: Innovative training methodologies; incentive systems; educational models that empower national staff to improve the performance of their immunization supply system. * *Vaccination acceptance: How can we increase understanding about the importance of immunizations?* *Examples: Innovative, affordable, and sustainable approaches to increase the understanding, reach, and public acceptance of immunization; creative approaches to address misinformation around immunization in low-income settings.***** Proposed solutions should be daring in premise and clearly different from approaches currently under investigation or in use, with a focus on the operational aspects of immunization systems. Ideas also must have the potential to be scaled up or reproduced in multiple low-resource settings. * ***** *The future of immunization supply systems* The call for proposals builds on work facilitated by project Optimize—a collaboration between PATH and the World Health Organization—to develop a common vision <http://e2.ma/click/x97wb/1krap/tmblt> for the future of immunization supply systems and logistics.**** **** *The submission deadline is May 15, 2012.* If you have questions, please email GCEhelp(a)gatesfoundation.org <GCEhelp@gatesfoundation.org?subject=> or visit the websites linked below. * ***** *For more information* Gates Grand Challenges Explorations call for proposals http://tinyurl.com/immunizationsystems<http://e2.ma/click/x97wb/1krap/9eclt> The Gates Grand Challenges Explorations program www.grandchallenges.org/vxf <http://e2.ma/click/x97wb/1krap/p7clt>**** **** Project Optimize www.path.org/projects/project-optimize.php<http://e2.ma/click/x97wb/1krap/5zdlt> www.who.int/immunization_delivery/systems_policy/optimize/en/<http://e2.ma/click/x97wb/1krap/lselt> **** **** **** *manage*<https://app.e2ma.net/app2/audience/signup/54892/32403/25216659/?v=a>your preferences | *opt out*<http://e2.ma/optout/x97wb/1krap?r=aHR0cHM6Ly9hcHAuZTJtYS5uZXQvYXBwMi9hdWRpZ…>using *TrueRemove*®. Got this as a forward? *Sign up*<https://app.e2ma.net/app2/audience/signup/54892/32403.2750099/25216659/?v=a>to receive our future emails. **** ** ** ****

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James Dailey on MicroEnergy Credits
by Nicola Dell 01 May '12

01 May '12

This Thursday at Change, James Dailey will talk about his work with MicroEnergy Credits. MicroEnergy Credits is a financial intermediary which links microfinance institutions to the carbon markets when they lend for clean energy. Founded in 2007 and based in Seattle, Washington, MicroEnergy Credits works with Microfinance Institutions and Carbon Emission Reducers around the world. MEC is a for-profit social enterprise financed by impact investors. Today, MEC reaches over 120,000 households with clean energy services in partnership with 20 microfinance institutions. James will speak about MicroEnergy Credits successful program in sourcing tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon emission reduction credits from Mongolia, one cookstove at a time. MEC's Credit Tracker, which automates carbon monitoring, is a key part of that process. James Dailey is the co-founder and CTO of MicroEnergy Credits. In his role as CTO, James is the primary architect and visionary behind Credit Tracker, MEC’s cloud-based platform for tracking and monitoring of microfinance-based carbon credits. James founded the microfinance opensource project MIFOS, and was a key figure in starting OpenLMIS, an open source solution for public health logistics in developing countries. He holds a degree in MIS from the University of Notre Dame, and a Masters in International Environmental Policy from the University of Washington. *What:* James Dailey on MicroEnergy Credits *When:* Thursday May 3rd at 12 noon *Where:* The Allen Center CSE 203

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CfP: TECH & INNOVATION FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
by Yosem Companys 30 Apr '12

30 Apr '12

*International Conference on TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT Schumpeter and Polymer Research *3–5 June 2012 Harvard Kennedy School Cambridge, MA Co-organized by the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project, Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School Agricultural Innovation in Africa Project, Harvard Kennedy School Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, Harvard Kennedy School Contact: katherine_gordon(a)hks.harvard.edu<https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=katherine_gordon@hks.har…> Chaired by: Professor Calestous Juma Harvard Kennedy School *Background* The aim of the "International Conference on Innovation and Development" (3-5 June, 2012) is to take stock of the relevance of the work of Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter for developing countries. The conference coincides with the centenary of the publication of Schumpeter's seminal work, *The Theory of Economic Development* (1911). The conference will be held in conjunction with the annual Innovation for Economic Development<http://ksgexecprogram.harvard.edu/Programs/ifed/overview.aspx> executive program. Although Schumpeter's work was clearly framed to address the unfolding nature of economic systems, policymakers and development thinkers in developing countries are only starting to be exposed to his seminal thinking. Many of these countries now embrace the idea of innovation in economic development without recognizing that they are furthering the legacy of Schumpeter. For example, a 2005 report entitled *Innovation: Applying Knowledge in Development*<http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/2098/innovation.html>played an important role in guiding discussions on the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. But few leaders in developing countries associated the ideas in the report with work on Schumpeter. The ideas in the report have been widely adopted among developing countries and prepared the ground for a commemorative study on Schumpeter's legacy. *Schumpeter’s intellectual legacy* Schumpeter left a rich intellectual legacy of relevance to emerging economies and globalization in general. He is associated with at least four major ideas (in writings between 1911 and 1942). First, he highlighted the critical role that innovation (broadly defined plays in economic transformation), especially through the dynamic process of “creative destruction”. Secondly, argued that technological innovation as an integral part of the capitalist enterprise and not changes in resource endowment was possibly the most powerful driver of economic transformation. Thirdly, he postulated that expectation of monopoly power was a greater source of productivity than the mere act of being in a competitive market. Finally, he stressed the importance of history and outlined the institutional forces that influence the pace and direction of economic transformation. In a posthumous paper published in 2005 entitled, *Development*, Schumpeter provided the clearest articulation of the theory behind his evolutionary thinking. He stressed the role of indeterminacy, novelty and discontinuous leaps. *Objectives* The aim of this conference is to convene a commemorative series of activities on the intellectual legacy of Schumpeter with specific reference to developing countries. Specific objectives of the initiative are to: (a) outline the essential features of Schumpeter's ideas of relevance to development policy and practice; (b) elaborate the elements into a new study that lays out the policy implications of Schumpeter's legacy for development policy and practice; (c) explore the role of innovation in emerging engineering fields, specifically polymer research, in addressing development challenges such as agriculture, health, water, shelter and environmental management; (d) disseminate the results among development policymakers, scholars, and practitioners; and (e) identify new research directions on innovation and development. The conference will also provide opportunities to authors to present findings in their recent books that build on Schumpeter’s ideas.

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