Santa Clara University

The Summit builds on the missions of the organizing institutions.

CSTS

The Center for Science, Technology, and Society (CSTS) is one of Santa Clara University's interdisciplinary centers of distinction. Founded in 1997, its mission is to research and promote the use of science and technology for the common good. It provides an independent forum for public dialogue and interdisciplinary inquiry into the social and cultural dimensions of scientific and technological change, and fulfills its mission through work and activities in two strategic areas:

AREA 1: THE ENRICHMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PRACTICE

By working locally and globally to foster the use of science and technology to create a more just, humane world.

AREA 2: THE SUPPORT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

By bringing together a wide range of stakeholders to enhance public understanding, business decisions, and public policy on urgent scientific and technological issues.

The Center is committed to extending the dialogue throughout the year with a speaker series themed around the Challenge, and to convene additional events on this topic in future years.

http://www.scu.edu/sts

RiOS

RiOS Institute collaborates with all stakeholders

·        To research and design people-centered uses of information and communication technologies.

·        To find simpler ways to translate information into meaningful and accessible knowledge for the public good.

·        To enable more citizens to play an active role in their civil societies through open access to information networks.

RiOS Institute works with

·        The broadest view of the human and social contexts in which technologies operate.

·        A healthy scepticism about whether technology always presents the best solution.

RiOS Institute strives towards

·        A future of peace, prosperity and justice, supported by universal access to information and communication technology, for all inhabitants of the world.

http://www.riosinstitute.org/

Context

On November 15, 2006, the Tech Museum of Innovation in San José will host the annual Tech Museum Awards: Technology Benefiting Humanity.  The next day, the Silicon Valley Challenge Summit will include Tech Award Laureates in the Summit program, and will provide a display area for Laureates to present their work to the business and thought leaders attending the Summit.  There will be as ever strong media presence at the Tech Awards: we will build off this opportunity to foreground the issues of the Summit in a way which draws attention to the Awards.

The Summit centrally reflects the core mission of the Center for Science, Technology, and Society, which is to research and promote the use of science and technology for the public good.

Format

The day will open with the reading of a written message to Summit participants from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, followed by a presentation of the Challenge by José María Ocampo and a response from a Silicon Valley leader.   Next there will be a panel discussion between civic, academic, corporate and nonprofit leaders regarding the unique contributions of each sector’s work in the area of ICT for Development (ICTD). After lunch, small group discussions will bring together Summit attendees from various institutional backgrounds in an intimate but structured setting. Guided by facilitators, participants will have the opportunity to exchange and develop ideas about cross-institutional collaborations.  Summit participants will then join highly interactive afternoon break out workshops, organized by modality (university-industry initiatives; multilateral development; BOP- bottom of the pyramid; large industry initiatives; social entrepreneurship; design innovation and social science).   The day will conclude with a closing plenary session, organized in a town-hall style format. A rapporteur will produce, for wide dissemination, a report on the Summit's findings.

Organization

This event is organized by the Center for Science, Technology, and Society (CSTS) at Santa Clara University, co-presented by the RiOS Institute. It will result in a strong agenda for Silicon Valley to adopt in the service of social and economic changes in the developing world.  CSTS has a strong track record organizing international conferences, including in 2003 Networked World: Information Technology and Globalization and in 2005 Digital Divide or Digital Commons: Toward Global Knowledge Sharing.  The judging of the Tech Awards is overseen by CSTS, and since 2002 the Center hosts the Global Social Benefit Incubator program which helps “social benefit entrepreneurs” to develop their business skills to make their enterprises sustainable and scalable.  In addition, faculty associated with the Center designed and teach a regular course in social entrepreneurship for Santa Clara’s MBA students.

Facilities

The Recital Hall in the Music & Dance Building is one of the newest facilities on the campus of Santa Clara University. With perfect acoustics and comfortable seating for up to 250 people, this is a prime venue for concerts, performances, and conference presentations.