Austrian Cultural Forum Invitation: “Science Diplomacy In Times Of Crises” Panel, Symposium September 14-15th

The Austrian Cultural Forum New York (ACFNY) and its partners warmly invite you to a two-day event “Science Diplomacy in Times of Global Crises”.

Science diplomacy is an often-promulgated concept in light of tackling global challenges in an increasingly interconnected and competitive world order. Science diplomacy is believed to foster peace and understanding between nations and has often been utilized to argue for more cooperation and openness among adverse states. Can science diplomacy keep up with its promise in an ever-more fragmented multipolar world? Does the concept and its basic tenets need to be revised or has science diplomacy never been more valid and important?

These questions will be addressed in a panel discussion on Thursday, September 14^th followed by a Symposium on Friday, September 15^th.

Please find the details for both events down below.

There will be an opportunity for a guided tour at 6 pm through our current exhibition What Should I be Afraid of? Roma Artist Ceija Stojka.

PROGRAM FOR THE OPENING EVENT

Remarks 

• Dr. Susanne Keppler-Schlesinger, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum New York
• Mag. Friedrich Faulhammer, Rector of the University for Continuing Education Krems (UWK)
• Prof. Dr. Gerald Steiner, University Professor of Organization, Communication, and Innovation, University for Continuing Education Krems
• Prof. Dr. Eva Schernhammer, Professor of Epidemiology, Head of Department of Epidemiology, Medical University Vienna, Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Gediminas Urbonas, Professor in Art, Culture and Technology, School of Architecture+Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Panel Discussion and Q&A

with Prof. Dr. Eva Schernhammer, Prof. Dr. Gerald Steiner, Prof. Gediminas Urbonas

Moderated by Dr. Katja Mayer, University of Vienna

Evening Reception to follow.

To save your spot for the opening event on September 14^th, please click on RSVP

This event explores science diplomacy in current global affairs from at least two perspectives in times of multiple crises: the need for openness and collaboration in tackling global challenges and the need for safe-guarding indisputable values, principles and interests.

The first perspective will be addressed with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (Session 1: “Open science diplomacy for an ethical and trustworthy global AI”), the second perspective will be covered by attending to the risks of foreign interference, intellectual property right, misinformation and manipulation in international science cooperation (Session 2: “Science diplomacy in a fragmented, multipolar world”).

PROGRAM FOR THE SYMPOSIUM

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Session I: Open science diplomacy for an ethical and trustworthy global AI (10 am)

• Rumman Chowdhury, PhD, Responsible AI Fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center
• USG Amandeep Gill, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology
• Yacine Jernite, PhD, Leader of the Machine Learning and Society Team, Hugging Face
• Prof. Dr. Judith Simon, Professor for Ethics in Information Technology
• Moderator: Dr. Katja Mayer, University of Vienna

Session II: Science diplomacy in a fragmented, multipolar world (11.15 am)

• Mag. Martina Hartl, Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Research, Member of the ERA Subgroup “Global approach to R&I cooperation” and member of the Steering Team on the EU Science Diplomacy Agenda
• Peter B. Kaufman, Senior Program Officer, MIT Open Learning
• Derya Buyuktanir Karacan, PhD, George Washington University & EURAXESS North America
• Isabella Tomas, MA, Consul and Co-Director of Open Austria San Francisco
• Moderator: Dr. Klaus Schuch, Director of the Center for Social Innovation at University of Vienna (ZSI)

Final Reflecting Remarks 

Mag. Friedrich Faulhammer, Rector of the University for Continuing Education Krems (UWK)

Closing Remarks 

Dr. Susanne Keppler-Schlesinger, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York

Followed by a light lunch.

To save your spot for the Symposium on September 15^th, please click to RSVP

Banner Image: Event flyer. Image Credit – ACF