Symposium to Offer Guidance to Overcoming Today's Challenges

A symposium planned on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis will include leaders from business, non-profit and academia discussing how collaboration can help society overcome mounting challenges in today’s world.

With climate change, consumer waste, energy and other important topics fresh in the minds of citizens, “A Brave New World Symposium: Navigating the Challenges of the 21st Century” will bring together unique perspectives on what efforts are needed to begin solving some of the crises affecting the world today.

“The idea is to not get all of Indianapolis to change its mindset in a day, but for the people we interact with …to start thinking about how they can start making small changes to help in confronting our collective challenges,” said Travis Centers, an organizer of the event.

Speakers planned for the symposium include Scott Abbott, former entrepreneur at the Kelley School of Business Bloomington and author of “Pocket Porch Lights”; Marleen New, corporate relations director for Heifer International; and Dr. Uday Sukhatme, executive vice chancellor of IUPUI. New will discuss collaborations underway to eradicate world hunger while Sukhatme will discuss how academia is preparing students for the challenges of tomorrow.

The event is planned for 6:30 p.m. on April 14, 2009, on the fourth floor of the IUPUI Campus Center, 420 University Blvd. The event is free to all college students and $5 for others, but all participants should visit www.abnw.org to get a ticket.

Conservation will be a common thread throughout the discussion. Centers said he is hopeful attendees will begin to think differently about the world around them after the event.

“If all of us can change one small part of our lives to better the environment, then we take one great leap together by our actions to solving the problems we face as a society,” Centers wrote on the website dedicated to the event.

The speakers were chosen for their ability to inspire people to try to have an impact on global issues, Centers said.

Sponsors include the Investment Club at IUPUI, the campus chapter of Heifer International and Delta Sigma Pi.

For more information, go to www.abnw.org or contact Centers at (317) 319-6029.