The Poultry CRC’s achievements will be showcased at Canberra’s National Convention Centre in May. The route out of the quagmire of the global financial crisis will be the focus of Pathfinders: The Innovator’s Conference, which gets under way on May 26.
The formidable line-up of national and international speakers is expected to attract scientists, politicians, senior government officials and business leaders, who will hear presentations on how innovation can help fortify industry and governments against financial shocks.
This year, for the first time, the conference will be aligned with the Australian Science Festival. Speakers invited to address plenary sessions include the new CSIRO chief executive officer, Dr Megan Clark, and the new Chief Scientist, Professor Penny Sackett. Mr Jean-Claude Gavrel, Director of Canada’s Networks of Centres of Excellence, will speak on collaboration, one of the conference’s major themes.
The Science Festival’s International Collaboration Cocktail Reception, also at the National Convention Centre, will showcase around 20 CRCs along with up to 30 other scientific exhibits. The Poultry CRC and other agricultural CRCs will be encouraging school students attending the science festival to pursue careers in rural science, drawing their attention to the CRC Program’s strong education component, including tax-free scholarships and industry internships both in Australia and overseas.
A highlight this year will be the annual awards dinner which will be held in the Great Hall at Parliament House. Kevin Rudd has been invited to attend, and former PM Bob Hawke will deliver an address recognising 18 years since he announced the inception of the CRC Program. The Poultry CRC will be looking to win up to two Awards for Excellence in Innovation.
More information at http://www.crca.asn.au/conference/ and http://sciencefestival.com.au/
