Senior Director at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Dr. Vaughan Turekian is the senior director at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. From 2015-2017 Dr. Turekian served as the Science and Technology Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State. In this capacity, he advised the Secretary and other senior officials on science, emerging technologies, and sustainability issues affecting U.S. foreign policy. From 2016 to 2017, he served as a country co-chair, along with the Kenyan Ambassador to the United Nations, for the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals. Previously, he was Chief International Officer for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Director of AAAS’s Center for Science Diplomacy. In addition, Dr. Turekian worked at the State Department as Special Assistant and Adviser to the Under Secretary for Global Affairs. Dr. Turekian is a senior fellow at Georgetown University and an Honorary Professor at the University College London. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology and Geophysics and International Studies from Yale University and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, where he used stable isotopes to trace the sources of and processes of aerosols in the marine boundary layer.

Co-Facilitator of the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda and Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations

Macharia Kamau is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kenyan Mission to the United Nations. Along with the Irish Ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. Kamau is the cofacilitator for the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda and was the co-chair of the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Asia Director, Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC Group), Philippines

Ms. Elenita Daño is Asia Director of the Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC Group) – an NGO that monitors and analyzes trends, developments and potential impacts of new and emerging technologies on developing countries and marginalized communities. Ms. Daño is based in the Philippines. She holds a Bachelors’ degree in Development Studies and a Master’s degree in Community Development. She has been involved in civil society, multi-stakeholder and intergovernmental discussions on sustainable development and technological innovations, and the need for the evaluation of the potential impacts of technology on the environment, economy and society, as an advocate, researcher and activist. She has engaged UN agencies, institutions and governments in Asia and the Pacific, especially in the area of sustainable development, biodiversity and agricultural research. She has mobilized civil society in the region, engaging in key UN processes on sustainable development and the environment. At present, she represents environmental NGOs in UNFCCC’s Advisory Board of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN).

Professor of Indian National Science Academy, India

Prof. Indira Nath is an Indian immunologist. Her major contribution in medical science deals with mechanisms underlying immune unresponsiveness in man, reactions and nerve damage in leprosy and a search for markers for viability of the Leprosy bacillus. Prof. Nath's fields of specializations are Immunology, Pathology, Medical biotechnology and communicable diseases. Of the numerous people who may contract the leprosy bacillus, not all of them develop the same form of the disease. Among those who develop lepromatous leprosy, its most serious form, Professor Nath identified a deficiency in the immune response system that was causing the disease. This discovery constituted a significant advance towards the development of treatments and vaccines. When Nash started her career in the 1970s India had the largest number of leprosy patients in the world – 4.5 million people. Nath’s work has helped see that number fall to less than 1 million today, with earlier detection and better treatment meaning that the awful disfigurements that were commonplace are now rare. Over these years, she has received a lot of honors. She was elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, Allahabad (1988), Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (1990), Indian National Science Academy (INSA; 1992), National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) (1992), Royal College of Pathology (1992) and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) (1995). She was Member, Scientific Advisory Committee to Cabinet, Foreign Secretary INSA (1995–97), Council Member (1992–94, 1998-2006) and Vice President (2001–03) of the National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad, and Chairperson, Women Scientists Programme, Department of Science and technology, India (2003). She was awarded the Padma Shri by Government of India in 1999, and L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science in 2002.

Senior Vice-Rector, United Nations University, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations (Japan)

Prof. Taikan Oki joined the United Nations University as Senior Vice-Rector on 1 October 2016. His responsibilities include supporting management initiatives UNU-wide and maintaining UNU’s scientific partnership with the University of Tokyo and broader relationships in Japan, including with government ministries and the general public. As UNU Senior Vice-Rector, he holds the post of United Nations Assistant-Secretary-General. Prof. Oki is a prominent researcher on global hydrology and the sustainability of world water resources. He currently works at the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), University of Tokyo, where he is managing the research group on Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering. His previous academic positions include Associate Professor with IIS (2003–2006); Associate Professor with the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (2002–2003); and Associate Professor (1997–2002), Lecturer (1995–1997), and Research Associate (1989–1995) with IIS. He also served as Deputy Director for Environment and Energy with the Council for Science and Technology Policy, Cabinet Office of Japan (2005–2006). Taikan was also recently appointed as Special Advisor to the President of the University of Tokyo. Prof. Oki holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Tokyo. He has received a number of major awards, most recently the Cultural Publication Award (Japan Society of Civil Engineering, 2014) and the Biwako Prize for Ecology (The Ecological Society of Japan, 2011).