Report of Regional Meeting on Appropriate Technology
May 5, 2008 | Views:210025 |
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UTT was invited to host a Regional Meeting on Appropriate Technology (AT) by Dr. John Trimble, Chairperson of the Appropriate Technology Conference International Planning Committee. The meeting was held on Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 at the Point Lisas Campus. The overall theme of the meeting was Energy Solutions in an Era of Climate Change. Both local and international participants discussed their current research, practice, future initiatives and possible collaborative opportunities in Appropriate Technology in the following areas:
- Health, Water, Food and Shelter
- Industry and Transportation
- Energy and the Environment
The meeting received positive reviews with an overall feedback rating of 7 out of 10. It is recommended that UTT make this Regional Meeting a standing event on the university calendar as efforts to support the AT initiative continue. It is hoped that this meeting will not only provide a research umbrella for UTT to engage in further work in Appropriate Technology but to eventually present some of this work at the bi-annual International Conference on Appropriate Technology.
The 2008 International Conference on Appropriate Technology (AT) is a bi-annual event sponsored jointly by The Rwandan Ministry of Science, Technology and Research in the President's Office, the Northern California Council Black Professional Engineers (NCCBPE), and Howard University.
Appropriate Technology is defined as technology that will empower the people, that is ecologically sound, economically sustainable and culturally sensitive. The thrust of Appropriate Technology is to direct science and technology research and practice to meet the basic needs of the majority of the world's population.
Ending poverty and improving the quality of life of this planet's poorest requires increased productivity in agriculture, industry and transport. Increased productivity is dependent on additional energy production. The promotion of renewable energy technologies as well as cleaner fossil fuels must be given priority in technology research, development and implementation.
The International Conference will focus on addressing the challenge of meeting these energy demands, through the development and usage of appropriate technologies which minimize the negative impact on the environment and global climate change.
The Conference will also highlight the wide spectrum of Appropriate Technology practices and research. The objectives of the conference are:
- To promote the collaboration of individuals, institutions and countries in identifying, assessing, tracking and developing appropriate technology research and action projects, through the use of knowledge management techniques and
- To focus on how to meet the increasing energy needs of the less developed world, while minimizing negative global climate change.
In this regard the organizers asked supporting territories to establish Regional Meetings that would discuss on-going work in the area of AT and so build support for the International Conference. It is in this context that UTT agreed to host such a meeting for the Caribbean Region.
The objectives of the regional meeting were to:
- To establish a network of regional AT researchers and practitioners.
- The aims of this network would be:
- To identify, research and highlight initiatives and other AT activities in the region
- To promote commercialization of AT solutions
- To develop regional technology-based R&D capacity
- To coordinate the scarce regional R&D and industrial resources to harvest synergies and maximize impact
- To develop an innovation and AT R&D agenda
- To promote Caribbean contributions to the International Conference on Appropriate Technology to be held in Kigali, Rwanda in November 2008
More than eighty persons representing several organizations including four delegates of the AT Conference International Planning Committee were in attendance at the meeting. In addition there was significant support, participation and contribution by UTT's academic staff.
Meeting panellists presented on a wide range of topics viz.:
- Climate change and its impact on sustainable tourism,
- Use of alternative energies in housing,
- Advanced water treatment technologies,
- Food and water security in agriculture.
Based on the meeting evaluations submitted, sixty-nine (69) percent of the respondents rated the meeting as very good or excellent. The meeting owes its tremendous success to the participation of the International Conference Committee members; and the enthusiastic contributions of the panel chairs, panellists, discussants, and Local Meeting Coordinating team led by Mr. Rodney Jagai (Pt. Lisas Campus) and Professor Denise Thompson (O'Meara Campus). The Meeting Coordinating team wishes to specifically acknowledge Ms. Azeena Ali for her tireless contributions in organizing and preparing for this meeting.
UTT looks forward to developing the new relationships that were forged through this meeting and also to promoting Caribbean contributions to the International Conference on Appropriate Technology in Kigali, Rwanda, in November 2008.
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