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Cactus Conservation in the Southwest
Sep. 24, 2020 7:00 a.m.
The Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society (TCSS) began in 1960 and has grown to more than 1,350 members mostly in the Tucson and Southern Arizona, but it has members all over the United States and in other countries. It is the largest local Cactus and Succulent in the world. The major focus of TCSS is conservation and education. Dick Wiedhopf will focus on the nationally known cactus rescue program, the “Field Guide to Cacti and other Succulents of Arizona” , the Pima Prickly Park and TCSS's conservation efforts with David Yetman in Mexico. Dick Wiedhopf (BS, MS in Pharmacy at the University of Arizona) spent 55 years as a researcher, administrator and curator of the History of Arizona Pharmacy Museum. His real passion is cacti and other succulent plants. He enjoys leadership roles in a number of Botanical related organizations and is currently president of the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society, Tucson Clean and Beautiful, a board member of the U of A Arboretum and Communications Director for the International Sansevieria Society. |
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The DNA Detective: Finding Pauline's Father
Oct. 08, 2020 7:00 a.m.
Richard Hallick has been a member of Tucson Sunrise Rotary for 25 years, and served as Club President during the 2003-2004 Rotary year. He is a native of Southern California, and was educated at Palos Verdes High School, Pomona College (BA in Biochemistry) and the University of Wisconsin (PhD 1971 in Biochemistry). Following post-doctoral studies at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, he served on the faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Colorado in Boulder from 1973-1985, and then the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Arizona from 1985 until retirement in 2008, now holding the title of Professor Emeritus. The focus of a 38-year research and teaching career was DNA and RNA science. Pairing a life-long interest in family history studies with DNA expertise, in recent years Richard has been doing “DNA detective” work, identifying unknown relatives using consumer DNA testing results. Pauline Johnson was born in September 1943 in Pierre, South Dakota to 19 year-old Mildred Catherine Dirksen, and an unknown biological father. Pauline was raised by a maternal aunt, but remained in contact with her mother. Pauline married Larry Olson in 1962, and they had 4 daughters and a son. She lived her first 73 years without knowledge of her father’s family. The catalyst to actively look for her biological father came at Christmas 2018 when she received a consumer DNA test kit as a gift from her daughters, who wanted to know their own family history. When the DNA results arrived a few months later, she turned to me for help. Could I find her father? Yes, it took less than a day to identify him, and learn that he was deployed to serve in WWII in Europe in 1943 before Pauline was born. More research led to detailed information on his military service, and medals. In November of 2019 Pauline and some of her family attended a reunion with paternal first cousins and their families, and was united with the other half of her family heritage. In this talk, we will cover (1) How Pauline’s father was identified, (2) His distinguished military record, and ultimate fate, (3) What having a new family has meant to Pauline (hopefully in her own words). |
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Children's Advocacy Center of Southern Arizona
Oct. 22, 2020 7:00 a.m.
The mission of the Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center is to provide a safe, compassionate, healing environment for children who have been a victim or witnessed a crime. The vast majority of the clients we serve are children who have been abused. We work to provide each child with the safety they need to tell their story. Our dedicated, certified professional staff provides forensic interviews, connection to resources, and medical services in one child-friendly location. We also promote awareness and prevention of abuse through community education and outreach. Marie has worked in Tucson her entire career to support and empower children and families. She uses strategic planning, effective budget management, and innovation to develop strong organizations. As Executive Director for the Children’s Advocacy Center, she works to engage the community in the work of protecting children from abuse.
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UofA College of SBS Community Classroom
Oct. 29, 2020 7:00 a.m.
The SBS Community Classroom is a new initiative in in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. It offers not for credit classes to community members taught by University of Arizona faculty and/or affiliated community scholars, drawing on topics of interest and often current issues. In its first 1.5 years we offered 24 courses and workshops in person, primarily to Tucson community members. With the outbreak of the Coronavirus, we maximized the opportunity and demand for in-home activities and offered 6 all online classes in late spring and summer of 2020, opening up possibilities for people from around the globe. This fall we continue on this path with a record 9 virtual courses, one of them Cultures of Chocolate, taught by Professor Benjamin Lawrance and colleagues. A native of Germany, Kerstin Miller holds Master’s degrees in English and Classical Philology. She has been at the University of Arizona since 1988, has worked in Adult Education since 2000, and joined the Community Engagement team in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2018. She manages the Community Classroom Program and is the SBS liaison for the Tucson Festival of Books. |
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Your Heart, Your Health
Nov. 05, 2020 7:00 a.m.
Susan Smith is a wife, mother, grandma, sister, and friend. Now retired, she’s been many things in her productive life - an author & writing teacher, banker, jewelry designer, and most recently, a Mayo Clinic trained WomenHeart Champion. In February 2018, Susan had a heart attack on a day she was too busy to be bothered with a few aches and pains. She survived the attack, and lives to educate women about heart disease - the No. 1 killer of women. Susan shares her story, highlighting the symptoms for women’s heart attacks are dramatically different than men’s. She’s passionate on sharing the steps to be a “heart smart” woman. Susan’s heart story resonates with women who thrive on the “busyness” of taking care of everything and everybody but themselves. You can see her in the television commercials for Tucson Medical Center cardiac campaign and spreading the word in women’s groups across Tucson. |
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Tucson Metro Chamber
Nov. 12, 2020 7:00 a.m.
The Tucson Metro Chamber is a membership-based business advocacy and community development organization that represents 1,500 businesses, employing more than 160,000 employees in Tucson and Pima County. The Tucson Metro Chamber is committed to being the connector of leaders and influencers, catalyst for business growth, and champion for a stronger community. LEARN MORE: https://tucsonchamber.org/about/ |
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The Sunshine Foundation Dream Village
Nov. 19, 2020 7:00 a.m.
Sunshine Foundation is the original wish-granting organization in the United States, established in 1976, and continuously a top-rated charity expending over 80% of each dollar on programs benefitting children with severe special needs. Sunshine Foundation answers the dreams of children, ages three through eighteen, who have severe or profound physical/developmental/ Karri Medina is a volunteer and Ambassador for The Sunshine Foundation - being part of their wish-granting team for over 5 years. Not new to volunteering - she has participated in various projects with organizations including New Beginning (a thrift store whose proceeds help local homeless families), Red Cross and Rotary. She got involved in Rotary thru her Mom who is a Rotarian - and PDG among many other things - and saw the true value of service above self - and looked for a found another organization who's sole purpose was to make dreams come true for children in need. Karri's day job is a Senior Account Manager for GlobalSpec - working with Industrial Manufacturing Companies and their marketing teams to help grow their businesses for over 20 years. Karri is a passionate leader with a love for her family, Disney and for helping others. |
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The Past and Future of Tumamoc Hill
Dec. 10, 2020 7:00 a.m.
A unique combination of science and culture, the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill is an 860-acre ecological preserve in the heart of Tucson. Its innovative, sustained, long-term environmental studies and over 2,500 years of cultural history have made it a US National Historical Landmark. The name Tumamoc derives from the Tohono O'odham place name Chemamagi Do’ag—Hill of the Horned Lizard— which signifies the profound cultural importance of this site. The Desert Laboratory was founded on Tumamoc Hill to answer the fundamental question: how does life cope with aridity? In the twenty-first century, increasing drought and heat in many parts of the globe have transformed this basic scientific question into an urgent challenge facing humanity. Today, the Lab’s legacy collections, data sets, and resources will be incorporated into projects that pivot on a forward-looking version of the original guiding question of the Desert Lab. The role of the Desert Laboratory is to build on the complementary strengths of culture, science, and community rooted at Tumamoc Hill and the larger Sonoran Desert to become an integrative hub of novel research, education, and outreach about how linked human and natural systems face the future of life in the desert. Dr. Wilder’s research is broadly focused in desert ecology and biogeography. He utilizes multiple approaches and time scales to establish baselines to better understand modern biodiversity and connect science to conservation. He is the Director of the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, Director and co-founder of the Next Generation Sonoran Desert Researchers, and Interim Director of the Consortium for Arizona-Mexico Arid Environments (CAZMEX) at the University of Arizona. |
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Cringe Moments and How to Navigate them
Dec. 17, 2020 7:00 a.m.
What is a cringe moment conversation? It’s any conversation you dread. It may involve giving someone negative feedback, terminating an employee or surfacing an ethical breach. You don’t know the words to say, you are not sure how the other person will react, and you don’t know how to start the conversation. When it matters most we may do our worst. Imagine emerging from a dreaded conversation with relief, respect, and a way forward. A graduate of the University of Florida, Rachel’s career has included human resource positions at NASA/Houston, The Texas Medical Center/Houston, two New York City law firms, a large medical imaging company, a technology company and higher education institutions. Rachel is a professional certified coach specializing in coaching leaders who are facing cringe moment decisions and conversations. Her coaching niche includes coaching leaders who are perceived as abrasive. She speaks and consults internationally on organizational management concerns. She is the author of three publications on workplace dynamics. Her newest publication is: Who’s the Boss – Confront the Elephant in the Room. Rachel is a senior certified professional (SCP) with the Society for Human Resource Management, a fellow in the American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section and is the Past President of the International Association of Legal Administrators. |
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How to Thrive and Find Happiness During a Pandemic
Jan. 07, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Bob Logan has an incredibly varied life, rooted in strict military family values. Attending 7 schools in the first 12 years of his life as the son of an Air Force fighter pilot, Logan learned early on that change can actually be a good (and sometimes exciting) thing. Originally, he was to follow in his father’s footsteps by attending the U.S. Air Force Academy. However, life got in the way and he took a different path to complete his undergraduate work at Northern Arizona University and his MBA at the University of Arizona. The early formation for his career came as a football coach and teacher, working for some of the best in the business at the time. He coached in three consecutive bowl games at the University of Arizona and went on to become the head coach of the Bologna Doves in the Italian-American Football League. There, he was one victory from winning the Italian National Championship! Following his MBA, he spent time in the corporate world as a sales manager for AT&T Computer Systems, when local area networks and connected computing was taking over the business environment. He was one of the most successful AT&T sales managers before NCR corporation merged with AT&T. For the next 28 years, Logan worked in a senior level capacity at the University of Arizona. The first ten years was as an Associate Director of Athletics, in charge of the Wildcat Club and the major fund-raising for the top-ten ranked Wildcats. The latter part of his career has been as an Assistant Dean for Corporate and External Relations in the UA College of Science. He has been responsible for some of the largest gifts in the history of the University of Arizona. This includes the $100 million gift of the iconic Biosphere 2 and a twenty-year operating budget. He also facilitated a $20 million naming gift for the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, where the largest telescope mirrors in the world are built. Bob is a Rotarian, and a former member of Tucson Sunrise Rotary. Bottom line, from coaching athletes to teaching students, from selling high-end computers to sending missions to Mars, Bob Logan understands people and he understands success. "How to Thrive and Find Happiness During a Pandemic” Bob has worked in the College of Science for the past 18 years and has discovered that surprisingly, many people are just not happy with the current status of their lives or their prospects for the future. Clearly, the stresses of work, marriage, children, material gain, etc. etc. put many people on the never ending treadmill of trying to attain happiness. Intrigued by this phenomenon, Logan embarked on a scientific journey to answer this question on the pursuit of Happiness. What he discovered was over 17,000 peer-reviewed studies on happiness from the scientific community. This highly engaging and fun talk focuses on 8 scientifically proven techniques that, if followed, are guaranteed to bring happiness into one’s life. The attendees will come away feeling better about themselves and the simple changes they need to make in their lives to obtain a happier life.
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Policing in Tucson
Jan. 14, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Chief Chris Magnus started his public safety career in 1979 as a dispatcher with the City of Lansing. He was also a paramedic in the mid-Michigan area for close to a decade. During this same time he realized he wanted to make the transition to becoming a police officer. After attending the Lansing Community College Police Academy, he became a deputy sheriff at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department. In 1985, he became a police officer with the Lansing Police Department where he spent the next 15 years of his law enforcement career. In 1999, Chief Magnus became the police chief in Fargo, North Dakota, where he played a key role in implementing the first two-state regional dispatch system in the nation, a forensic children’s interview center, and a refugee liaison program for the area’s many new immigrants and refugees. In 2006, Chris Magnus was selected as police chief for Richmond, California—a highly diverse, urban community of 115,000 residents in the San Francisco Bay Area. He served as chief for 10 years. During that time he was significantly involved in strengthening ties between the community and its police force, addressing historically high levels of crime, and implementing reforms within the police department. Both violent and property crime decreased significantly during Magnus’ tenure and community support for the Richmond Police Department substantially improved. Chris Magnus was appointed to be the police chief for the City of Tucson, Arizona in January of 2016. In this position, he is continuing his commitment to improve services for victims of domestic and sexual violence, addressing community corrections issues, focusing on how police respond to people suffering with mental illness, and supporting a myriad of youth programs and activities. In 2015, Magnus testified before the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing on best practice models of community policing. The Chief also serves as an expert witness for the U.S. Department of Justice, working closely with both the Civil Rights Division and the COPS Office on policing issues in various cities around the country. Chief Magnus has a Master’s degree in Labor Relations and a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. He attended the “Senior Executives in State & Local Government” program at the Harvard Kennedy School. |
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Rotary Today
Jan. 21, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Holger Knaack, a member of the Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln, Germany, is the president of Rotary International in 2020-21. The Nominating Committee’s decision follows the resignation last month of President-nominee Sushil Gupta due to health reasons. Knaack will officially become president-nominee if no other candidates challenge him by 31 May. To build a stronger membership, Knaack says Rotary must focus on increasing the number of female members and transitioning Rotaractors into Rotarians. Knaack believes that the People of Action campaign offers new public awareness possibilities for Rotary. “This campaign conveys our global image while still respecting differences in regions and cultures,” he says. A Rotary member since 1992, Knaack has served Rotary as treasurer, director, moderator, member and chair of several committees, representative for the Council on Legislation, zone coordinator, training leader, and district governor. He is an endowment/major gifts adviser and co-chair of the Host Organization Committee for the 2019 Rotary International Convention in Hamburg. Knaack is the CEO of Knaack KG, a real estate company. He was previously a partner and general manager of Knaack Enterprises, a 125-year-old family business. He is a founding member of the Civic Foundation of the City of Ratzeburg and served as president of the Golf-Club Gut Grambek. Knaack is also the founder and chair of the Karl Adam Foundation. Knaack and his wife, Susanne, are Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation and members of the Bequest Society. |
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Polio Plus
Jan. 28, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Craig Needham is a founding partner with the firm Needham Kepner & Fish LLP. Born in Palo Alto, Craig graduated from Bellarmine College Prep, Santa Clara University, and Hastings College of the Law. After serving in the military, he worked for a plaintiff’s trial law firm in San Francisco for three years, before starting his own firm there, eventually moving his practice to San Jose. Along the way, he has gathered numerous honors including induction into the American Board of Trial Advocates and being named Lawyer of the Year by an impressive number of organizations. He has beenactive in, and has often led, trial lawyers associations. He also has an active mediation practice. Craig has shared his knowledge of the law in the classrooms at Hastings, Stanford, Golden Gate, USF, Santa Clara, and Lincoln Law Schools; and in lecture halls for continuing education programs all around the state. A cycling enthusiast, Craig’s biking adventures have included a 4,200-mile ride across North America, a trek through the French and Italian Alps, and a 2,500-mile ride from El Paso, Texas to Jasper, Alberta, Canada; raising money in each for the Children’s Skin Disease Foundation. He also has completed 12 marathons and over 40 triathlons, five of which have been “iron-man,” and has participated in 50 consecutive Bay to Breakers in San Francisco. |
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Tucson Sustainable THREAD project
Feb. 04, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Mark Flanigan serves as the Family Services Coordinator and is a former AmeriCorps VISTA with the Imago Dei Middle School in Tucson, AZ. He recently graduated from the Greater Tucson Leadership (GTL) Class of 2020. He is also a two-time Rotary Peace Fellow in Thailand and Japan, a former Presidential Management Fellow (PMF), a Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program alumnus, a U.S. Army Veteran, and a former US Government Civil Servant in Washington, DC. Mark has two Master's Degrees, earned from the International Christian University in Tokyo, and the George Mason University in Virginia. Mark has also earned his certificate in conflict resolution at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, and was a Volunteer Teacher in the Pathways for Promise program at the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong, Bangladesh. He is very happy to be working in a number of different capacities with District 5500 here in Southern Arizona! Mark will be speaking about the sustainable THREAD project. It's a mask-making project that partners with local Tucson refugees (mostly women from Afghanistan, but also various African countries) to produce masks to help fight the Coronavirus. Here is a recent news item featuring us that explains it in a bit more detail: https://www.kold.com/2020/06/
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All of Us
Feb. 11, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Dr. Monica Kraft is an internationally renowned physician-scientist who specializes in clinical and translational research in airway disease who is the Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson, as well as a Professor of Medicine and a Robert and Irene Flinn Endowed Chair in Medicine. Prior to joining the University of Arizona, she was a Professor of Medicine, and Chief, Division of the Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, and Director of the Duke Asthma, Allergy and Airway Center at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Kraft completed her MD degree at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Kraft’s work has appeared in such journals as The New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Journal of American Medical Association, The Lancet and The Journal of Immunology. Her H index is 73. Her work has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Lung Association for over 25 years and she is currently a member of the NHLBI Advisory Council. Dr. Kraft received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, awarded by President Clinton at the White House in 2000. She has also been awarded a Distinguished Career Award and the Elizabeth Rich Award for mentorship from the American Thoracic Society (ATS), a major professional society for pulmonary, critical care and sleep providers where she also served as ATS President from 2012-13. She also received the Arizona Bioresearcher of the Year in 2019. Dr. Kraft will talk to us about the All of Us Research Program at the University of Arizona. https://allofusaz.org/ Creating the right health care for the right person is called precision medicine. This is the goal of the All of Us Research Program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To get there, we want to create the largest health database ever. Researchers can use this data to better understand disease. This will help create a healthier future for generations to come. The All of Us Research Program is asking one million people to come together to create the largest health database ever. Researchers can use this data to better understand disease. This may create a healthier future for generations to come. |
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Solar Power in Arizona
Feb. 18, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Kirsten Engel is a state senator representing District 10 in Tucson. First elected in 2016, Kirsten served two terms in the Arizona State House of Representatives. Kirsten’s legislative priorities are funding education, protecting the environment and supporting an economy that works for everyone. As a result of the pandemic, Kirsten has worked actively to reduce the number of evictions and distribute rental assistance to tenants and landlords. She is also active in working to reduce the rate of incarceration and recidivism in Arizona. During the upcoming 2021 legislative session, Kirsten will serve as the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee and as a member of the Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee and the Finance Committee. |
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Tech Parks Arizona
Feb. 25, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Carol Stewart, a long-standing authority on research parks, is the Associate Vice President for Tech Parks Arizona at the University of Arizona. Carol Stewart leads the UA Tech Park at Rita Road and is developing the UA Tech Park at The Bridges. She is also president of the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, a technology business incubator network serving the University of Arizona, Tucson and the international community. Stewart’s expertise in university research parks spans decades and nations with more than 20 years of experience working with research parks, technology commercialization, business incubation, governmental relations and business development. As a pioneer in the research parks world, she has driven national policy, standardized programs, created national and international networks, built technology clusters, engaged stakeholders, and assisted countries with the development of their national science and technology policies. The UA Tech Park at Rita Road is one of the nation's premier research parks – a dynamic, interactive community where innovators and business leaders meet, where emerging companies and technology giants work side by side. Located in one of Arizona’s fast-growing suburban settings on Tucson’s southeast side, the Park’s spacious campus encompasses 1,282 acres and has 2 million square feet of space for high-tech offices, R&D, and laboratory facilities. https://techparks.arizona.edu/ |
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Preview of our new Meeting Location & World Global Grant Presentation
Mar. 04, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Nate Ares is the owner of Prep & Pastry and Commoner and Co, and the owner of the soon-to-open Flora's Market (formerly Rincon Market). He will be sharing plans for our new venue and meeting location. Anne Harman will talk about Game for the World, an HIV educational board game her non-profit manufactured and distributed throughout Southern Africa, Tanzania and Narok County, Kenya. Anne developed a successful working relationship with Kenyan non-profit Linda Arts, which has been effective in introducing the Game into Kenyan schools. To date, 50 school teachers have been trained and given 50 games for their schools. Reports reveal that the game is effective. Teachers state the game provides an innovative way of interacting with their students and a powerful method to discuss sexual and reproductive issues. Students say that the game provides a safe space where they can articulate their feelings and concerns. Kenya has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world. Currently, HIV/AIDS is a major health and development issue and evidence shows that youth bear the largest burden of new HIV infections. Anne will discuss the Game’s background and success, and a global grant proposal to supply 1500 copies of the game to 300 Kenyan school teachers. Come learn how an educational game designed in Tucson truly became a Game for the World! |
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Making Membership Memorable
Mar. 11, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Jason Browne's passions and successes are rooted in his diverse interests and experiences. Jason co-owns the streaming media company AWRebels, charms the airwaves as a radio personality on WBHV B94.5 FM, and captivates audiences as a member and performer with Happy Valley Improv, a local improv company. A Past President of the Downtown Rotary Club of State College, PA, USA, and a Rollin’ with Rotary founding member, Jason is highly active with Rotary public image on the local and national level. Jason has inspired Rotarians at District Conferences, PETS and at Rotary International Convention. He loves to creatively create meaningful change and have fun along the way. His motto: Use what you love to fight what you hate.
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Energy Poverty in Africa
Mar. 18, 2021 7:00 a.m.
Dr. Wayne Decker is Co-Director of the SGD-based Master’s of Development Practice (MDP) degree and Director of the Global Political Economy and Development (PED) B.S. Concentration within the Global Studies undergraduate degree. Both within and outside the University of Arizona, he is deeply involved with technical innovation and social entrepreneurship strategies to stimulate progress in Sub-Saharan Africa, notably in Malawi. https://apcg.geography.arizona.edu/user/wayne-decker Dr. Decker's current research and program-building efforts are on the use of ICT-enhanced innovation and social entrepreneurship to stimulate development in Sub-Sahara Africa. This work is influenced by his leadership of The Flame Tree Initiative, an American-African non-profit partnership that assists Sub-Saharan universities in becoming more effective catalysts for development. |