Envision Conference Announces 2016 Speakers, Sessions, and #EnvisionTheFuture Theme

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- From December 2-4, the inaugural Envision Conference — a unique convening of students and professionals with backgrounds in science, technology, social sciences, and entrepreneurship — will explore how rapidly emerging technologies and a focus on long-term sustainability can create a better future. Hosted at Princeton University by Envision and Princeton's Entrepreneurship Club, the conference will bring together 154 undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals from 39 universities and eight countries, including India, Poland, and the Netherlands.

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"The Envision Conference excites us because of its divergence from a popular but unsustainable focus on only science and technology," said Julia Bossmann, president of the Foresight Institute, one of the conference's partners. "Envision doesn't ask 'How do we innovate the future of technology?' but rather 'How do we use technology to innovate the future of humanity?' We're proud to partner with this kind of thinking, this reconsideration of what technological innovation really means."

The conference's theme — #EnvisionTheFuture: Revolutionary-scale Thinking, Evolutionary-scale Progress — will challenge participants to consider how keystone technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and genetic engineering can be harnessed alongside a dedication to society-scale impact to build a better future for all.

The conference's unique mix of speakers includes:

• Luke Nosek, Founders Fund (previously co-founded Paypal)
• Andrew Zwicker, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
• Julia Bossmann, Foresight Institute
• Andrew Critch, Machine Intelligence Research Institute, UC Berkeley
• Philip Metzger, NASA
• Gregory Stock, Signum Bioscience
• Robin Hanson, Future of Humanity Institute
• Anders Sandberg, Oxford University
• Riva-Melissa Tez, Permutation Ventures
• Andreas Mershin, Center for Bits and Atoms, MIT
• Edwin Turner, Princeton University

Panels to be held at the conference include:

• "Prospects for Space Development and Extraplanetary Habitation"
• "Risks and Rewards of Artificial Intelligence"
• "Genetic Engineering and Prospects for Human Enhancement"

To foster interdisciplinary discussion and interaction, attendees will participate in one of six workshops, which include "Understanding Global Catastrophic Risk"; "Manufacturing for the People -- 3D Printing Technologies, Challenges and Solutions"; and "Building High Social Impact Startups." Later in the conference, participants will join breakout sessions that focus on specific applications of rapidly emerging technologies. Faced with a potential risk or issue of some technology, groups will work collaboratively to draft discussion conclusions, taking into account social, political, economic, and ethical considerations.

"One of our primary focuses has always been to expose scientists and engineers to the humanistic side of engineering a better future, and vice versa," said Yannis Karakozis, director of the conference. "From our selective application review process to the planned breakout sessions, the conference truly underscores the importance and necessity of including voices from science and technology, the humanities, and business."

One of the conference's highlights is Envision Entrepreneurship, a pitch competition seeking innovative, risk-conscious, and high-impact entrepreneurial solutions. Five finalists — chosen from more than 50 applications —  will present their ideas to a panel of four judges from diverse backgrounds.

Other sessions in the conference include the Envision Career Fair, as well as the Future Tech Expo, where companies including SpaceX, MakerArm, and Modern Meadow will demonstrate applications of their cutting-edge technologies.

More information about the conference, as well as a livestream of the conference's main events, can be found at http://envision-conference.com.

ABOUT ENVISION

Envision is a student-run, not-for-profit organization affiliated with Princeton University. Envision inspires students to pioneer a brighter future through the prudent advancement of rapidly developing disruptive technologies. Opportunities offered by the organization include the Envision conference, talks by renowned guest speakers, discussions, and trips to conferences and companies centered on future technology and society-scale impact. For more information, visit http://www.envisionfuture.org.

Media Contact:Claire Adair, Envision/Princeton University, 404-263-2642, cadair@princeton.edu

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SOURCE Envision