Named Executive Director of Policy and Global Affairs, USA

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Vaughan C. Turekian to be the Executive Director of the Policy and Global Affairs Division (PGA), effective May 12, 2018.

Dr. Turekian is currently serving a joint appointment as Senior Director of the Program on Science and Technology for Sustainability (STS), a program within PGA for which he was hired August of 2017. Prior to joining the STS program, Dr. Turekian served as the fifth Science and Technology Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State. In this capacity, he advised the Secretary of State and other senior State Department officials on international environment, science, technology, and health matters affecting the foreign policy of the United States. 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, a high-level discussion at the United Nations designed to accelerate progress toward globally agreed upon development targets. In 2018, Dr. Turekian was appointed by the U.N. Secretary General as one of the ten international members to promote the role of science, technology, and innovation for achieving for the 17 SDGs.

Dr. Turekian drew upon his background in atmospheric chemistry and extensive policy experience to promote science, technology, and engineering as integral components of U.S. diplomacy. 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 (2006 - 2015). In this capacity, he worked to build bridges between nations based on shared scientific goals, placing special emphasis on regions where traditional political relationships are strained or do not exist. As Editor-in-Chief of Science & Diplomacy, an online quarterly publication, he published original policy pieces that have served to inform international science policy recommendations. In addition, Dr. Turekian worked at the State Department as a Special Assistant and Advisor to the Under Secretary for Global Affairs (2002 - 2006) on issues related to sustainable development, climate change, environment, energy, science, technology, and health. He also served as Program Director for the Committee on Global Change Research at the National Research Council (2000 - 2002), where he was study director for a White House report on climate change science.

Dr. Turekian holds a B.S. in Geology and Geophysics and International Studies from Yale University and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia where he focused on the transport and chemistry of atmospheric aerosols in marine environments. Dr. Turekian not only brings both technical expertise and over 15 years of policy experience to the position, but also a decorated track-record and steadfast commitment to utilizing our nation's capital science and technology innovation to advance the long-term sustainability and U.S. diplomacy.

Professor at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University

David Edwards is an inventor, writer and professor of the practice of idea translation at Harvard University. His work pioneers the future of sensory experience, including new ways of shaping human wellbeing through digital scent (oNotes), or flavor (Sensory Cloud), and novel food forms with edible packaging (Incredible Foods). David is the co-founder of the World Frontiers Forum, which unites global leaders with pioneering creators across the frontiers of tomorrow. He is the founder of Le Laboratoire (Paris, Cambridge), and his innovation restaurant near MIT in Cambridge, Cafe ArtScience, brings his work — and that of other creators — into the public domain to promote discovery learning and collaborative change.

Chief Executive Officer Safaricom Innovation Hub, Kenya

Dr. Kamal Bhattacharya is the Chief Innovation Officer at Safaricom PLC. In his current role, he is responsible for setting up an independent innovation center called Safaricom Alpha that focuses on building global-focused and human-centered products. He presently serves as a Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan Business School and is a commissioner of the Pathways for Prosperity Commission on Technology and Inclusive Development. Before joining Safaricom, he was acting CEO of the iHub in Nairobi and Country Manager for the International Growth Center in Kenya.
Dr. Bhattacharya spent most of his career in applied R&D at IBM Research across the US, India and Africa, with his last role as an IBM Distinguished Engineer and the inaugural director and Vice President for IBM Research – Africa. He holds a PhD in Theoretical Physics from Göttingen University in Germany, has published 50+ papers and holds 20+ patents.

Head of Global Policy and Advocacy at ICLEI, Turkey

Born in Ankara, Turkey in 1972. Graduated from TED Ankara College in 1990 and Middle East Technical University in 1994. As an environmental engineer, he has been primarily been involved in waste management and cleaner production. Between 2002-2008, he took an active role in promotion of progressive climate change policies in Turkey and Central and Eastern Europe, specifically in Turkey´s involvement in the international climate process and access to the Kyoto Protocol in 2009. In 2009, he started his career at ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability at the World Secretariat in Bonn, Germany, with a specific focus on climate change through the tasks such as; coordination of ICLEI´s Low Carbon City Agenda, establishing the Bonn Center for Local Climate action and Reporting – carbonn, managing the secretariat of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change and acting as the focal point for Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency to the UNFCCC. Since 2013, he is the Head of Global Policy and Advocacy, in leading ICLEI´s work at the United Nations, with intergovernmental agencies and at Multilateral Environmental Agreements. He is married and has two daughters.

ICT Ministry, Advisor, SeTIC; Chair ITU Study Group 5 on Environment and circular economy; Vice-Chairman of U4SSC (United for Smart Sustainable Cities), Argentina

Ms María Victoria Sukenik, Chairman ITU-T Study Group 5: Environment, Climate Change and Circular Economy.

Degree in International Relations, she studied at the University of Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Also completed a Master's Degree in International Economic Relations, at the University of Buenos Aires; and a Postgraduate in Governance and Institutional Development at the University of Alcalá de Henares, Spain.

She worked in the private sector, in wholesale banking, and since 2004 she joined the Public Administration of the Argentine Republic.

Initiating its work, first in the Ministry of Economy to join in 2006 as advisor in international affairs in telecommunications, ICT, satellite and postal services, in the former Secretary of Communications. Currently, Ms Sukenik works at the Ministry of Modernization, Secretary of Information and Communication Technologies (SeTIC). Representing Argentina in international and regional meetings (ITU, CITEL, UNASUR, MERCOSUR, among others).

During WTSA-16 she has been appointed as ITU-T Study Group 5 Chairman, for the period 2017-2020.

From January to July 2017, Victoria participated in the Regulatory Experience Programme of the State Secretariat for the Information Society and the Digital Agenda of Spain.