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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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The School of Mechanical Engineering welcome Dan Mote, president of the University of Maryland, to be its 2010 Woodruff Distinguished Lecturer on the topic: "Innovation: What's the Problem?"
Abstract:
While much is known about particular innovators and innovative companies, less is known about: the culture that nurtures innovation and how that culture can be enlarged so that innovation can address the global problems relying on it. Two great challenges confronting innovation for the world’s problems are: (1) How can the pace of innovation be accelerated to keep up with the rate of discoveries in science, creations in technology and product development for the market place? (2) How can innovation take on the complex global challenges – problems like clean water, national security, terrorism, food security, energy, environmental degradation, and climate change? Today we will discuss nurturing innovation in a connected world that is experiencing accelerating scientific and technological changes. We will review the history that has led to the state of innovation today. We will view innovation in societal layers that will help us see the changes that will be needed for innovation to effectively address the great global challenges.
About the Woodruff Distinguished Lecture:
The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Annual Distinguished Lecture was established in 1990 to honor an engineer who has made a significant contribution to society and to provide a forum for that person to interact with the Georgia Tech community.
Support for the lecture is made possible by the generosity of the late George W. Woodruff, an alumnus and influential Atlanta businessman, civic leader, and philanthropist. In 1985, the School of Mechanical Engineering was named in his honor. Today, the Woodruff benevolence continues to benefit Georgia Tech through the support of two major scholarships funds and a significant unrestricted endowment. The Woodruff bequest to the School of Mechanical Engineering underwrites two faculty chairs and activities such as the Woodruff Faculty Fellows Program, the Woodruff Graduate Fellowship Program, the Woodruff Teaching Intern Program, and research and teaching assistantships for graduate students.
