Transcript Dr. Tariq Durrani - Academy Presidents` Forum

Influencing change and promoting
solutions- new paradigms and old
verities –the role of a national
academy in combating environmental
problems
Tariq S Durrani
Vice President
Contents
 Introduction to the Royal Society
of Edinburgh
 Role in addressing environmental
issues through inquiries
 The IEEE
 International Collaborations.
Royal Society of
Edinburgh
Scotland’s Academy of science & letters
An independent charitable organisation
Established by Royal Charter in 1783“for the promotion of learning and
useful knowledge”
What is the role?
Promote excellence in learning
A source of independent & expert advice
Advance public discussion
Showcase Scotland’s skills
What do we do?
Provide funding to researchers
Provide expert advice to Parliament
Conduct independent inquiries
Elect a multi-disciplinary fellowship
Facilitate international exchanges
Support the education of young people
Publish academic journals
What is the
Fellowship?
Peer-elected, multi-disciplinary group
Highly eminent past & present fellows
Charles Darwin
Adam Smith
J.K. Rowling
Sir Walter Scott
Lord Kelvin
Sir David Attenborough
James Clerk Maxwell
Sir Michael Atiyah
External engagement on policy
issues
Evidence & Advice
Activities
•Interact with Government by :
- Respond to Government Consultations
Produce pro-active papers on key issues
-
• Interact with Parliament by:
- Providing briefings to parliamentary committees
- Giving expert oral evidence to inquiries
- Supporting a cross party group on science
• Interact with Public and Civic Society:
- Undertaking major inquiries which deliberately seek to
engage with the public
• Influence Government policy
•Catalyse research and activity
Royal Society of
Edinburgh Inquiries
Independent & free from influence
Detailed & authoritative
Subjects of strategic importance
Some Previous inquiries:
– Energy issues for Scotland
– Future of the Scottish Fishing Industry
– Future of Scotland’s Hills and Islands
Supported by public & private sector
The Energy Inquiry
 Review Scotland’s energy supply and
demand to 2050, within likely UK, European
and global energy environment.
 Provide evidential base for energy policy
in Scotland
 Provide timeframes for action at both the
UK and Scottish level,
 Raise public awareness and debate.
Impact -Energy
Technology Partnership
 A large-scale world-class cluster for
Energy related Research, Development &
Demonstration and Commercialisation
 Ten universities and industry
 250 academics and 600 researchers -ETP
is the largest, most broad based power
and energy research partnership in
Europe.
Energy
Technology Partnership

Wind energy

Marine energy

Built environment
(and demand side management)

Power systems and networks

Bio-energy

Power conversion/ storage

Oil and gas

Carbon capture/storage
SALTIRE PRIZE
• Scottish Government -$18M prize
• For advances in Renewable
Energy
• Team to demonstrate in Scottish
waters a commercially viable
wave or tidal energy technology
that achieves a minimum
electrical output of 100GWh over
a continuous 2 year period.
The Hills and Islands
Inquiry (2008)
Identify main drivers of change in upland
and island areas of Scotland
 Consider how change in agriculture may
affect the economies of these areas, and
Scope for alternative sources of income
and employment.
 Consider impact of changes to land use
on landscape, environment, housing and
communities of these areas.
New project –
Climate Change
Adaptation
 Utilizing detailed regional assessments and
forecasts of climate change to identify
potential impacts, and possible policy
responses.
 Identifying direct and indirect impacts in
Scotland that will occur as a consequence
of events elsewhere;
the associated timescales ;
the engineering, environmental, biological,
economic, land use, legal and planning
issues for Government, its agencies,
business and citizens at all levels
GLOCHAMORE Project
- Global Change and Mountain
Regions (GLOCHAMORE) Research
Strategy to guide managers of
MOUNTAIN BIOSPHERE RESERVES
- Royal Society of Edinburgh
nominated UNESCO CHAIR on
Mountain Ranges.
Providing public benefit in today’s
Scotland
New Directions
at IEEE
What is IEEE?
The Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers
IEEE
The World’s Largest Professional Society for
the Advancement of Technology
Mission: Foster technical innovation and
excellence for the benefit of humanity
Envisioned future: Be essential to the global
technical community, and
Be universally recognized for the contributions
to improving global conditions.
IEEE - the World’s Largest Technical
Professional Society
• Over 375,000 members
- Including 80,000 students
- In over 160 countries
• A professional staff of ~ 1,000
• Offices in NY, NJ, CA, Washington DC,
Singapore, Tokyo.
IEEE Publications
• 144 Journals, Transactions
and magazines
• 31% of world’ archival literature
on electro-technology
• Full-text access to
over 100,000 research papers
annually
• More than 1,750,000 documents delivered
online through IEEE Xplore® digital library
• Over 6 million downloads a month
Conferences
• Over 850 conferences sponsored/cosponsored
worldwide
• More than 400,000 attendees in over 60
countries
The IEEE Standards Association
A leading developer of globally adopted
standards for a broad range of industries
• Over 900 active standards, with 400 in
development
• Approximately 100 new and revised
standards annually
IEEE’s Role in Humanitarian
Endeavors
• Engineering, science, technology and the
world condition are intimately connected
• IEEE tenets:
– Advance global prosperity
– Work for the benefit
of humanity
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IEEE - New Directions
TOMORROW (New paradigms)
HISTORICALLY (Old verities)
•Framework: Issue and Problem
• Framework: Domain and
focused
discipline focused
•Roles:
• Roles:
– Information collection and
dissemination
– Quality control
– Archival information is
important
• Primary Alignment with
academic programs –
journals, publications,
technology driven
• Activity based
– Leadership in shaping the problem and
solution space
– Collaboration, facilitation, and
understanding solution options
– Living Best Practice products ,
• Aligns with industry, academic,
government and humanitarian
groups; - engage large
partnerships
• Goal-based/Project focused; trials
prominent
Working together
Challenge
Facilitators
Government
Solution Ideas
IEEE Member Activity
What is IEEE and IEEE Members Doing
To Help Address Humanitarian Issues
Across The Globe. . .
From earth monitoring to local
community issues. . .
 Four Examplar Projects
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The IEEE, GEOSS, and ICEO
• Group on Earth Observation (GEO)
– 72 members including the
European Union, plus 46 participating
international organizations
• Global Earth Observation System of Systems
(GEOSS)
– A comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained
system to monitor the changing state
of the planet
• IEEE Committee on Earth Observation
(ICEO) actively leading or involved in
technology development, architecture,
standards, conferences, technical journal.
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ICEO Water Project
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• Issues with assuring fresh water
– Availability and discovery
– Use, efficiency and energy
– Quality and health
• Objectives
– Workshop to address
application of remote sensing
for water and impacts to health
– Interface with GEO Water Community of
Practice
• Partner with NASA in the Water Project
4/5/2016
South Africa “Advisor to Nations”
Pilot Program
• Advise South Africa Department of Science and
Technology (DST)
DST, IEEE to engage universities,
research institutions to understand
gaps in capacity for Earth
Observation in South Africa.
ICEO
Validate ”Advisor” process as
model for future programs
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IEEE and UN Foundation: Humanitarian
Technology Challenge (HTC)
• IEEE Partnering with United Nations Foundation
– Unprecedented opportunity to develop technologybased solutions to world problems
– Particularly in developing
regions
• Other Participants
– Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
– Governments of developing countries
– Universities, professors, and students
– Corporations and their engineers/scientists
– Individuals
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HTC Challenge Areas
• Reliable electricity
• Data connectivity of rural district health offices
• Local management and tracking of medical
supply distribution
• Incident tracking of maternal deaths, spouse
abuse, etc.
• Patient identification and tie to health records.
From impoverished Peruvian villages to MIT's DLab, IEEE Member Professor Amy Smith and her
spirited team of engineers are on a mission: Fight
global poverty and improve living standards for
developing countries—one low-cost, accessible
invention at a time.
Key: Collaboration for the Future
Thank You
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