8th Annual Global Marathon for Women In Engineering and Technology

Global Marathon 2012

Global Marathon 2012Agenda set for National Engineers Week Foundation’s 8th annual global marathon for, by and about women in engineering and technology

Women on Six Continents Prepare For Week of Online Discussions Looking at Water & Food, Energy, Entrepreneurship and More

WASHINGTONDC, February 28, 2012– National Engineers Week Foundation’s 8th annual Global Marathon For, By and About Women in Engineering and Technology has announced its agenda.  The Global Marathon, set for March 5-10, 2012, is the only event of its kind connecting women in engineering and technology worldwide across a diverse range of disciplines, experience levels, ages, interests, backgrounds, cultures, industries and employers.

Originating from a different part of the world each day, this year’s theme is 7 Billion and Counting: Dreams, Ideas and Actions to Change the World.  Individuals from corporations, universities, non-profits, community organizations and others will participate in real-time webcasts, internet chats, polling questions, teleconferences and live events.

This year, the Global Marathon is moving to a new robust online conference platform that allows a deeper level of engagement and interaction among speakers, virtual attendees and the worldwide community.

To register, please visit http://www.inxpo.com/events/GlobalMarathon/Registration/.

Here are some of the daily live panels now scheduled:

Monday, March 5, Grand Opening and North America program

Opening Keynote Panel: Voices of Experience, Voices of Change

Noon-1:00 pm (U.S.Eastern)

This kick-off session sets the stage for the week as executive women from both industry and non-profit discuss women making a difference both through their work and volunteerism.

Panelists:

  • Maria Luz Giambartolomei,EcuadorCountry Director, CommunityEnterpriseSolutions/Social Entrepreneur Corps
  • Gayle J. Gibson, Director, Corporate Operations, DuPont
  • Cindy Kou, Program Director, IBM Lotus Collaborative Productivity Tools, IBM China
  • Victoria Rockwell, President, American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Tuesday, March 6,Latin America program

Food Sustainability and Our Future – Feeding 7 Billion People

1:50-2:40 pm U.S.Eastern (3:50 – 4:40 pm Brazil Eastern, 12:50-1:40pm Mexico CST)

Professionals from diverse fields share their perspectives about food challenges–from farming to industrialization to distribution–and their impact on society. This session will be conducted primarily in Portuguese. 

Panelists:

  • Adriana Camargo, Regional Group Leader of Applied Technical Managers, Solae
  • Ana Claudia Rasera da Silva, Biotechnology Development Manager, Pioneering High Performance Seeds Division, DuPont
  • Daniela Eduardo, Latin America and Sub-SaharanAfricaMarketing Director, Danisco
  • Sherry L. Hunt, PhD., E.I.T, Research Hydraulic Engineer, Agricultural ResearchService,U.S.Department of Agriculture
  • Sue E. Nokes, PhD., P.E., Chair, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering,UniversityofKentucky.

Wednesday, March 7, Middle East/North Africa program

Women Reshaping the World Through Entrepreneurship – An Intimate Discussion with Leading Female Global Entrepreneurs

9:30 – 10:30 am U.S.Eastern (4:30 – 5:30 pm Lebanon)

Leading female engineering entrepreneurs share the personal stories of their entrepreneurial journeys – the failures, the triumphs and the wisdom gained.

Panelists:

  • Mona Arishi, Corporate Citizenship & Corp Affairs Manager, IBM Egypt & MENA
  • Dr. Rana El Chemaitelly, Instructor, Engineering and Architecture,AmericanUniversityofBeirut  
  • Dr. Patricia Galloway, CEO, Pegasus Global Holdings Inc.
  • Nancy R. Tuor, Group President and Executive Sponsor for Sustainability, CH2MHILL
  • Kathy Forman Frey (moderator), award-winning entrepreneur and founder, Hot Mommas® Project: The world’s largest collection of women’s case studies
  • Dina Masri (co-moderator), Engineering Student, Telecommunications, Princess Sumaya University for Technology and 2012 head of technical development, IEEE PSUT student branch

Thursday, March 8,India program (International Women’s Day)

Engineering Household Energy: How Bringing Questions of Efficiency and Power Supply Into Your Living Room Helps Change The World

10:00 – 11:00 am U.S.Eastern (8:30 – 9:30 pm Dehli)  

This forum addresses residential energy consumption related to (a) energy efficiency within the home and (b) renewable energy to power the home.

Panelists:

  • Kavita Ravi (Moderator), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow at the Office of Policy and International Affairs (PI).
  • Gabrielle Dreyfus, leads the Clean Energy Minister’s appliance efficiency initiative at DOE
  • Monisha Shah, National Renewable Energy Lab
  • Kristen Graf, executive director, Women of Wind Energy (WoWE)

Friday, March 9, China program

From Grassroots to Business to Government Initiatives: How Everyone Can Play a Role in Achieving Water Sustainability

8:00 – 9:00 pm U.S.Eastern, Thursday March 8

9:00 – 10:00 am Beijing, Friday March 9  

The challenge of sustainably managing the world’s water resources has never been greater. This panel discusses how individuals, businesses and governments around the world are taking action and delivering solutions to change the urban water paradigm.

Panelists:

  • Hui Chng Chan, Project Manager, CH2M HILL
  • Steph Stoppenhagen, Sustainability Strategist Lead, Water Business Group, CH2M HILL
  • Kate Peabody, Global Communications Strategist, Water Business Group, CH2M HILL
  • Karen Kabbes (moderator), President, Kabbes Engineering, Diplomat AmericanAcademyofWater Resourcesand Chair, ASCE Committee on Sustainability

Saturday, March 10, UK/Europe program and Closing

Live from Imperial College- More and Better Engineers

11:00 – Noon,U.S.Eastern (4:00 – 5:00 pmUK)

Panelists:

  • Var Hansen, Head of Expeditions, E.quinox, an award-winning non-profit, completely student-run humanitarian project that brings cost-effective, sustainable renewable energy toAfrica.
  • Liv Wild, Head of Professional Services -Europe, ThoughtWorks
  • Sonya Chan, Director, Robogals NorthAmerica

Closing Keynote Panel: Creating the Voices for the Future

Noon – 1:00 pm,U.S.Eastern (5:00 – 6:00 pmUK)

A first-ever opportunity to hear from some of the most influential women professionals leading worldwide engineering societies – together, in one place and at one time.  They will recap highlights of the week as well as share their visions for the future. 

Panelists:

  • Melissa Tata, President, Society of Women Engineers
  • Victoria Rockwell, President, ASME
  • Bashayer AL Awwad, Chair, Women in Engineering Standing Committee, World Federation of Engineering Organizations (T)
  • Teresa Schofield, Chair, IEEE UK/Ireland

For more information and a complete agenda, please visit http://www.eweek.org/EngineersWeek/GlobalMarathon.aspx.

Cindy Kou, Program Director, Lotus Collaborative Productivity Tools, IBM China, serves as Chair of the 2012 Global Marathon. Gayle Gibson, Director, Corporate Operations, DuPont, is Vice Chair. Bechtel, IBM, DuPont, ExxonMobil Corporation, Motorola Mobility and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) are the 2012 Global Marathon sponsors.  Along with more than a dozen regional leaders, DuPont, C3E and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) are among the prestigious organizations partnering with National Engineers Week Foundation to facilitate the daily sessions.

About National Engineers Week Foundation

The National Engineers Week Foundation works year-round to sustain and grow a dynamic engineering profession critical to public health, safety, and welfare.  The Foundation supports engineering outreach, education, and celebration through a network of thousands of volunteers in its partner coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies. Together we meet a vital need: introducing students, parents, and educators to engineering, engaging them in hands-on engineering experiences, and making science and math relevant. The Foundation and coalition are actively putting the E in STEM.

For more information about National Engineers Week Foundation, visit www.eweek.org.