December 6, 2013

Can We Harness Disruption to Improve Our World’s Future?

At Scientific American, we take it as a given that science and technology form a key underpinning for human advancement. But all anybody needs to do to be convinced about their importance is to scan todays headlines about pressing global concerns of our finite world.

By Mariette DiChristina

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

At Scientific American, we take it as a given that science and technology form a key underpinning for human advancement. But all anybody needs to do to be convinced about their importance is to scan today’s headlines about pressing global concerns of our finite world. Consider, for instance, the coming food-water-energy crisis, the ongoing transformation of medical care through technology, how the digital age and new technologies are shifting employment, and the increasing role of megacities as both a source of innovation and a concern as they grapple with the challenges of rapid urbanization.

Good news for those of us who want to keep up on all of those important topics: The Atlantic Council is holding its “2013 Strategic Foresight Forum Agenda: Harnessing Disruption” on December 9 and 10. The event is full, but you can watch it live in a series of what will surely be thought-provoking panel discussions with top experts in technology and policy. Full details of the agenda–and how to see the live streams are at The Atlantic Council’s event page.

As it was last year, when the topic was “Global Trends 2030: U.S. Leadership in a Post Western World,” Scientific American is a media partner for this important series of discussions. (See the report, “Envisioning 2030: U.S. Strategy for a Post Western World” and my blog about the event, “Which World Will We Face in 2030?“). This year, Dina Maron, associate editor, will moderate the panel on “The Bio-ICT Convergence: Increasing Risks, Ubiquitous Vulnerability, Promising Breakthroughs,” to be held on Tuesday, December 10.

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Hope you can join the event live. And stay tuned for our coverage from the event.

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