| WHEN: |
Thursday, 12 November 2009, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| WHERE: |
Shell Auditorium, Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University |
| ADMISSION: |
The symposium is free and open to the public; advance registration is required by 9 November. Visit www.chemheritage.org/chao to register. |
HOUSTON, TX; PHILADELPHIA, PA—27 October 2009—The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) will host the first annual T. T. Chao Symposium on Innovation at Rice University on 12 November 2009. The day-long symposium will feature two moderated morning panels, an afternoon roundtable, and a post-symposium reception. Themes include “Energy Alternatives for the Future,” “Genomics and Personalized Genomic Medicine,” and “Houston on the Molecular Frontier.” Each of these will be examined from the point of view of entrepreneurship, science / technology, and social science / public policy.
Following a welcome by David W. Leebron, president of Rice University, and Albert Chao, son of T. T. Chao and president and CEO of the Westlake Chemical Corporation, the symposium will open with comments by Joseph A. Pratt, Cullen Professor of History and Business, University of Houston. The first panel “Energy Alternatives for the Future,” will be moderated by Amy Myers Jaffe of the Baker Institute of Rice University and present David Robinson, CEO, Endicott Biofuels, LLC, and Terry A Michalske of Sandia National Labs as speakers. The second morning panel will be moderated by Kirstin R. W. Matthews of the Baker Institute and will present Arthur T. Sands, president and CEO, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; John Belmont and Amy McGuire from the Baylor College of Medicine as speakers.
The afternoon roundtable Houston on the Molecular Frontier,” will be moderated by Mae C. Jemison, president, The Jemison Group, and board member, Greater Houston Partnership. Neal Lane, senior fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, of Rice University; Malcolm Gillis, professor of Economics and former president of Rice University; and Jim Von Ehr, founder, chairman, and CEO, Zyvex Corporation will be the presenters. Thomas R. Tritton, president and CEO of CHF will offer closing remarks.
“Houston is such a hot spot of scientific innovation, it was only natural to host the symposium named for T. T. Chao in the city where he started Westlake,” said Tritton. “We look forward to exploring the different facets of innovation with Rice University and our speakers and panelists.”
The symposium is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required by 9 November. Visit www.chemheritage.org/chao to register.
About the Chemical Heritage Foundation
The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) fosters an understanding of chemistry’s impact on society. An independent nonprofit organization, we strive to inspire a passion for chemistry, highlight chemistry’s role in meeting current social challenges, and preserve the story of chemistry across centuries.
CHF maintains major collections of instruments, fine art, photographs, papers, and books. We host conferences and lectures, support research, offer fellowships, and produce educational materials. Our museum and public programs explore subjects ranging from alchemy to nanotechnology. |
