CITRIS Day 2017 was held on November 1st at the newly-opened UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus in Santa Clara, where invitees discussed the theme of “The Future of Technology in the Interest of Society.” More than 70 representatives of industry, academia, international institutions, and government agencies were in attendance.
This highly-interactive event featured expert panels on the trajectory of technology innovations, their potential to improve quality of life, and the business opportunities they might create in the U.S. and abroad. Presentations included cutting-edge work coming out of CITRIS research groups framed against the meta-trends of connectivity, urbanization, climate change, and global demographic shifts.
The panelists and audience took part in animated debates about how these technologies might shape smarter, more sustainable cities; new paradigms for healthy aging; and automation of agriculture and transportation. The overarching question for the day was how academia and industry can best collaborate to address these complex challenges and opportunities.
The panels included CITRIS and the Banatao Institute’s distinguished faculty, entrepreneurs, public sector leaders, and corporate partners. A showcase of active projects and CITRIS research assets capped off the afternoon, followed by a lively networking event for the participants.
Several interesting ideas were seeded at this exciting forum, and we are actively working to implement the highest-impact collaborations with our current and new partners.
Learn more about the CITRIS Partnership Program and access to upcoming member events including CITRIS Day.