Name: Reinforcing the place of academia within societies, a necessary path for post-SDGs
Start: 2024-09-25T14:00:00-0400
End: 2024-09-25T16:00:00-0400

SCIENCE SUMMIT 2024: 17 - 27 September, New York

This Programme exclusively outlines the Science Summit events in New York from September 17th to 27th.
Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.
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Wednesday September 25, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Video will become available 10 minutes before session start

Abstract
Since their adoption in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have had a major influence on academia. In some cases, they have structured the way universities engage with society through research, influenced training pathways and have sometimes made their ways in assessment methodologies of impact measurement. Some Universities have established partnerships with local governments to operationalize and quantify plans to achieve the SDGs. For others, however, particularly in the Global South, the SDG framework presents development and social operationalization challenges. Today, as we reach the half-way point of the SDGs and within the context of Post SDG discussions, this session will look into how universities will be called upon to accelerate their action within society, by 2030 and beyond.
In light of the fast paste of changes in many critical fields, it is expected that the next generation of researchers will be responsible to mobilize and inform decision-makers on the urgency need to act. In this respect, universities can play a vital role in reinforcing an intergenerational partnership, particularly as they are designed to build knowledge between generations, by training the next generation through research. And the latter steps up for new paradigms in research, more open to a renewed and inclusive vision of excellence, particularly in terms of the responsible integration of disruptive technologies. How, then, will academic institutions be able to empower next generations to be better heard in global dialogue, with a better capacity to organize globally?
Since a potential revision of the SDGs is calling for a greater contextualization of its deployment standards, universities tend to reinforce their position within society in a form of dialogue with communities and decision makers. In this regard, the association with cities and proximity governments are instrumental, because these have that rare ability to transform commitments into concrete action. To this end, universities can step up their commitment to the social sciences and humanities, in order to gain a more concrete grasp of complexity across disciplinary silos and within major international research consortia, in order to support local mobilization to achieve a global agenda.

Speakers

Rémi Quirion (moderator)

Chief Scientist of Quebec, Office of the Chief Scientist of Québec

Professor Rémi Quirion is the inaugural Chief Scientist of Quebec since July 2011. As such, he chairs the Fonds de recherche du Québec and advises the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy on research and scientific development issues. As of September 2021, he is the president... Read More →

Justine Germo Nzweundji-Khumbah

Plant biotechnology, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Cameroon

Dr. Justine Germo NZWEUNDJI is a Researcher and Plant Biotechnologist, she is the Deputy Director of Research, Valorization, and Innovation at the Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM) in Cameroon. She served as the Deputy Head of the Laboratory of Botany... Read More →

Julie Dirwimmer

Office of the Chief Scientist of Québec

Alice Higiro

Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda

Alice Higiro is a Project Manager with 10+ years of experience, currently the Project Director of Smart Cities at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation in Rwanda – and the Head of the Rwanda Smart City Hub, where her portfolio includes developing Smart City initiatives to transform... Read More →

Sophie D'Amours

rectrice@ulaval.ca

Professor Sophie D'Amours is the first woman and the 26th person to hold the position of rector of Université Laval in Quebec City. Elected in 2017, she was re-elected for a second term in 2022.Sophie D'Amours is a mechanical engineer. She holds a master's degree in business administration... Read More →

Anthony Vanky

Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation

Anthony Vanky, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation and a co-director of the NSF Center for Smart Streetscapes. His research focuses on emerging practices using digital data and pervasive technologies... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Education