The second national summit on the National Academy of Engineering's Grand Challenges -- which will focus on global issues related to sustainability, vulnerability, health, and the "joy of living" -- will be held at the University of Southern California October 6-8, 2010.

Broadcast veteran and CNN's former science and technology correspondent Miles O'Brien will moderate a two-day master session on October 7-8 which will include dynamic panels organized around the perspectives of technology, innovation, business, policy, education and communications.

A common thread will be the importance of fostering innovation, economic growth and job creation. The interconnection between the various perspectives and the creation of a K-12 pipeline of engineering talent and other human resources will be an important part of the summit presentations and discussion.

The speakers for the summit include:

• Amy Alving, Chief Technology Officer, Science Applications International Corporation
• Jean-Lou Chameau, President, Caltech
• Paul Debevec, Associate Director, Institute for Creative Technologiesand Academy Award recipient for work on Avatar and other films.
• Peter Diamandis, Founder and Chairman, X Prize Foundation
• Debra Estrin, Professor of Computer Science, University of California - Los Angeles
• Jay Greene, Journalist and Author: Design Is How It Works
• Henry Jenkins: Provost's Professor of Communication, Journalism, and Cinematic Arts, USC
• Linda Katehi, Chancellor, University of California – Davis
• Maria Klawe, President, Harvey Mudd College; Director, Microsoft Corporation
• John Martin, CEO, Gilead
• C. L. Max Nikias, President, University of Southern California
• Franklin Orr, Director, Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University
• James Shelton III, Assistant Deputy Secretary for innovation and improvement at the U.S. Department of Education
• Ali Velshi, Chief business correspondent, CNN
• Charles Vest, President, National Academy of Engineering
• Matthew Wald, Journalist, The New York Times
• Peter Williams, Chief Technology Officer of IBM's Big Green Innovations

The goals of the summit include:

• Identifying how engineering, science, and technology entrepreneurship can lead to the creation of new jobs
• Enhancing public interest in engineering and science by articulating their critical roles in modern society
• Creating public awareness of the importance of policy to engineering innovation and implementation
• Stimulating future collaborations of engineers, policymakers and practitioners of business, law, social sciences and humanities to address the complex societal issues raised by technological innovation

The national summit represents the culmination of a series of regional summits throughout the year that have been organized around the Grand Challenges. In 2008, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) announced 14 Grand Challenges on which engineering can have the greatest impact on society. The challenges cover a wide spectrum of issues, from making solar power more economical to providing access to clean water to engineering better medicines to preventing nuclear terror.

Universities across the United States have responded to the NAE's call to action. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, California Institute of Technology, and Olin College are sponsoring this year's national summit at USC.  Duke hosted the first national summit in March 2009.

The 2010 summit's goals are ambitious and far-ranging, according to Yannis Yortsos, dean of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.  "The NAE's Grand Challenges allow us to look at global problems through a framework that interweaves technology, innovation and public policy. The 2010 summit will bring to campus policymakers, corporate leaders and renowned academics to discuss solutions that are real, implementable and game-changing," said Yortsos.

The summit will commence with a Student Day on October 6. October 7-8 will feature engaging panel discussions from a diverse group of presenters.  For an overview of the summit, which will be presented on USC's University Park Campus, speakers and events, go to: http://naegrandchallengessummit2010.org/

Lockheed Martin is the Presenting Sponsor for the Summit and the Student Day.

Members of the media, educators, students and individuals from the private sector are encouraged to attend the series of discussions.

SOURCE University of Southern California

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.annenberg.usc.edu
http://naegrandchallengessummit2010.org

The annual oral rabies vaccination program is underway in 12 western Pennsylvania counties, Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today.

The program, which helps control rabies in wild animals, covers all or parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Erie, Greene, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

"Vaccinating wild animals against rabies is essential to ensuring human and domestic animal health," said Redding. "The oral rabies vaccination program has proven successful over the past six years, reducing the number of reported cases in Pennsylvania by nearly 60 percent. I appreciate the cooperation of residents in the affected counties in helping us to mitigate the threat of rabies."

Wildlife rabies accounts for more than 90 percent of the reported rabies cases in the United States, with raccoons making up more than half of this total. The primary purpose of the baiting is to vaccinate raccoons, although other animals that ingest the bait will be vaccinated against the virus.

Since Aug. 20, trained professionals have been spreading bait packs by hand in densely populated areas of western Pennsylvania. Hand-baiting will continue through Sept. 24. Through Sept. 5, low-flying aircraft will drop bait in sparsely populated areas.

Oral rabies vaccination baits are coated with a fishmeal attractant and may be packaged in off-white, one-inch square cubes or two-inch plastic sachets.  Images of the baits can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/4578217863/.

Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the baits, but are asked not to disturb them if discovered. This vaccine has been shown to be safe in more than 60 different species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats.

If contact with vaccination bait occurs, a person should immediately rinse the affected area with warm water and soap.

Six agencies are partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services for this program, including the state departments of Agriculture and Health, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Erie County Health Department, Allegheny County Health Department and the Center for Disease Control.

For more information about the oral rabies vaccination baiting program, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services at 717-772-2852, or visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us and search for "Rabies."

Media contact: Nicole L. C. Bucher, 717-787-5085

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

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http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided 13 mobile water treatment units to support the Government of Pakistan's flood relief effort.  These water treatment units are stationed on some of the most flood-affected districts and have produced over 7.5 million liters of clean water.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20091022/USAIDLOGO)

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091022/USAIDLOGO)

In addition, USAID has provided ten 10,000-liter water bladder kits to help facilitate the efficient distribution of clean water by minimizing waiting time at and distance traveled for water collection points.  Water bladders allow for improved security for vulnerable individuals by providing accessible water distribution centers.  USAID has also provided nearly 113,000 5-liter water containers for families to collect, transport and maintain household water.

These relief supplies provided by USAID supplement its emergency health, economic recovery, shelter, and water, sanitation and hygiene programs in flood-affected areas of Pakistan.  

The United States has provided more than $200 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to the people of Pakistan to date.  The U.S. has provided other civilian and military in-kind assistance in the form of halal meals, pre-fabricated steel bridges and other infrastructure support, as well as air support to and within Pakistan to transport goods and rescue people.

For more information about USAID's programs, please visit: www.usaid.gov/.

The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.

USAID on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/USAID.News)

USAID on Twitter (http://twitter.com/usaid_info)

USAID on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/usaidvideo)

USAID on LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=118430)

Public Information: 202-712-4810

SOURCE U.S. Agency for International Development

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http://www.usaid.gov

Eighty members of the federal Urban Search and Rescue Team, PA-TF1, have been deployed for the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Earl in the northeastern United States, according to Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Robert P. French.  

The team, which is based out of Harrisburg with members from throughout Pennsylvania, will be staged at Westover Air Reserve Base in Massachusetts.

"These responders are ready to go to work at a moment's notice," said French. "If needed in the aftermath of the hurricane, this team will work quickly to aid anyone who may be trapped or injured."

PA-TF1 is one of 28 certified, operational and deployable federal assets of the National Urban Search and Rescue System established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They are comprised of more than 210 personnel from numerous participating agencies. This includes personnel staffing management, rescue, medical, search and technical team positions.

French reminded Pennsylvanians of available resources that can help them prepare for and respond to any emergency. Materials such as home and car emergency kit checklists and emergency plan templates are available online at www.ReadyPA.org or by calling 1-888-9-READYPA.  

For more information regarding PA-TF1, visit www.pa-tf1.com.  

Media contact: Maria A. Finn, 717-651-2009

SOURCE Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency

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http://www.state.pa.us/

This October, The Business of Plugging In(SM) conference returns to Detroit hosting a diverse lineup of leaders from a number of different industries. Representing sectors key to the success of wide-scale plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) deployment, this year's event will unite automotive, utility, technology, finance and policy leaders to continue the intelligent discussion surrounding the global PEV market.

Speakers confirmed for the 2010 conference include:

• Michael Brylawski, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Bright Automotive
• Jay Chmelauskas, President, Western Lithium
• Tony Earley, Chairman & CEO, DTE Energy
• Jason Forcier, VP of Automotive Solutions, A123 Systems
• Nancy Gioia, Director, Global Electrification, Ford Motor Company
• Jon Hykawy, Clean Technologies & Materials Analyst, Byron Capital Markets
• George Pataki, Counsel, Chadbourne & Parke LLP and Former Governor, State of New York
• Chris Preuss, President, OnStar
• Dan Reicher, Director, Climate Change and Energy Initiative, Google
• Mark Reuss, President, General Motors North America
• Dipender Saluja, Managing Partner, Capricorn Investment Group
• Tom Stephens, Vice Chairman, Global Product Operations, General Motors
• Mary Ann Wright, Vice President, Global Technology and Innovation Accelerators, Johnson Controls Power Solutions
• Yibing Wu, President, CITIC Private Equity Funds Management Company, Ltd.

The three-day conference will feature programming covering all aspects of the PEV industry, from the "Discovering the Lithium Trail" session on involving the lithium value chain, to "We're Building Them—So, Who's Going to Buy Them?," a panel dedicated to the successful adaptation of PEVs into today's market. Panels, sessions and workshops will shape the agenda of the conference, taking place at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.

A ride-and-drive event exclusive to The Business of Plugging In attendees will also take place at the conference, featuring the following highly anticipated vehicles:

• 2011 Chevrolet Volt
• 2011 Ford Transit Connect EV
• 2011 Nissan LEAF
• 2011 Mercedes-Benz Smart fortwo Electric Drive
• Ford F-150 Converted Hybrid Pickup

Registration for The Business of Plugging In conference 2010 is open. Join the PEV discussion and help to ensure the present and future success of plug-in electric vehicles.

For more information on registration, exhibition and sponsorship for The Business of Plugging In, visit www.bpiconference.com.

About The Business of Plugging In(SM)

The Business of Plugging In first took place in 2009 in Detroit, the center of global automotive technology leadership, to cultivate discussion among key stakeholders about developing a business model and infrastructure that will support the introduction and future growth of plug-in electric vehicles. Presenting Sponsors for 2010 are General Motors (www.gm.com) and DTE Energy (www.dteenergy.com). The Center for Automotive Research, based in Ann Arbor, Mich. manages the conference.

SOURCE Center for Automotive Research

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http://www.cargroup.org