This invitation-only event, hosted by the US Department of State and representing the US Government's premier event in advance of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), will focus on the use of connection technologies to advance sustainable development solutions in the fields of health, environment, agriculture and sustainable economic growth. It will explore existing and proposed technologies, the opportunities and attributes of the innovation culture, and the role of governments and civil society in fostering broader innovation. Participants will be asked to define “innovation challenges” for how connection technologies can help advance cross-cutting sustainable development problems, with outcomes to be presented at the UNCSD. Confirmed speakers include US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah, US Assistant Secretary of State Kerri-Ann Jones, and Government of Kenya official Btenge Ndemo.  

dates: 2-4 February 2012   venue: Stanford University Graduate School of Business   location: US   additional: Palo Alto, California   www: http://csi.gsb.stanford.edu/rio20-conference