A landscape architect by training, Jack Dangermond founded Environmental Systems Research
Institute (Esri) in 1969 with a vision that computer mapping and analysis could help design a better future. Under Dangermond's leadership, that vision has continued to guide Esri in creating cutting-edge GIS and Geodesign technologies used in every industry to make a difference worldwide.
Dangermond fostered the growth of Esri from a small research group to an organization recognized as the world leader in GIS software development. Esri employs more than 4,000 people worldwide; many who shared his passion for GIS in the early days are still with the company and remain dedicated to helping our users be successful.
Dangermond’s vision for Esri goes beyond building the leading GIS technology. He keeps the company mindful of global challenges and the needs of specific industries. The ongoing drive is to engineer ArcGIS to aggregate and integrate increasing quantities of data, to visualize and analyze the data to gain holistic understanding, and to help individuals and organizations make impactful evidence-based decisions.

Special awards or recognition:

• Planet and Humanity Medal, International Geographical Union, 2021
• Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau, Netherlands, 2019
• LALH Legacy Award, Library of American Landscape History, 2019
• Audubon Medal, The National Audubon Society, 2015
• Ocean Conservation Award, Aquarium of the Pacific, 2014
• Champions of the Earth Award, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2013
• Alexander Graham Bell Medal, National Geographic Society, 2010
• Patron's Medal, Royal Geographical Society, 2010
• Public-Private Partnership Award, National Governors Association, 2009
• Carl Mannerfelt Medal, International Cartographic Association, 2008
• Inductee, GIS Hall of Fame, Urban and Regional Information Systems Association, 2005
• Outstanding Service Award, American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), 2007
• Henry Shaw Medal, Missouri Botanical Garden, 2006
• Fellow of ITC, The Netherlands, 2004
• Distinguished Public Service Award for outstanding contributions to national and international affairs, U.S. Department of State, The Secretary's Open Forum, 2002
• LaGasse Medal for Excellence in the Management of Public Lands and Natural Resources in the Public Interest, American Society of Landscape Architects, 2000
• Brock Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievements in the Evolution of Spatial Information Sciences, International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 2000
• Cullum Geographical Medal of Distinction for the advancement of geographical science, American Geographical Society, 1999
• EDUCAUSE Medal for developing outstanding, technology-based teaching and learning programs in geography, EDUCAUSE in partnership with the Association of American Geographers, 1999
• James R. Anderson Medal of Honor in Applied Geography, Association of American Geographers, 1998
• Ed Forrest Award for Excellence in Design/Construction Design Automation, A/E/C Systems International, 1997
• John Wesley Powell Award, U.S. Geological Survey, 1996

Field or specialization:
Geographic Information Systems - over 50 years experience

Jack Dangermond will talk about GIS and the Geographic Approach - digital infrastructure for building a sustainable future.

The presentation will cover examples from around the world of how digital transformation is occurring in the engineering community and how it can more fully participate in creating a sustainable future. Today our world is facing many challenges in the form of climate change, loss of biodiversity and related impacts. Engineers and planners need to mobilize to address these challenges by developing and integrating methods that consider environmental sustainability as well as resilience planning in their professional practices. The evolving technologies of digital twins, GIS and Geodesign offer many opportunities for integrating environmental knowledge into the way that the future is designed and constructed.

Fiammetta Diani will talk about “How Space Data and Services contribute to the Achievements of the UN SDGs”.

Deeply involved in the rethinking of higher engineering education with a time horizon of fifteen to twenty years. More than twenty years of industrial experience in space systems engineering, nineteen years of academic teaching, educational management and leadership, and an in-depth study of trends in society, engineering business, science and technology and higher engineering education, have made him a global thought-leader in the future of engineering education.

Author of two thought-provoking reports:

• (2016) 'Engineering Education in a Rapidly Changing World - Rethinking the Vision for Higher Engineering Education' (Second Revised Edition)
• (2020) 'Navigating the Landscape of Higher Engineering Education - Coping with decades ofaccelerating change ahead'.

Engineering education management:

• Freelance inspirer, visionary and advisor for future-fit higher engineering education 2020 - present(www.aldertkamp.nl)
• Co-director of the CDIO Initiative, a leading worldwide collaborative network for innovative engineering education (2017-2022), www.cdio.org;
• Director of Education at Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering (2007-2020);
• Delft leader of 4TU.Centre for Engineering Education (2014-2020), https://www.4tu.nl/cee/
• Chair of Programme Board Educational Leadership Course, produced for universities in Rotterdam, Delft and Leiden (2014-2020)

Aldert Kamp will talk about engineering education focussed on “Reimagining Higher Education through the Lens of the Digital and Sustainable Society and Workplace”.

The digital transformation of industries and the efforts to design for sustainability have brought about massive shifts in the engineering profession. Universities need to address the issues of the digital and sustainability competencies at scale. This challenge is significant as it addresses a wide spectrum of issues, ranging on the one hand from highly specialised innovations to the need for broader intellectual range on the other side, new business models, sustainable design skills, aspects of social acceptance and security, to values thinking and self-leadership.

What we have always done no longer meets the needs of the 21st century. Do we actually know what an aspiring young person needs to lead a responsible life in this rapidly changing world, to design solutions that balance technological innovation, economic competitiveness, environmental protection and social flourishing?

The keynote shows that engineering education is on the verge of a major transformation, a shift from scientific discovery to human value.

Dr. Marlene Kanga was President of WFEO (2017-2019), she is a chemical engineer and was National President of Engineers Australia in 2013.

Dr. Kanga was Chair of the 6th World Engineers Convention (WEC2019), held in Melbourne in November 2019.

During her term as WFEO President she led the initiative for the member states at UNESCO to declare 4th March, the founding Day of WFEO, as World Engineering Day. The inaugural World Engineering Day was held on 4th March 2020.

The focus of WEC2023 on 8 of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals is a continuation of her strategic vision and communication on the essential role of engineers in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This was first stated in the WFEO Engineering 2030 Plan in November 2017 and the WFEO UNESCO Paris Declaration, March 2018. This has resulted in collaborative initiatives with UNESCO, other international engineering organizations and member in projects that advance the 2030 Agenda.

Dr. Kanga is a board member of the large organizations in Australia including Sydney Water Corporation, AirServices Australia, Standards Australia and other boards involving innovation. She is a director of iOmniscient Pty. Ltd. which has developed artificial intelligence for video technologies and is a mentor to start-up companies as they commercialize advanced technology and research.

Dr. Kanga is an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK), a Fellow of the Academy of Technology Science and Engineering (Australia) and a Foreign Fellow of the ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology.

She has been listed among the 100 engineers making a contribution to Australia in the last 100 years as part of Engineers Australia Centenary celebrations on 2019, among the Top 10 Women Engineers in Australia (2019), Top 100 Women of Influence (2014) and the Top 100 Engineers in Australia (several times) and is a Member of the Order of Australia, a national honor, in recognition of her leadership of the engineering profession.

Marlene Kanga will speak about the role in transforming engineering especially in education and will provide valuable insights into the changes that have been made and the imperative for these and the expected global impact of these changes in the speech “Enabling Our Sustainable Futures Beyond 2030: hat it will take, hat is being done”.

The UN Sustainable Development Report 2019, recognized that science and technology are key levers to advance the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With just 8 years remaining, engineering technology is advancing quickly to address issues such as climate change, food security, improved health outcomes, especially during the pandemic, access to reliable clean water and sanitation, and energy. This has been and will continue to be the work of engineers.

But technology alone will not deliver the changes we need. We need a paradigm shift in the way technology itself is developed and how the benefits are shared across the world, especially beyond 2030. This will require an increase in the capacity and capability for engineering and technology and equity of access and agency for underrepresented groups including women, young people, the rural poor, many in developing countries.

Enabling more engineers with the right skills in these countries is therefore key to ensuring our futures in a rapidly changing technological world. The review of the international engineering education benchmarks for Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies (GAPC) by the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) in partnership with UNESCO and the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) has enabled the transformation in the way engineering is taught and the outcomes of engineering for the future.

The GAPC Framework underpins the basis of mutual recognition of engineering qualifications and professional credentials in engineering through the signatories of the International Engineering Alliance, located in some 30 economies on every continent. The review is the most significant change that has occurred to the Framework since it was first developed in the early 1990s and will ensure that engineering education and professional development programs reflect contemporary values and employer needs as well as equip engineering professionals of the future to incorporate practices that advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals and beyond 2030. Implementation of the Framework has commenced and is expected to transform engineering education and practices with engineers who are inclusive and able to work effectively in diverse teams, think critically and thoughtfully about the impact of their work, considerate of broad ethical considerations and be committed to adapting to new technologies and pedagogies as well as lifelong learning.

Recognition by UNESCO will ensure that the GAPC Framework will be the pre-eminent international benchmark for engineering education and professional development.

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kretschmann is Past President of the TH Georg Agricola University, Bochum and CEO of DMT-LB GmbH since 2006 as well as External Professor at RWTH Aachen University since 2005. His fields of research are Mining Management, Sustainable Development, Strategic and Risk Management, Organizational Development and Post-Mining. Regarding his fields of study, prof. Kretschmann received degree Dipl. Kaufmann (equivalent to MBA) in Business and Management Studies at the Universities in Aachen, Bochum, Dortmund, Dr. rer. pol. (equivalent to PhD) at the Georg-August-University Göttingen, Department of business and management studies, he habilitated at RWTH Aachen University, Department of Mining and received degree Associate Professor in 1998. His career development prof. Kretschmann started in the German Hard Coal Mining Industry (RAG Group) in management positions (1990 – 2001), he was CFO of the Managing Board of RAG BILDUNG GmbH (2001 – 2006).

Selected International Awards:

• 2019 - Günter Fettweis Award of the Society of Mining Professors
• 2019 - Full Member of the Eurasian Academy of Mining Science
• 2019 - Full Member of the National Academy of Mining Science, Moskow, Russia
• 2018/19 - President of the Society of Mining Professors/ Sozietät der Bergbaukunde
• 2018 - Award of Merit of the Minister of Education and Training of Vietnam
• 2017 - Member (academician) of the Section Mining-Metallurgy of the International Academy of Ecology, Man and Nature Protection Science, St. Petersburg, Russia
• 2017 - Honorary Member of the National Academy of Mining Science, Astana, Kasachstan
• 2016 - Visiting Professor St. Petersburg Mining University, Russia
• 2012 - Best Paper Award of the Coal & Energy Division of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Seattle, Washington, USA

Josef Michl will talk about Porphene synthesis, as a New Type of Tunable 2-Dimensional Polymer for Nano electronics.

Two-dimensional polymers are of considerable interest for improvements in nanoelectronics and other potential applications and have many amazing properties. We describe a class of fully conjugated crystalline 2-D polymers that are easy to functionalize without taking any centers out of the pi-electron system, permitting a fine-tuning of properties. They consist of fused porphyrin macrocycles with reversibly attached metal ions in their binding sites, carrying zero, one, or two axial ligands. These new polymers are designed for applications with higher added value, suitable for helping engineers to achieve sustainable circular economy with lower burden to the environment and improved safety.

• Chair in Mining Engineering, The School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia.
• Deputy Director of Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research, The University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia.
• Deputy Secretary General of Society of Mining Professors
• President of International Society of Rock Mechanics’ Commission on Planetary Rock Mechanics
• Chair of the International Future Mining Conference Series
• Co-Chair of The AusRock Conference Series
• Co-Chair of the Off Earth Mining Forums

Serkan Saydam received his BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in Mining Engineering from the Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey and completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He then worked at De Beers for 3 years as a project manager in Johannesburg, South Africa. Serkan joined the School of Mining Engineering as a Senior Lecturer in 2006 and since 2017 he has been working as a professor. He is currently Chair in Mining Engineering at the School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering at UNSW. A key focus of his research is to address the current needs and future challenges faced by the minerals industry. These are generally very complex engineering problems, as mining environments become more extreme and constraints are imposed due to increasing social, environmental, and health and safety standards. His fields of research include space resources engineering, ground control, mine systems design, mine internet of things, and technology integration and management. He established research collaboration with NASA, ESA and Luxembourg Space Agency, as well as more than 40 research organisations and universities globally. He has more than 250 publications and graduated 16 PhD students. Serkan attracted more than $15M research grants. Serkan is known for founding and chairing the AusIMM’s International Future Mining Conference Series, and co-chairs AusIMM’s AusRock Conference Series and Off-Earth Mining Forums. Professor Saydam is the High-Level Advisory Board Member of EU funded illuMINEation Project and the Advisory Board Member of 7Sisters Mission, the first Australian Mission for the Moon. Serkan is also the inventor of the Virtual Mine – ViMINE mining engineering game. Professor Saydam received multiple academic awards including 2020 UNSW Dean’s Award for Global Impact, 2019 UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Postgraduate Research Supervision Award and 2017 Society of Mining Professors’ International Tim Shaw Innovation in Teaching Award. Serkan is currently a Fellow Member of the AusIMM; President of the ISRM Commission on Planetary Rock Mechanics; Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research (ACSER) at UNSW; Deputy Secretary General and Council Member of the SOMP (The Society of Mining Professors).

Serkan Saydam will talk about the answer possibilities to the question: Can Humanity Extract Space Resources Sustainably and Ethically?

Humans’ curiosity for travelling to other planets to create settlements requires achieving space resources extraction. The Moon, Mars and asteroids all contain significant resources that can help in these activities, as well as resources that are becoming gradually rare on Earth. As history also has continually revealed, where there are valuable minerals to be mined, adventurous humans will arrive in crowds – even if it means combatting extreme conditions. The succession of space colonisation would have impacts on both Earth and the planets we colonise. We have thousands of years of experience extracting valuable minerals from the Earth; we have great engineering success stories and but also, we have taken many missteps to get where we are now. This lecture will give an update on current space resources extraction activities and research, highlight the potential risks and provide suggestions to mitigate those risks. It will also include a comparison of terrestrial and space technology transfer opportunities in space resources engineering. Finally, it will underline how we can succeed in humankind’s next biggest leap: establishing human colonization in the future on other planets, sustainably and ethically.

Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Food Engineering, University of California, Davis, California, USA
Education: B.S. 1970 (Agricultural Engineering), Punjab Agricultural University, India; M.S. 1972 (Agricultural Engineering), University of Wisconsin, Madison; Ph.D. 1974 (Agricultural Engineering), Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA.
Research: Computational modeling of transport phenomena in food processes to improve sustainability of industrial food manufacturing, design of novel food processing equipment, and study of food digestion for improved bioaccessibility of nutrients in the human body.
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Food Engineering (2005-present)

Special awards or recognition:

• Member, US National Academy of Engineering
• 2015 World Agriculture Prize, Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agriculture and Life Sciences
• 2010 Nicolas Appert Award, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
• 2007 Kishida International Award, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ASABE)
• 2013 Massey Ferguson Gold Medal for Education, ASABE
• 2018 Doctor of Science, honoris causa, University of Guelph, Canada

Field or specialization:
Food Engineering (Food manufacturing, Heat and Mass Transfer in Food Processing Operations, Equipment design, Computational Modeling) - 50 yrs.

R. Paul Singh will talk about Novel Approaches to Manage Water Use in the Food Industry to Support Circular Bio-Economy.

During the past several decades, the food industry has dramatically improved manufacturing efficiencies to meet the goals of providing consumers with plentiful, safe, healthy, and affordable foods. Traditionally, this industry has primarily relied on linear systems from the farm to the fork. Availability of resources such as energy and water at low cost were major factors in the industry’s growth. Significant attention to resource use began as environmental regulations were introduced restricting untreated waste water discharge from processing plants. In many locations, the cost of water increased as competing demands from urban areas impacted the availability of freshwater needed in processing operations. Similarly, the increasing energy cost made it imperative for the food industry to seek improved equipment and processes to support conservation. More recently, there has been a rising interest in transforming the food and agricultural systems into circular systems that support a sustainable bio-economy. While still in its early stage, the concept of circular economy seeks ways to reduce the use of natural resources by closing material and energy loops. The strategies encompass reduce, reuse, recycle and regenerate. There are plentiful opportunities to seek circularity in water management in food processing operations. A comprehensive study at the University of California identified modifications for numerous food processing industries that address the four circular economy strategies. The ongoing quest to meet the increasing population's food needs will require innovations in resource management to seek sustainability in the food processing industry.

Prof. Dr. José Vieira is a civil engineer with extensive experience in engineering education, research and management. He is Full Professor at University of Minho, Portugal, where he served as Pro Rector (1990-1998) and Vice Rector (1998-2002). He has coordinated large number of graduation and post-graduation study programmes in civil engineering, and develops his research activities in the fields of water resources planning, hydrodynamics in estuaries and coastal zones, and drinking water and public health.

Prof. Dr. José Vieira was President of the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI) from 2014 to 2020. Under his leadership, strategic initiatives were launched to enhance the visibility of the value of engineers to society, stressing the relevance of promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in future engineering education and practice.

Prof. Dr. José Vieira was the National Vice President of the Portuguese Association of Engineers from 2010 to 2016, responsible for effective international cooperation in mutual recognition of engineering education and capacity building standards in the Portuguese speaking countries.

He has been involved in WFEO activities since 2015 as a member of the Executive Council and chair of the Strategic Planning Committee.

He was elected President-Elect of WFEO at the General Assembly in Melbourne in November 2019 and became President of WFEO at the General Assembly in San José, Costa Rica in March 2022.