Conference Brings Scientists To Waco To Strategize On Helping Developing Countries

by Judy Long

The Symposium on Science and Appropriate Technology for Developing Countries will be held May 17 and 18 in Cashion, fifth floor, on the Baylor University campus. The event brings together interested scientists, funding agencies and others who can offer solutions in science and technology to improve the lives of people in developing countries.
The goal of the collaboration is to help people in developing countries utilize their own natural resources to provide needed goods for the world market.
"In many underdeveloped parts of the world, people have neither the resources nor infrastructure to utilize off-the-shelf technology from the developed world. We propose to help them by developing technology that is appropriate to the local needs and resources," said Dr. Walter Bradley, Baylor professor of mechanical engineering.
Bradley envisions utilizing resources from a wide spectrum of disciplines including engineering, computer science, chemistry, biology, geology and environmental sciences, as well as cultural anthropology and entrepreneurship.
Bradley sees the symposium as a first step toward the creation of an interdisciplinary center to design strategies for boosting the economies of developing countries.
"The symposium will spur the participants toward a bigger vision of what is possible as we seek to use our technical skills to help the poor around the world and will bring together an active network of people who share a common interest in a humanitarian goal," Bradley said.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. B.E. Vijayam, a hydrogeologist who received the 1995 Scientist of the Year Award from the Indian National Science Academy in recognition for his work assisting India's poorest people.
The symposium is sponsored by the Institute for Faith and Learning's Baylor Horizons project, which aims to develop the idea of vocation--that work extends beyond the private benefit of a person to include service to others.
Symposium participants represent secular and Christian universities as diverse as Harvard, Princeton, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Messiah College, Le Tourneau, Wheaton and University of Texas.
For more information, contact Walter Bradley at Walter_Bradley@baylor.edu or 710-7370.