Sustainable Sarasota

International Sustainability Conference

                                                                
International Sustainability Conference To Be Held
At University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee



Sister Cities Association of Sarasota has teamed with the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee to host a major three-day conference on “Sustainability Through Renewable Energy & Aquaculture” Nov. 13-15, 2013 in USF Sarasota-Manatee’s Selby Auditorium, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail.  


The goal of the conference is to bring together both professionals and students from Florida and internationally with Sarasota’s Sister Cities in a forum based on Sustainability.  “One of the major missions of Sarasota Sister Cities Association (SCAS) is to foster international relationships through exchanges in areas of business, culture and education,” stated SCAS President Beth Ruyle Hullinger. “SCAS’s objective is to develop respect, understanding and cooperation through citizen diplomacy.”


The conference will focus on three individual topics:
  • Sustainability, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 13
  • Renewable Energy Alternatives, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 14
  • Sustainability of Ocean & Water Resources, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 15


Topics covered will include:


  • Sustainability - exploring sustainability concepts; sustainable communities; sustainability management; sustainable agriculture, and water sustainability.
  • Renewable Energy Alternatives - exploring new developments in solar energy; photovoltaics; fuels from biomass, and ocean wave technology.
  • Sustainability of Ocean Resources - exploring closed circuit, non-polluting aquaculture, aquaculture practices and aquaculture of giant prawns, sturgeon, and caviar.


Attendance is open to the public, but requires registration.  Full registration for the 3-day conference is $75.  An option for attending select daily sessions is $30 per day.   Lunch is included for those with paid registrations on Nov 13 and 14.  College and high school students may register at no cost. Lunch will not be provided to college or high school students registered to attend the sessions at no cost. Details on registration will be available Oct 1 at: 

sarasotasistercities.org or sarasotasistercities.us or sustainablesarasota.us


Information on speakers:


The conference will involve presentations by international universities from five of Sarasota’s Sister Cities (Dunfermline, Scotland; Merida, Mexico; Perpignan, France, Tel Mond, Israel and Xiamen, China);  seven Florida universities or colleges; three regional businesses; plus the Florida Department of Energy; the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Agency and Mote Marine Laboratory.  


The introductory speaker for the Sustainability sessions Nov. 13 will be Patrick Sheehan, director of Florida’s Office of Energy in Tallahassee. Other speakers for this session will represent the Institute for Eco-Municipality Educations & Assistance in Cambridge, MA and Umea Sweden; The Walt Disney Company, Orlando; the Patel School of Global Sustainability at the University of South Florida (Tampa); State College of Florida; New College of Florida; the University of Florida; and Ringling College of Art & Design.


Keynote speaker for the Renewable Energy sessions on Nov. 14 will be Energy Consultant and Lecturer Michael Alexy.  Other presentations will be made by representatives of the University of Perpignan of Perpignan, France; the Florida Solar Energy Center of the University of Central Florida; the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the Brilliant Harvest Company, Sarasota; Carnegie College & Whitlock Energy Collaboration Center of Dunfermline, Scotland, and Safrema Energy of Lakewood Ranch.


Keynote speaker for the Sustainability of Ocean & Water Resources sessions on Nov. 15 will be Russell Dunn of the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Agency (NOAA).  Other presentations will be made by representatives of the University of the Yucatan of Merida, Mexico; Jimei University of Xiamen, China; the Israeli Institute of Technology; Mote Marine Laboratories, and Florida Organic Aquaculture of Jupiter, FL.


________________________



About Sarasota Sister Cities (SCAS)
We have friends in places you have never been


The mission of Sister Cities Association of Sarasota, Inc. (SCAS) is to foster international relationships between Sarasota and cities that have similar interests by creating exchanges in areas of culture, education, tourism, business and government. SCAS’s objective is to develop respect, understanding and cooperation through citizen diplomacy. To accomplish this mission we develop relationships with people in cities that have cultural, education, tourism and business environments similar to Sarasota’s.  Working outside the realm of government, but with its support, we encourage and facilitate cultural and education exchanges, business opportunities and increased tourism.


About USF Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM)

USF Sarasota-Manatee is a comprehensive, four-year university for those interested in pursuing a baccalaureate or master’s degree, professional certification, or continuing education credit. USFSM offers the prestige of a nationally ranked research university with the convenience of a hometown location, including classes in North Port and Manatee County.

Media Contact:

Tom Halbert
Immediate Past President
Sister Cities Association of Sarasota
941-485-8596 (Primary)
941-4160-0486 (Cell)

Sustainability through Renewable Energy and Aquaculture


Sustainability
through
Renewable Energy
and Aquaculture
November 13-15, 2013

University of South Florida-Sarasota/Manatee

PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Raymond Young, Ph.D., Chair, Harry Dunn, Gloria Grenier, Dave Harralson, Ph.D., John Buechler, Ph.D., Erin Martin, Ph.D., Andrew Ezzell 

BACKGROUND


One of the major missions of Sarasota Sister Cities Assn. Inc. (SSCA) is to foster international relationships between Sarasota and its sister cities through exchanges in areas of culture and education.  SSCA’s objective is to develop respect, understanding and cooperation through citizen diplomacy.

In furtherance of this objective, SSCA is planning a three day conference on “Sustainability Through Renewable Energy and Aquaculture” for November 13-15, 2013 at the University of South Florida – Sarasota/Manatee.  The goal of the conference is to bring together both professionals and students from Sarasota area institutions and institutions located in our Sister Cities in a forum based on Sustainability.  

OBJECTIVES

The program is near final form and the three major objectives of the conference will explore the following:

  • Sustainability, exploring issues such as sustainability concepts, sustainability management, sustainable agriculture, and energy transfer and distribution

  • Renewable Energy Alternatives, exploring such issues as new developments in solar energy, photovoltaics, fuels from biomass and ocean wave technology.


  • Sustainability of Ocean Resources, exploring such issues as closed-circuit, non-polluting aquaculture, aquaculture of giant prawns, sturgeon, and caviar.

PRESENTERS & PARTICIPANTS


The topics for the conference will emphasize expertise in the Sarasota area as well as in our Sister Cities. Additional subject area expertise will be provided by outside speakers. A special student session is planned where local and sister city college and high school students will have the opportunity to interact through both poster and summary oral presentations. Area high schools will include Pineview (solar energy), Riverview (aquaculture), Booker, Suncoast Polytechnical and Sarasota High School.
 
Regional presentations are planned from the University of South Florida, State College of Florida, Ringling College of Arts & Design, and University of Florida-Extension in the areas of Sustainability; from Florida Solar Energy Center, Florida Inst. of Technology and the USDA in the area of Renewable Energy and from Mote Marine Laboratories and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in Aquaculture.

This will be complimented by Sister City presentations in these topic areas from University of Perpignan, Perpignan, France, Carnegie College, Dunfermline, Scotland, Autonomous University of the Yucatan, Merida, Mexico, The Interdisciplinary Center, Tel Mond, Israel, University of Padua, Treviso, Italy and Jimei University, Xiamen, China. It is planned that a professional speaker from each of the sister city institutions will be accompanied by several college and/or high school students for participation in the conference. Additional tours will be provided for the sister city delegates.

Additional attendees to the conference would include students and professors from area colleges and high schools, employees of government and public institutions, Mote Marine, energy firms, green architects and interested Sarasota general public.


Click for a:

 
Contact Vice President for Education Dr. Ray Young For More Information

aloharay4@gmail.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sarasota Sustainability Web Address


 
Sarasota Sister Cities Sustainability Conference
 
 
 
 
 

French Poster of Our Sustainability Conference





The poster above was created by a French student to advertise our Sustainability Conference to be held in November, to all the board members.
 
Thanks,

Gloria Grenier






 
More Information about Sarasota Sister Cities at:
 
Web           sarasotasistercities.org
Blog          
sarasotasistercities.com
Pinterest    sarasotasistercities.us