Sustainability Forum Speakers Include Ex-Governor, International Environmental Expert
MELBOURNE, FLA.—Florida Institute of Technology will address smart growth and environmental sustainability at its fourth international, interdisciplinary forum, “Sustainable Pathways: New Research and Practices,” March 6-7 on campus. “The forum will focus on practical solutions to emerging sustainability issues from business, science and socio-political viewpoints,” said Gordon L. Nelson, dean of the College of Science. The public is invited to attend.
The March 6 dinner banquet keynote speaker is Robert “Bob” Martinez, 40th governor of Florida from 1987 to 1991. Prior to that, he was mayor of Tampa. As governor he continued the environmental protection programs of his predecessor and created additional protections for Florida’s surface waters, including Lake Okeechobee, Tampa Bay, Lake Jackson, the Kissimmee River. He sought to eliminate wasteful spending projects sponsored by members of the legislature and increased spending on the state’s drug control programs. He now serves as senior policy adviser to Holland & Knight LLP, one of the world’s 15 largest law firms.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Secretary, Colleen M. Castille, said, “Governor Martinez was a leader in environmental stewardship during his tenure, establishing the state’s successful land acquisition program and drawing attention to water quality protection.”
The March 6 luncheon keynote speaker is international environmental expert, Hilary Stone, whose topic is “Sustainability and Environmental Law.” Stone holds an honorary research fellowship in waste management and environmental law at Imperial College, London, and is a visiting lecturer at Brunel University (U.K.). She is editor of the 2003 book, Managing Environmental Risk and is writing another on novel waste management technologies, which should be published late in 2007. She is a member of the U.K. Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances.
The March 7 luncheon keynote speaker is Duane E. DeFreese, speaking on “Sustainability of Ocean Resources.” DeFreese is the Florida vice president of research for Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, an independent nonprofit organization created in 1963 by the founders of the first SeaWorld in San Diego, CA. DeFreese holds a B.S. degree in zoology from the University of Rhode Island and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in marine biology from Florida Tech. He has authored numerous papers and received awards for his teaching and conservation efforts.
The forum is a collaborative effort of the College of Business, College of Science, and Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Event sponsors include: Environmental Defense Fund, FP&L, Waste Management and Florida Tech. Online registration is available at http://research.fit.edu/sustainability/register.php/
A conference registration fee of $85 entitles registrants to attend all daily sessions as well as luncheons. The fee is $25 for students. A separate fee of $45 covers a keynote dinner on the evening of March 6. For more information, and to register, contact Linda Ward at (321) 674-7573 or at lward@fit.edu. The website for this event is located here http://research.fit.edu/sustainability/wordpress.
