SPEAKERS
Keynote and Plenary Speakers
Lord Harris of Peckham
Lord Harris, was educated at Streatham Grammar School and in 1957, at the age of 15, following the sudden death of his father; he took over the running of the family business. This consisted of three carpet shops, which by 1977 he had increased to 93. Later that year he acquired Queensway Discount Warehouse and in 1978 successfully floated the Harris Queensway Group. In 1988, Harris Queensway was taken over by the Lowndes Consortium and Lord Harris went on to set up Carpetright, which was floated in 1993. Lord Harris was Chairman of Carpetright plc until July 2014 when he stepped back to the role of Non-Executive Chairman. He retired in September 2014 and is now helping his son Martin with his new flooring retail business, Tapi Carpets.
He married his childhood sweetheart, Pauline, in 1960 and together they have three sons and a daughter plus 11 grandchildren.
Lord Harris is Chairman of Harris Ventures Ltd. He is a major supporter of many charities including Wellbeing for Women (formerly Birthright), Great Ormond Street Hospital, Prostate Cancer, Guys’ & St. Thomas’ Hospital, the NSPCC and the Animal Health Trust to name just a few. Lord Harris and his family also support Harris HospisCare a local charity in Orpington, Kent although this has now been merged with St. Christopher’s and has therefore been re-named.
Lord Harris was also Chairman of the Guy’s & Lewisham Health Trust in the early 1990’s which he states as being one of his favourite and most rewarding chairmanship roles.
Lord Harris is a sponsor of Harris Federation which is a group of Primary and Secondary academies in and around London. There are currently 44 open Harris academies educating 32,000 students. The Harris Federation employs 4.400 staff. He is a major sponsor of Bacon’s College, Southwark and Kemnal Technology College, Sidcup. He is a benefactor of two colleges at Oxford, Oriel and Harris Manchester and Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge. Lord Harris has also received honorary fellowships from 9 universities.
He was voted the Ernst & Young UK Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007 and went on to represent the UK at the World Entrepreneur of the Year held in Monte Carlo. Lord Harris also achieved the accolade of Businessman of the Year in 1985.
Lord Harris is a lifelong supporter of Arsenal FC of which he is a non-executive director. During the Olympics of 2012 and, following a lifetime of passion for horses which started at the South London Pony Club when he was 15 years old, he finally realised his dream of winning an Olympic Gold Medal. As the proud joint owner of Hello Sanctos (ridden by Scott Brash, now number one rider in the world), he was part of the British Showjumping Team who won Gold in London 2012. Lord Harris has not only got the number one rider in the world but also the top two horses.
Lord Harris finished his autobiography in 2017, Magic Carpet Ride, and was published in October 2017.
His hobbies include football, cricket and tennis and Lord Harris often plays football with friends and family on a Sunday morning. His philosophy for life is “work hard, play hard and be happy as you only have one life”.
Dr. Waseem Malick, Ph.D.
Dr. Malick is a retired pharmaceutical R&D executive with over 35 years of academic and industrial experience . He has had an extensive career in the industry previously serving as Vice President and Global Head of Pharmaceutical and Analytical R&D at Hoffmann-La Roche .
Prior to his 32 years service at Roche , he was Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics at Wayne State University , Detroit . His research interests include drug product development, formulation and drug delivery research. He has published 110 research papers, 169 abstracts and presented extensively in the area of drug delivery research. He was elected as fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) and has received several honors and awards. He has served on Board of Directors of non-profit organizations, Scientific Advisory Boards and has held adjunct appointments at universities. He received his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and M.S. from Columbia University, New York.
Dr. Malick is a great advocate of STEM education and serves on the New Jersey's governor's STEM scholars advisory council The Governor’s STEM Scholars Advisory Council is made up of STEM professionals who have made a commitment to the program’s mission: to mentor, educate and inspire students in STEM in New Jersey.
Section Speakers
Ms. Hellin Brink, UNESCO
Hellin Brink works at the New York City Office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). She has worked internationally with research, writing and communications in the private sector, nonprofit organizations and the United Nations. Her research interests include interlinkages between biodiversity and the natural, socioeconomic and cultural spheres. Hellin holds an MSc in Sustainable Development from the United Nations University in Tokyo, as well as a B.S. in Social Science and B.A. in Religious Science from Uppsala University.
Ms. Kate Narita, Teacher and Author
Kate Palaces Narita is the author of 100 Bugs! A Counting Book (FSG 2018). When she's not out and about driving, teaching fourth grade or cheering on her two teenage sons, Kate lives, writes, and hikes on a small mountain in central Massachusetts. There's a magical part of Mt. Wachusett in every one of her stories. Be it small wonders like darting dragonflies and gorgeous garden phlox, or large wonders like munching moose and beautiful balsam firs, she celebrates nature's bounty each and every day. She has a BA in Spanish and Sociology and a Masters in Education from Univeristy of Wisconsin-Madison and an MFA in Writing for Children from Simmons College. She earned part of her BA from La Catolica in Santiago, Chile, and for a semester she lived with her husband and sons in Toyonaka, Japan.
Dr. Steve F. A. Acquah, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Director of GEOSET and Associate Professor of Chemistry (Adj.), Massachusetts, United States.
Dr. Steve Acquah is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Chartered Chemist and a Chartered Scientist. He was the director of Sir Harold Kroto’s nanoscience research laboratory and is the director of the Global Educational Outreach for Science Engineering and Technology (GEOSET) initiative, which focuses on providing an educational resource for teachers and students from K12 through to postgraduate level education. At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, he leads a team that provides support for 50 3D printers, a virtual reality suite, and a media production area as part of a Digital Media Lab.
He directed the Florida State University GEOSET Studio that provided a unique environment for students and staff to engage with emerging technologies, and produce videos and interactive media to enhance the learning experience. As a materials scientist, Steve's science research background is on carbon nanomaterials, focusing on the development of new sensors and piezoelectric devices with research students. His projects have given students valuable laboratory experience on prominent renewable energy projects, reducing the barriers towards scientific research for the next generation of young scientists.
Dr. Sarah Clark, Associate Professor of Literacy Education and Leadership, Brigham Young University
Dr. Clark is an Associate Professor of Literacy Education and Leadership in the Department of Teacher Education at Brigham Young University. Dr. Clark received her Ph.D. from Utah State University with an emphasis in Literacy Education and Teacher Preparation. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Language, Reading, and Culture from the University of Arizona. Dr. Clark spent over 25 years in the field of education as a classroom teacher, teacher trainer/coach, and as an author of educational books and curriculum resources before accepting a university faculty position. Dr. Clark is an expert in the areas of providing effective literacy education, integrating literacy and STEM topics to provide authentic learning experiences, supporting and mentoring novice teachers, teacher development, and supporting struggling readers. Her research methodology involves quantitative, qualitative, as well as mixed methods, to explore instructional practices that enhance instruction. Dr. Clark is the recipient of multiple awards including the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers Promising Researcher Award, the 2013 and 2014 School of Teacher Education and Leadership Teacher of the Year Award, and the 2014 Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services Teacher of the Year Award.
Dr. Gayle Knapp, STEM and literacy adviser and educator
Dr. Gayle Knapp occupies a space where the realms of STEM and general literacy merge. She is trained in the sciences with a specialty in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, She has run a Molecular Biology research lab and taught that subject at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Upon leaving higher academia, she continued teaching at the middle and high school levels—specializing in both math and sciences (Earth Systems, Biology and Chemistry). As an avocation, she has trained to understand dyslexia and to tutor children and adults who struggle with basic literacy. It is her philosophy that early intervention with general literacy difficulties makes all the difference in children’s enthusiasm for learning. Once a child can read with facility, she/he can access the information that expands his/her knowledge and interest in a subject. This is particularly important when it comes to science. Each science requires a student to learn the new “language” of that science. Without a firm grasp of basic language skills, a student with learning disability will flounder. Dr. Knapp received her Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College, and her PhD from University of Illinois.
Dr. Felicia Moore Mensah, Ph.D. Associate Dean and Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University
Dr. Mensah, Ph.D. is Associate Dean and Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research addresses issues of diversity and equity in science teacher preparation and professional development, with culturally relevant teaching, multiculturalism, and critical theories guiding her teaching and research. She also investigates teacher identity in science education. Her most recent research agenda utilizes critical race theory as a transformative lens in teacher education research and practice by looking at the experiences of Teachers of Color, scientists of color, and students of color. As Associate Dean, she develops programming and initiatives for student development. As a faculty member, Professor Mensah serves as the academic advisor to the Black Student Network and provides support to the Student Senate and Students for Quality Education. She has sponsored more than 30 doctoral student dissertations and has served on more than 90 dissertation committees, including inside and outside her program, department, college, and international. Professor Mensah was awarded the 2005 Dean's Summer Grant for Research (Teachers College), was one of five awardees of the Equity and Ethics Award from the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) in 2005, and the Race, Culture and Diversity Research Grant (Teachers College) in 2006 and 2015. In addition, she was the recipient of the AERA Early Career Award, Division K, Teaching and Teacher Education in 2012. Most recently, she is the 2017 Outstanding Science Teacher Educator of the Year (ASTE). Finally, Professor Mensah is Past President of Sisters of the Academy Institute, or SOTA, an organization that supports the success of Black women in the academy.
Dr. Christy Hunter, Reader in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the De Monfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom
Dr. Christy Hunter received his first degree in pharmacy from the University of Brighton and following pre-registration training in hospital qualified as a pharmacist in 1993. He still locums in community pharmacy. He undertook post graduate studies in bioorganic chemistry (1993-1996) at the University of Sussex. He was appointed to faculty in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Brighton where he undertook a range of roles within the division of pharmaceutics over the following 14 years. He joined the University of Manchester in July 2012. His primary research interests are broad, highly multidisciplinary, with particular focus on Nanomedicine, Drug delivery and Biocatalysis. Dr. Hunter is interested in creating programs helping children from poorer backgrounds to study science. He is involved in outreach programs that focus on widening participation for these students to get into pharmacy programs and how K-12 education can be improved.
Dr. Marjorie Siegel, Professor of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
Dr. Marjorie Siegel is Professor of Literacy Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she co-directions the Literacy Specialist program, and teaches courses on literacy theory, research, and practice. Her scholarship addresses the changing meanings of literacy (multimodal, digital, critical) and explores what is possible when teaching and curricula across grade levels and content areas make room for new literacy practices. Her research has been supported by grants from the Spencer Foundation and the National Science Foundation, and has appeared in numerous journals, including Reading Research Quarterly, Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, and Language Arts, as well as handbooks of research on reading and literacy, and edited volumes. She is the co-author (with mathematics educator Raffaella Borasi) of Reading Counts: Rethinking the Role of Reading in Mathematics Classrooms (Teachers College Press), and (with Robert F. Carey) of Critical Thinking: A Semiotic Perspective (NCTE).
Dr. Moein Moghimi, Chair and Professor of Pharmaceutics and Nanomedicine, Newcastle University, United Kingdom
Dr. Moghimi is a Professor and Chair in Pharmaceutics at the School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, UK. He is also an Adjoint Professor at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado - Denver Medical Center (USA). Moein’s research activities are focused on pharmaceutical nanoscience, nanomedicine and nanosafety. Moein has been the recipient of numerous awards and has over 200 peer-reviewed publications, many patents and more than 12000 citations (Google Scholar). He functions as the Associate Editor for Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology (American Scientific Publishers) as well as Immunology Section Editor for Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. Dr. Moghimi is an advisor to many science education projects.
Ms. Heather LuLasky, Founder and CEO, ChampAmerica
Heather is the Founder and CEO of ChampAmerica, a Workforce Development consulting firm focused on students and young professionals. Born and raised in Beijing, China, Heather came to the U.S. for graduate school upon completion of college in China. She started with the Enterprise Risk Services Group at Deloitte, and later moved on to the Finance and Regulatory Risk functions within several investment banks including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Barclays. She has been a key member of the Finance Recruiting teams and has developed an extensive career network. Heather holds an MBA from Georgetown University. She is a professionally trained French Chef from the International Culinary Center (ICC) in New York and is passionate about fitness and travel.
Mr. Alan White, Founder and CEO, C3 Alliance LLC
Alan White is a career data enthusiast and data science architect, from almost when data science was performed using stone chisel, and is currently engaging the youngest bright minds and mentoring on the benefits and techniques of effective, repeatable, scalable project design and execution. In addition, Alan has extensive experience in developing innovative intellectual property and solutions.
Mr. Tim Powers, Regional Partnership Director, ThinkCERCA
Tim is a former educator who is driven by his belief that all students need to be engaged in the classroom in order to learn. After graduating from Union College in NY, Tim spent six years teaching History in New Jersey. After leaving the classroom Tim has spent the last 10 years in various ed-tech roles in consulting, product development, and business development. Tim’s experience has allowed him to see, from every seat at the table, how properly implemented technology can truly drive student growth.
Dr. Richard Simpson, Associate Professor, Rangos School of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy, Duquesne University
Dr. Simpson received a BS in Computer Science from Virginia Tech in 1992. At the University of Michigan he earned an MS in Bioengineering in 1994, an MS in Computer Science and Engineering in 1995, and a PhD in Bioengineering in 1997. Dr. Simpson was certified as an Assistive Technology Provider in 1997. In 2008, Dr. Simpson received the Norma J. Gianutsos Volunteer Award from UCP/CLASS of Pittsburgh. In 2015, he received the Presidential Engagement Award for Innovative Use of Technology to Engage Students from New York Institute of Technology. Richard's teaching emphasizes a "learn by doing" approach. I rely heavily on educational technologies to create active, collaborative learning activities in the classroom. A common theme of Dr. Simpson's research is the development of algorithms to automatically adapt the behavior of assistive and educational technologies in response to changes in the needs and abilities of the user. Another consistent theme running through Dr. Simpson's research is the collection and analysis of quantitative data in real-world environments, either from sensors (in the case of smart wheelchairs) or user input (in the case of computer access and adaptive instructional tools). A third theme pervading Dr. Simpson's research is the development of tools that can be integrated into the clinical service delivery process. Currently, Dr. Simpson is collaborating with Koester Performance Research to develop and evaluate ScanningWizard.
Mr. David Herro, Harris Associates, Chicago, Illinois
David Herro is the Deputy Chairman and Chief Investment Officer-International Equities at Harris Associates L.P. David has been managing international portfolios since 1986, previously managing international portfolios for The State of Wisconsin Investment Board and The Principal Financial Group. David, who joined Harris Associates in 1992, holds a B.S. in Business and Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (1983) and an M.A. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1985). He has provided major support for educational organizations in Chicago such as the LEARN Charter School Network and the Big Shoulders Fund.
Mr. Herro will be introducing Lord Harris.
Ms. Dora Kastel, Instructional Specialist, Science, New Visions for Public Schools, NYC
Dora is supporting science teaching and learning in the New Visions network through the development of standards-aligned instructional materials along with facilitation of teacher professional learning. She previously taught middle school science and math in East Harlem, and was a professional development leader at the American Museum of Natural History. She holds a B.A. in geology from the University of Pennsylvania, M.A. and EdM degrees in science and math education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and is currently working on her PhD in science education.
Dr. Jessica Riccio, Senior Lecturer, Preservice Program Coordinator, Teachers College, Columbia University, NYC
Dr. Riccio’s areas of research include, Content Area Literacy, Science Teacher Education, Professional Development, Online Learning, and Urban Science Education. Prior to her work at the university, she was a New York City High school science teacher in the Department of Education, and an Urban Science Education Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology at Teachers College. As one of the founding members of the interdisciplinary Content Area Literacy effort there, Dr. Riccio completed her doctoral thesis on the topic in 2008, and continues to research preservice and inservice teachers' use of content area literacy practices. In her current work with urban schools, and as a Science Curriculum and Professional Development Consultant, she provides professional development and support to both new and experienced teachers on the importance of using literacy and inquiry as a pedagogical tool in the science classroom. Dr. Riccio has Permanent New York State Certification to teach Biology and General Science in Grades 7-12.
Dr. Iñaki Gomez Arriaran, Faculty of Engineering, Gipuzkoa - ikasTHERM Education Innovation Group – University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) - Spain
Dr. Iñaki Gomez Arriaran is awarded PhD in Thermal Engineering from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). He is the UPV/EHU coordinator of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Smart Cities and Communities (SMACCs), Member of the Academic Board of the Master degree of Research on Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Industry, Transportation, Building and Urban Planning and coordinator of thermal engineering courses at Faculty of Engineering of Gipuzkoa, Basque Country. He has developed his career as professor of Thermodynamics, Thermal Engineering, Heat Transmission, Moisture Transfer and Building Physics for more than 22 years. He has participated and leaded several innovative education projects financed by the UPV/EHU and currently he is leading the Innovative Education Group ikasTHERM, a coordinated teaching group formed by 12 teachers and researches from the 3 different campuses of the UPV/EHU, whose activity is focused in developing active learning methodologies in Thermal Engineering studies.
Mr. Mostafa Ghonim, Education activist, New York City, U.S. A
Mostafa Ghonim was born in Egypt, and immigrated with his parents to New York City at the age of seven in pursuit of the American Dream. In NYC, he faced many challenges growing up post September 11 as a Muslim undocumented student, losing his father at the age of 15 and nearly forced to leave High School before the end of his first year. Driven by the dream of his father to build a brighter future for his family, Mostafa abandoned the family business with a promise to continue his education. Using baseball as his catalyst, he persevered and landed an offer to continue his education at Alma College, where he would go on to complete his bachelor’s degree in business administration. Today, Mostafa is the owner and Director of Operations to an Event Staffing firm in New York City, and has made it his life's mission to guide the first generation immigrants, minority and at risk students. Using his message to inspire students, Mostafa speaks on the topics of Leadership, Academic and Cultural transition. Helping students navigate from High School to college so that our young generation is prepared to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Dr. Shadi Farhangrazi, Global Education Symposium, Founder and Co-Chair
Dr. Farhangrazi is an educator having worked on K-12 education as an advisor and innovator focusing on use of technology in education, improving education for girls, and integration of STEM, health and art education into a broader education curriculum. Dr. Shadi Farhangrazi, PhD., MS., MBA is a biochemist, neuroscientist, infectious diseases expert, and an expert in the area of future and emerging technologies, innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr. Farhangrazi is the CEO and Co-Founder of biotechnology company, S. M. Discovery Group. She formerly was the founder of management consulting firm Biotrends International. She is also an adjunct professor at University College, University of Denver, teaching classes on entrepreneurship, innovation, strategy and non-profit management. In 2015, Dr. Farhangrazi was a Visiting Guest Professor at Università Degli Studi Di Padova (Italy). Internationally recognized speaker, Dr. Farhangrazi teaches and works globally, and is an advisor and consultant to major multinational companies, governmental and non-governmental organizations and biotechnology companies in such diverse areas as strategy and business development, product placement and introduction, international development as well as global health. Dr. Farhangrazi has worked on multi million dollars to multi billion dollars projects with multinational companies and organizations including Boeing Co., The US State Department, USAID, The Home Depot Foundation, ALS Foundation and over 45 companies (small and early stage enterprises to companies which are now publicly traded) and organizations worldwide. Dr. Farhangrazi has advised numerous companies globally and her work has taken her over the last decade from back-country remote towns and villages in Rwanda, slums of Kenya and Mumbai, Research Parks in India and Malaysia, high tech companies in Silicon Valley, US and Europe to working with international companies and organizations and meetings with global leaders.