Contributor Profiles

Dr Jack Bacon, Futurist and Author, USA.

Jack is one of the most requested speakers in the world for topics concerning technology and the factors that shape human society. A noted futurist and a technological historian, he has written three popular books entitled "My Grandfathers' Clock," "My Stepdaughter's Watch," and “The Parallel Bang,” with many thousands of copies sold of each. His lectures have captivated tens of thousands of all ages in thirty-two countries on six continents, and he has appeared on numerous radio and television broadcasts. In his daily work, he is on the management team overseeing the construction and operation of the most complicated technical project in history: the International Space Station.http://www.drjackbacon.com/

A graduate of Caltech (B.S. '76) and the University of Rochester (Ph.D. '84) his extensive career includes roles in the development of many cutting edge technologies, including controlled thermonuclear fusion, the development of the electronic office, factory automation, and the globalization of business. He pioneered the deployment of several artificial intelligence systems, learning his craft at the famed Xerox Palo Alto Research Center.

He was the United States' lead systems integrator of the Zarya-the jointly-built spacecraft that forms the central bridge and adapter between all US and Russian technologies on the Space Station. This landmark in technological history was built in Moscow by American and Russian engineers and launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in November 1998.

Jack is a fellow of the Explorer's Club, a member of the AIAA, the National Speakers Association, the International Federation of Professional Speakers, and was a founding member of the board of directors of the Science National Honor Society (www.ScienceNHS.org). Among his numerous awards, he is a recipient of NASA's Exceptional Achievement Medal, the Director's Special Commendation, and the coveted Silver Snoopy award-the only award to fly in space. He routinely advises numerous academic programs and institutions, and he is a champion of education throughout the world.

When he's not on the road, Jack cherishes his time together with Kathleen: his lifelong love since high school, found five states away after 27 years apart. (You've gotta love the Internet!)

*The Parallel Bang
Humans have been doubling what we know and what we can do every 30 years since the Renaissance, and after each lifetime of such change, it is always easy for an older person to believe that life is now "too fast".

If you step back and take the broader view, you can soon see that in THIS generation, they might be right. The exponent of our acceleration is showing many signs of picking up in many facets of society, giving new reasons to share in our elders' bewilderment. Economic cycles are ten times shorter than a century ago, manufacturing efficiencies are taking off at greater rates, global communication and digital storage are essentially free, and basic science and technology are making huge leaps that defy the 30 year doubling rule.

If the universe started with a Big Bang, it appears that human understanding of that universe now going through an explosive new creation of its own. A shift in human society is going on today that will totally eclipse the growth increases of the Renaissance, and history will look back at this decade with reverence and awe. We'll explore some of the data that supports this prophecy, and look at what may happen to the world as we go through this "Parallel Bang" of understanding.

Dr Stuart Middleton
PhD, MA, AIEd(Lond.), DipEd, DipSLT, DipTchg

Executive Director, External Relations and Student Affairs
Manukau Institute of Technology

Dr Stuart Middleton taught English in several Manukau City secondary schools before becoming a teacher educator at the then Auckland College of Education. In 1990 he became Principal of Aorere College, a large multicultural secondary school in Manukau. During this time he was a member of the Minister's Lead Group for qualifications reform. He returned to the Auckland College of Education to undertake a variety of roles before taking up his present position as Executive Director, External Relations and Student Affairs at Manukau Institute of Technology in 2002.

Stuart Middleton has been awarded a Commonwealth Relations Trust Fellowship to the University of London, several QANTAS Media Awards as New Zealand's best social issues columnist. He has written a weekly column in NZ Education Review for the past ten years. In 2007 he won a Fulbright New Century Scholars Award and joined an international group of scholars studying equity and access in higher education. In September to December 2007 he will undertake a period as a Visiting Scholar at the University of California: Berkeley.

He is a Life Member of the NZ Assn for the Teaching of English and active in a variety of community organisations in Manukau including the City of Manukau Education Trust which he chairs, the Counties Manukau Regional Sports Trust and the Otara Economic Development Trust. He has recently been appointed Chair of the Board of Directors of Manukau Leisure Services Ltd, a council controlled organisation that provides all leisure facilities and services throughout the city.

David Gurteen, Director, Gurteen Knowledge, UK

David is an independent knowledge facilitator, advisor, educator and coach who helps people to share their knowledge, to innovate and to work together effectively to make a difference.

He is the founder of the Gurteen Knowledge Community. The Community is a global learning community for people who wish to share and learn from each other and who strive to see the world differently, think differently and act differently.

The Gurteen Knowledge Website http://www.gurteen.com/ is a resource for the Gurteen Knowledge Community. It focuses on the themes of knowledge management, learning, creativity, innovation and personal mastery. Everything on this site is open to all.

Gurteen Knowledge Cafés are learning communities which bring people together to share knowledge, learn from each other and network. The outcome for the participants is what they take away as individuals they can act on immediately.

David's brief CV Gurteen Knowledge 1999 - 2005 Knowledge Associates 1997 - 1999, Principal consultant. Consult, architect, design and implement Lotus Notes/Domino knowledge management and groupware solutions for clients.

The Performance Management Group 1995 - 1997 Founding director and principal consultant. Architected, designed and implemented Lotus Notes/Domino based Performance Management solutions for clients.

Lloyd McKenzie & Partners 1993 - 1997 Director and Principal consultant. Designed and developed Lotus Notes groupware applications for clients.

Founded Gurteen Associates in January 1993. Lotus Development Corporation-Service & Support Manager, (UK) 1991 - 1992 Responsible for implementation of quality service & support plan for Lotus Notes and cc:Mail. Responsible for pre-sales system engineers and technical programmes.

Prime Computer Research And Development (UK) 1978 - 1983 Managed the development of file transfer & e-mail products.

Hawker Siddeley Dynamics, Space Division (UK) 1971 - 1978 Designed, programmed & managed the development of CAD/CAM products.

Work

• Director, Te Kaihau Ltd, a consultancy company that focuses on innovation, enterprise education and global development
• Educator, Social Researcher, Innovator, Economist
• Senior Associate, Institute of Policy Studies, School of Government, VUW
• Teaching Fellow, Victoria University of Wellington
• Project Leader, Global Enterprise Experience www.geebiz.org
  formerly Senior Lecturer, Victoria University
  formerly Director, VicLink Ltd (Victoria University's commercial arm)
  formerly Corporate Marketing and Innovation Manager, DSIR in which role was the youngest senior manager in the NZ public sector

Adult Teaching

• Executive development on leadership, innovation, management
• Innovation (MMSTech, MBA, BCA)
• Management (BCA)
• Economics (MBA, DBA, B Agr Com, B Agr Sci, Adv Dip Farm Mgmt)
• Financial Management (Arts, Culture and Heritage Directors' Programme)
• Marketing (B Sci Tech)
• Technology Management (MMSTech)
• University lecture evaluations have consistently rated amongst the highest across the university, ranging from 1.1 to 1.5 where 1 is perfect and 5 is dismal.
  Enterprise Education
• All teaching is action oriented, experiential learning.
• Students develop their own projects, some of which exceed $10 million in scale with an international impact
• Assisted in the design and execution of many enterprise education initiatives in schools, polytechnics and universities
• Developed and teach the New Venture Development programme that is a world first in its design
• Policy development in enterprise education in tertiary sector

Innovation

• Established industries and new ventures including the NZ goat industry attracting $20 million in government funding, some fishing industries, women's economic development and the Global Enterprise Experience
• Maori Women's Leadership executive development programme, VUW; fund-raised, designed, managed & taught
• Worked with 80 Industry NZ business clients to rapidly expand their ventures
• Papers & proposals for Industry New Zealand for developing an enterprise economy
• Established and on the board of the Innovative Technologies Programme, a government seed venture capital fund
• FoRST contract to measure current and future state of science and technology in NZ and recommend performance indicators
• Member of the Victoria University Research Ltd board
• Established, and on the board of, the Wellington Venture Capital Association
  Global Development
• Established and manage the Global Enterprise Experience that links students from 31 countries in cross national teams that communicate via the web in a global contest
• Established and managed the South Pacific Regional Enterprise Experience that links tertiary students to help real businesses export from the Pacific Islands, provincial New Zealand and outback Australia
• Attracted $500,000 funding to establish the Centre for Enterprise Education and Community Empowerment in Nigeria

Dr Roger Whitaker Dean, George Washington University, Washington DC is a University administrator and scholar whose career of continuous achievement spans 30 years, four educational institutions, and three continents. He is a leader in national and international discussions on the university of the future. Dr. Whitaker has a long track record re-invigorating existing organizations and he has successfully launched several start-up educational enterprises in very complex and difficult circumstances - in the U.S. and abroad, in both public and private sectors.

Selection Of Professional Presentations And Publications:

• "Higher Education Policy and Economic Development Strategies" featured presentation to Hot Topics Breakfast Series, Department of Education and Training, Perth, Australia (simulcast to two regional government centers), September, 2007.

• "Draining of the Talent Pool: Implications for Continuing Education" keynote presentation to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, Extended Studies Conference, Colorado Springs, February, 2007.

• "Alternative Futures: Lifelong Learning and Higher Education" keynote presentation to Annual meeting of University Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL), University of Warwick, England, March 2006.

• "Higher Education in the United States: A view from the Periphery" presentation to Continuing Education Directors Annual Conference (representing Australian and New Zealand Universities), Bathurst, Australia, November, 2005.

• "Cultivating Innovation in Continuing Education" presentation at University of Sydney, Australia, November, 2005.

• "Where the Rubber Meets the Blue Sky" presentation to Summer Institute on Cultivating and Sustaining Innovation, hosted by Boston University, June, 2005.

• "What Shall We Cause?" President's Address, University Continuing Education Association Annual Conference, Boston, MA, April, 2005.

• "Fortune-telling, Forecasting, and the Future of Continuing Education" presentation to University Continuing Education Association, Mid-Atlantic Region Annual Conference, Rehobeth, Delaware, October 2004.

Heather lectures in Primary curriculum Music;Professional Studies and Professional Practice. She tutors teachers requiring post-service professional development in classroom music delivery.As the director of the Christchurch School of Music Choral department, she supervises conductors for this organization. She also trains promising young singers who are currently involved in a wide range of performance opportunities.

Her on-going quest for effective music education delivery has led her to study Orff-Schulwerk in Melbourne;a child-centred creative approach to music developed by Carl Orff in Germany experiencing wide-spread revival around the world. She is currently engaged in post-graduate study in this area.

Her research is focused on improving the quality of pre-service training and the potential for integration of language and music using the Orff Schulwerk approach in the primary classroom. Using Howard Gardner's definition on Multiple Intelligences she is committed to identifying and nurturing musical intelligence at all levels, and promoting the value of music for learning and leisure.

Margaret graduated with a B.Sc in Botany and Zoology from the University of Canterbury in 1954. Her first appointment after Teachers' College was as Science and Biology teacher at Christchurch Girl's High School. Subsequently she taught at Sacred Heart College, Christchurch Girls' (HOD Science 1970 - 77) and Riccarton High School where she was Assistant Principal until 1984. During that time Margaret was awarded a Teaching Fellowship in the Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury (1970), a relieving lectureship in science at the College of Education (1975) and a Commonwealth Fellowship at the Institute of Education in London (1980-81) where she presented a thesis on The Structure of the Secondary School Curriculum for the award of the AIE. She has been examiner for UE Biology, involved in Science and Biology curriculum development, and was a foundation member of the Canterbury Branch of the Education Administration Society and president for three years.

She was elected to Parliament in 1984 as Labour representative for Yaldhurst. Positions held included Senior Government Whip, and then Minister of Research, Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, Internal Affairs and Civil Defence. From 1991 she held the shadow portfolios of Education and Research Science and Technology and was a founding member of United Future in 1995.

She held the positions of Chancellor of Lincoln University (1999-2005), Chair of the National Commission for UNESCO in NZ (1999-2006, Chair of Osteoporosis NZ Board (1998 - 2004), Chair of the Centre for NZ Music (1996-2000) and the Villa Maria Company Board (1997-2002).

Currently she is Chair of the Centre for Reproductive Medicine (1997 - ) the Community Advisory Group of Pegasus Health (2005 - ) the International Presidents' Group of UNESCO National Commissions. She sits on the Council of the Royal Society of NZ with responsibility.

Roger's current research includes the interface between finance and macroeconomics and financial risk management. Past research themes have encompassed games of statistical information, disequilibrium modelling, econometrics, system design, and empirical models of international trade. Research-related consultancies include participation in the LIC Animal Evaluation Review, the world's first fully integrated econo-genetics modelling system.

Textbooks Kiwicap: An Introduction to New Zealand Capital Markets. Second edition with Jennifer Zhu, Wellington. Kiwicap Education, 2005. Macroeconomics and Financial Management: Kiwicap Education, 2005. Risk Management U.K. Association of Corporate Treasurers 2005 (with Dawn Lorimer) Financial Risk Mathematics U.K. Association of Corporate Treasurers 2005 (with Dawn Lorimer). Popular books "What Every Australian Should Know About Money, William Collins/Fontana Original, 1980 (with Dawn E Lorimer); serialised, National Times. "What Every New Zealander Should Know About Money, William Collins/Fontana Original, 1981 (with Dawn E. Lorimer), foreword by the Rt Hon R.D. Muldoon, then Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of New Zealand.

Roger has contributed numerous newspaper articles on business and economics.

His latest publication is “The Economic State of the Nation 2008”

Dr Rodney Ford is a Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Allergist. He runs the Children's Gastroenterology and Allergy Clinic, in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was Associate Professor of Paediatrics at the Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand.

He has been involved in ground-breaking work in the areas of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), breastfeeding, caffeine exposure, food allergy and gluten problems. He has now described "The Gluten Syndrome". He chose this name to describe the affects of gluten on the gut, the skin and the brain.

Every day he sees children and adults who, unknowingly, are suffering from symptoms caused by the food they eat. Dr Ford wants people to understand how food works so they can live healthier and longer lives. He sees so many people who eat the wrong types of food through their lack of knowledge. His mission is "Abundant Health - thru Conscious Eating".

The Energy Effect - experience Energetic Health thru' the power of conscious eating.

An experiential learning session.

To experience Energetic Health learn to treasure every moment. Everything matters: your every thought, your every decision and your every mouthful. Dr Rodney Ford calls this "The Energy Effect".

• "We all will die! Life is so short. When you can come to terms with your own mortality, then you can live your life to the full and experience Energy. Build "Energy equity".
• "We all need to eat! But only by "conscious eating" can you create abundant health. Every mouthful matters. You will change your eating habits when you understand how you make your decisions about what to eat, and find out what food does inside once you have swallowed it. Choose your sugars, fats and proteins wisely. Build "Food equity".
• " We all have parents! Find your quest for life, discover the blessing of your family, and create a giving and forgiving mentality. Build "Life equity".

Frances Nelson has been granted leave from her role as principal of Fairburn School - a large decile 2 primary school in Otahuhu South Auckland - to undertake the role of NZEI National President in 2008 and 2009. Frances has over 20 years experience as a primary school principal and almost as many as an adult educator within the education sector.

Eleven years as an NZEI National Executive member has involved working on both professional and industrial issues within the primary and early childhood sectors. As an educator, professional issues including the strengthening of quality public education are the "driving passion" underpinning the work Frances has done as a union member.

It is clear that in order to promote quality education, the industrial issues that support the sector in implementing this are critical to success. Frances has been closely involved in the development of a range of initiatives promoting quality teaching within the Long Term Primary Workplan involving a strong partnership approach between the union, the Ministry of Education and the School Trustees Association.

Tim Barrable - Director - Knowledge & Information - Army General Staff

Educated at the University of Canterbury, majoring in Computer Science, Graham has extensive management experience. Formerly a branch manager for Steel and Tube Ltd, one of NZ's largest steel merchandising companies, Graham heads the marketing arm of Hairy Lemon.

From humble but ambitious beginnings, Hairy Lemon has become a leading web development house. Hairy Lemon believes in cutting edge technology based on timeless business values such as service, support and communication. With an ever increasing range of services, Hairy Lemon undertake projects ranging from simple web site design through to large scale e-commerce applications & hosting - from logo design through to complete brochure, print and website branding.

In 2003, Hairy Lemon Web Solutions was named the fastest growing business in the South Island in Deloitte / Unlimited Fast 50 - the country's only index of high-growth businesses. The company was placed 12th after increasing turnover of 346% over three years.

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