Vincent Roa Group LLC

IABC Silver Inkwell: Vincent Roa Wins Three Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:47:00 +0000

Bethesda, MD -- Donna Vincent Roa, Managing Partner and Chief Strategist at Vincent Roa Group LLC, received three awards Monday night at the Silver Inkwell Awards Gala at the Bethesda Hyatt Regency.

The prestigious and long-running Silver Inkwell program honors excellence and leadership in business communication and recognizes outstanding communication programs that have supported business objectives.

"The Silver Inkwell awards cap off a banner year for me and Vincent Roa Group. I appreciate the positive external validation from IABC and am honored to be on the impressive 2011 slate of winners," Vincent Roa says.

She was honored with three awards of merit -- one for her Association for Women in Communication Matrix Award speech, and two with Len Johnson/Sage Communications for the the AOC Sustainability Communication Strategy.

Award of Excellence winners included: Washington Hospital Center, CRT/tanaka, Network Solutions, Johns Hopkins Medicine Marketing & Communications and Ruder Finn.

Award of Merit honorees included: National Cancer Institute and Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Lipman Hearne, Vincent Roa Group, LLC and Sage Communications, LLC, Enterprise Community Partners and Enterprise Community Investment, ICF International, The MITRE Corporation, Goodwill Industries International, Inc., John Forrest Ales and MCR Federal, LLC.

Veteran ABC7/WJLA-TV reporter and Maryland Bureau Chief Greta Kreuz emceed the event.

Donna Vincent Roa, who is pictured with Paul Duning, Capitol Communicator is a water sector communication expert and leads Vincent Roa Group, a WBENC-certified, strategic business communication firm that helps domestic and international organizations achieve excellence in high-stakes communication, position brand communication as a key enterprise asset, and maximize communication resources.

IABC/DC Metro is the largest IABC chapter in the United States and the second largest worldwide. Donna was past president of IABC and VP of Special Programs (Silver Inkwell Awards) for two years. She was also the 2011 Winner of the Association for Women in Communication Matrix Award for her professional achievements in global communication and a finalist for the WWPR Woman of the Year Award.

Water Sector Innovations: A Transitioning Market for VC Firms and Technology Companies

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:16:00 +0000

In cleantech arena, the water sector has been the VC investment and financing stepchild, garnering only 3 percent of the overall $400 billion in annual spending. As innovators confront sector challenges with new technologies that address regulation requirements, rising operating costs, and aging infrastructure, the balance for the sector is shifting to “capital hungry.”

GP Bullhound, a research-centric investment banking firm in the technology sector, reports in its November Water Sector Report that the sector is progressively evolving to an “exciting time of change” for innovators, operators and investors. The report details the growing demands of the industry, enumerates the significant realignments causing the change, and makes the case for an increase in large investment opportunities.

Changes Driving Innovation

What is forcing this innovation? “These change drivers are colliding with an industry that is seen as immune to change, politicized in its decision making, with high capital costs, even higher operating costs, and a civil engineer mindset. Add to the mix a dwindling supply of fresh and clean water, increased energy costs and the entry of managers with a new way of thinking as well as new and large corporates and we have an ecosystem where new technologies can thrive,” the report says.

Waste to Energy Technologies

Experts interviewed for the report included Paul O’Callaghan, CEO of O2 Environmental and founder of the BlueTech Forum, an annual industry event that features thought leaders addressing market insights, opportunities and research. O’Callaghan explained that recovering energy and water from waste is needed. “Each year and in the US alone, there are 36.5 million MW hours of energy lost down in wastewater and 25 million MW hours of this ends up in sludge. Up until now, we have been throwing away our two most critical resources: energy and water,” he says.

For this problem, promising technologies exist and others are near commercialization. These include gasification, conversion into fertilizer, and the production of power through electrochemical processes, supercritical water oxidation processes, sludge conversion and recapture of scarce minerals.

Perceptions of Desalination Changing

In the desalination area, perceptions are changing. No longer is the process seen as being too prohibitively expensive or only the domain of the oil-rich Gulf States. O'Callaghan notes that desalination costs at the new Carlsbad desalination project in San Diego are now equivalent on a cubic meter basis to the cost of pumping water in from Northern California. Increased performance is also expected in this arena.

Outlook for Emerging Tech Companies

While the industry is exhibiting strong signs of a shift, the outlook for emerging tech companies may not be as rosy. With few “well-beaten paths to success” and time-tested role models, young companies face an industry with a fragmented structure, and one that expects proven and sound technologies (e.g., biological processes require testing that allows for the effects of seasons).

Drake Water Technologies
at the BlueTech Forum

The capital-management-customer equation is also fraught with inequalities. The industry may be capital hungry, but if there is no proof of enough customer orders to create a positive margin, the capital will go elsewhere.

Additionally, utilities and municipalities adopt technologies from trusted players. Building trust and market adoption and penetration takes time and are critical for setting the stage for true commercial traction. Capital decision-making and hesitation to commit further complicates, and oftentimes, stalls the process.

Framework Agreements Limit Innovation

Capital and maintenance agreements with large engineering firms have the potential to strangle innovation. If large firms have no incentive to innovate or experiment, commercialization will gain little traction. Evaluating a new technology is one thing. Implementing it is another. Long investment cycles for refurbishments and slow buying cycles further complicate the adoption of new technologies.

Concurrent Changes Needed

At present, there’s little evidence of return-generating exits for financial investors. To post more successes in the sector, qualified and entrepreneurial management teams are needed. Investors and emerging companies must have the patience and willingness to commit to a long-haul journey. Customer relationships are still king as is not betting on the wrong technology and not taking into account the conservative nature of the industry.

Communication, A Strong Sector Complement

Most importantly, one mustn’t overlook the role of communication – especially from awareness, public accountability, and risk communication perspectives. Water main breaks posted on YouTube, for example, create negative publicity. Images of these spectacular explosions do not bode well for community relations and public confidence in a utility’s ability to deliver on the safety and public health front.

Despite the barriers to entry and sector demands, these significant realignments taking place are creating a more VC and investor ready environment. Strategic communication – a necessary sector complement – can help to usher in a new way of thinking for large utilities, create awareness about the value of water amongst the general public, ensure regulatory compliance, and raise the profile of the water-energy nexus.

Written by Donna Vincent Roa, water sector communication expert and Managing Partner & Chief Strategist of Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.

2012 Blue Tech Forum | May 30 | San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 02:36:00 +0000

BlueTech Forum | A one-day, game-changing event for water-tech innovators, large-scale users, industry leaders and venture investors | Save the Date: May 30, 2012 Blue Tech Forum | San Francisco Airport Marriott | An Event by O2 Environmental | Video essay produced by Vincent Roa Group.

Vincent Roa Chosen as a Finalist for the 2011 WWPR Woman of the Year Award

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:53:00 +0000

Rockville, MD – Donna Vincent Roa, Managing Partner & Chief Strategist at Vincent Roa Group, a Maryland-based business and science communication firm, has been shortlisted for the 2011 Washington PR Woman of the Year Award by the Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR).

Dr. Roa is among the three finalists for the award, which is presented to a public relations practitioner in the Washington Metropolitan area for her leadership, integrity and community involvement. The winner will be announced at a ceremony on Nov. 15, 2011 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Capital Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C.

"It's a great honor to be on the finalist slate for this prestigious and high-profile award. WWPR knows how to mark the achievements of professional women, and I am pleased that I am being considered for 2011 Woman of the Year Award," she says.

An IABC-accredited business communicator (ABC) and a recent winner of the Association for Women in Communication Matrix Award for her professional achievements in global communication, Dr. Roa is a rainmaker, master strategist, and water sector communication expert who builds best-in-class portfolios and re-engineers the way organizations communicate.

She also served as an Environment Commissioner for the City of Rockville and was most recently the Public Affairs Director and Director of Science Communications at the US Environmental Protection Agency.

WWPR is the first and only D.C.-based professional organization advancing women in the communications industry. WWPR, which is comprised of more than 150 public relations professionals, is committed to providing its members with monthly professional development programs offering best practices, insight and knowledge from the industry's leading speakers; networking opportunities, positioning in the marketplace and leadership in the community.

Vincent Roa Group is a WBENC-certified strategic business and science communication firm that helps organizations achieve excellence in high-stakes communication, position brand communication as a key enterprise asset, and maximize communication resources. We are experts in strategic communication, brand strategy, brand development, storybranding, communication research, and technical editing/writing. We specialize in communication to improve the earth and its people™— science, environment, sustainability, water, energy, public health, technology and LEED® communication.

Contact Information:
Bhattiprolu "Bhatti" Murti
Vincent Roa Group LLC
Communication Manager
news@vincentroagroup.com
www.vincentroagroup.com

Gameify Your Book Promotion for Viral Activity

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:52:00 +0000

My face/photo in words. This tool was on the new promo site for "The American Heritage Dictionary 5th Edition." Using games and tools to catch people's attention and give them something to talk about is a wave of the now and future.
Visit: www.youareyourwords.com/

From the Fun, Funky, and Fractured™ Files: The USB Flash Drive

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:05:00 +0000

Photo Source: Wikipedia

You know the USB flash drive, right. Or maybe you call it something else.

Ask around the office, and you are likely to hear jump drive, pen drive, thumb drive, stick, flash disk, Memory Stick, memory key, DiskOnKey, Pen Drive, Cruzer, DataTraveler, TravelDrive, Disgo, CompactFlash, that doohickey for files, and more.

This is one wildly successful product with a very fractured brand identity. When the USB flash drive hit the marketplace, the term for the product seemed too formal, kinda geeky, if you will.

Trek Technology, a Singaporean tech company, which marketed the “ThumbDrive” is a company that says it owns the patent for the USB flash drive and officially released it to the commercial market with IBM who began selling DiskOnKey, a product that was manufactured in Israel by M-Systems.

Netac, a Chinese company in Shenzen that focuses on technology assembling and manufacturing, says on its company website that it invented the USB flash drive, having submitted its Chinese patent for the OnlyDisk USB in December 1999. The product entered the marketplace in 2002. The company works hard to defend its patent.

Companies are manufacturing these drives and continue to do so without regard for original patent holder (or holders). It's created a marketplace of different terms and brand names resulting in great confusion among consumers and have created a marketing nightmare for manufacturers.

Making the Most of the Confusion

In spite of the lawsuits, innovation and production of flash drives continue to thrive. The designs for these products are all over the map. You can find them in novelty shapes, sizes, colors, and designs.

You name the product and there’s probably a flash drive to whet your appetite or tickle your fancy. For example:

Strawberry flash drive
Ikura sushi flash drive
Plastic real thumb drive
Humping dog flash drive (believe it or not)

And much more. Amazon has a pizza and hamburger version, and you can get both for $50.02. Nice designs, but only 2GB each.

One of my favorite drives: the Black Forest Cake Royale 2GB version (usually sold out) for those who like chocolate, but shouldn’t really have it.

The company that makes Swiss Army knives —Victorinox — is also getting in on the act. Recent technological features in their knives’ setup include USB flash drives, MP3 players, and other items.

Photo Source:
Donna Vincent Roa

My favorite USB of all time is from Jan Janssens, Managing Director JJC Advisory Services and one of my former colleagues at the World Bank Water and Sanitation Program. It's a classy piece of office equipment, and I use it with pride. Thanks, Jan.

For my next USB, however, I’ve decided on the $112 Victorinox Flash 16GB Ruby Swiss Army Knife, style number 5301G16. I won’t buy it until after Christmas, though, in case someone gives it to me as a gift. You just never know.

And for those of you counting and in the need of maximum capacity, a 256GB Data Traveler 300 flash drive is available from Kingston for just over $700 on Amazon. There are no design options. It comes in black or red/black. But, it's a heck of a lot of memory.

When buying this portable artwork and high utility office tool, make sure you consider fit on your drive bed and what you want your conversation piece to say about you.

USBs (or flash drives or whatever your term of endearment happens to be) are good for the environment, too.

We print less if we have a high utility and portable memory device, and it makes it easy to share large quantities of information — like entire websites for public health professionals in developing countries with little access to the internet.

I believe that it's a perfect business gift, too. It's a trinket that I treasure for so many reasons.

Written by Donna Vincent Roa, Managing Partner & Chief Strategist of Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.

Lunch Time | Think Tank™ Session - Clean Water Space

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:22:00 +0000

Vincent Roa Group Managing Partner Donna Vincent Roa and Sasha Whitaker led a Lunch Time | Think Tank™ session that accessed the Bates Creative Group innovation engine.

The meeting resulted in solid product development ideas and insights into market positioning in the clean water space.

View the photo essay/video.

Zoe Bright, Producer, Vincent Roa Group

Mud Huts to Renewable Energy, Cellphones, and DVB-2 Technology? Africa Leapfrogs into the Digital Age

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:47:00 +0000

In a country with an average per capita a month income of $31, where 12.7 million people live in poverty — Tanzanians are bypassing landline phones and adopting and using cellphones. They use mobile banking and are choosing renewable energy over electricity.

This new concept for development in many African nations is known as “leapfrogging.” “Leapfrogging” refers to the situation where emerging economies avoid the time and errors experienced by the developed world to secure technological advances, and immediately adopt the latest that technology has to offer.

It is an interesting concept: rural African huts are now glowing bright with renewable energy. African villagers relying on subsistence farming are now walking around with cellphones.

Older methods of development applied a step-by-step and progressive and linear approach. However, these methods have often proven to take an exceptional amount of time — forcing developers to re-do the mistakes of the past.

The argument is, why wait? Countries like Tanzania are hundreds of years behind and do not have the luxury to waste much needed resources on outdated methods, already proven unsuccessful.

In Africa, when given the option of choosing an older technology versus a newer one, governments have chosen digital video broadcasting (DVB) over the older analog broadcasting. The governments of Kenya and South Africa have even leapfrogged over to DVB-2, skipping the previous versions and starting up their systems with the newest and the best.

Fortunately, the late bloom of many African countries in the technological sector has given the continent the competitive edge needed to ensure a faster Internet protocol version 6(IPv6) adoption.

While other nations have taken a long time to adopt IPv6 because there are so many variables to consider when making the new investment, many African countries do not have these barriers.

Furthermore, because of the need to provide electricity to remote communities and the high degree of desert and sunlight on the continent, renewable energy is one of the best choices for Africa. The total investment into renewable power in Africa was $3.6 billion by 2010 and is expected to grow to $57.73 billion by 2020.

But renewable energy is not the only leapfrog investment available in Africa. Investors and businesses searching for opportunities in Africa are finding there are many. The cellphone industry in Africa is estimated to grow at a booming 15 percent per year.

Investors like IBM and Indian cellphone company Bharti Airtel are now supplying technology services to 16 countries in Africa. IBM will set up and manage the information technology necessary to support Airtel’s venture in: Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Additionally, Leapfrog Investments, the largest investor in Africa has recently signed a five-year partnership with Appollo Investment Limited to bring micro insurance services to Africa. The contract is said to be worth $13.5 million dollars into the East African insurance group Appollo Investment Limited.

Although, it will take significant amounts of time for developing countries to really catch up, leapfrogging provides the opportunity for a faster route to development technological advancements as they relate to everyday life.

Written by Zoe Bright, Marketing Portfolio Lead at Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.

Eco-Friendly Comebacks

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:22:00 +0000

Photograph by
Goldenbulletx.deviantart.com

Paper straws, glass bottles and even paper itself are making a comeback driven by the changes in our world and the new trends towards going green.

Everywhere around us there is great concern for the environment. It might be because we have nearly ruined it with our recklessness and our abuse of plastic, and are now beginning to see the true consequences of our actions.

We find ourselves being more emphatic towards other species of animals and their habitats, as well as our own future in a world where there aren’t as many forests or jungles left, and the water is running out (haven’t you heard about the water situation in China? It’s threatening the whole world). Not to mention all the negative, unpredictable and violent changes in the weather.

Photograph by
Myshoppingny.com

People are bringing back oldies, such as glass soda bottles and paper straws in an attempt to fix this, making our products and the objects we use easy to recycle and non-dangerous for the environment.

Yet there is also the trend factor. Make no mistake, going green is trendy: Ecology is fashionable, turning green into pretty much the new green. It’s cool to be eco-friendly, in case you didn’t know.

There is a certain pop-culture nostalgia for the good old days in the simplicity of writing on actual paper instead of typing, drinking from a glass bottle which feels good in our grip through a colorful and vibrant paper straw.

Let's keep watch on eco-friendly comebacks. It is certain that there will be more.

This post was written by Mona Robles, the Spring Semester Science, Environment and Sustainability Communication Intern at the Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.

A Neglected Redeemer – The Electric Car Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:12:00 +0000

The negative impact cars and the car industry place on the environment has been a hot issue for decades. Cars consume large amounts of fuel, which pollute our air and aggravate the greenhouse effect. The car industry has long been blamed for its high production cost, steel and energy consumption.

When examining society’s need for a more environmentally sustainable vehicle, it is important to continue advancements in the development of electric cars.

Tesla Roadsters from Tesla Motors
(the first production electric sports car)

Compared to combustion-powered vehicles, electric cars generally cost less in total to own, operate and maintain. Electric cars are 100% emission-free, having no polluting byproducts. So battery operated electric cars appear to be one of the solutions for today’s environmental fiasco.

The Boston Consulting Group in its research—Batteries for Electric Cars: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Outlook to 2020 explained: “(t)he automotive industry’s quest to limit its impact on the environment and transform automotive mobility into a sustainable mode of transportation continues at high intensity, despite the current economic crisis.”

Picture via World Car Fans

President Obama agrees with the need for a shift towards electric cars and has set a target of 1 million electric cars on U.S. roads by 2012. Most experts agree that lithium-ion, which can be used to create batteries that weigh far less and store more power than those in today's hybrids, will be the dominant technology used in electric cars.

I’ve been interested in this topic for over a year. I question my friends and people I meet at parties, dinners, shows or professional events to determine what they know about electronic cars and try to find out their attitude toward this issue. Surprisingly, most know very little.

I concluded that some people don’t trust electric cars, doubt if they are safe, and wonder if they are as useful, effective, or convenient. Others are worried about the durability, speed, range, performance, materials safety and the high cost. Many were mistrusting of the functionality of electric cars and the idea of a car really being able to run only on electricity without the help of gasoline.

Additionally, most people are so used to driving cars that use gasoline and don’t want to change their habits. While governments encourage developments in the industry, broader public awareness and acceptance is still not there.

Leaf from Nissan

Nissan, General Motors, Ford, Toyota and other automakers have moved forward with research and development of electric cars. GM turned to South Korea's LG Chem to supply lithium-ion cells for the Volt. EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1, has applied for a loan to build a plant capable of making 600,000 batteries a year. In China: BYD sells a plug-in electric car for $22,000. The Volt (from Chevrolet) is expected to cost $40,000.

General Motors said on Tuesday (2011-09-20) that it would develop electric cars in China through a joint venture with a Chinese automaker, and would transfer battery and other electric car technology to the venture.

Another Asian contender is Toyota-controlled Panasonic EV Energy. Panasonic supplies 90% of the nickel-metal hydride batteries used in today's hybrids. Panasonic completed the buyout of Sanyo by ¥500 billion ($5.7 billion) on July 29, 2010.

Why is electric car production so hot in Asia?

In Asia, the labor is cheaper, the pockets are deeper, there is more lithium-ion experience, and governments, banks and companies are more willing than Americans to risk big capital investments in the industry.

In mass media, the wave of news regarding electric cars is just now happening. In the past, most of the on-line and print articles were based on investment, merger, and acquisition stories. There were few advertisements, publicity or propaganda directly about electric car products.

I think it’s time for the car industry to do something more to capture the new market. For example, consumers would benefit from seeing on the websites of carmakers, more information on advancements in the electric car industry and details of the manufacturing processes.

In my opinion, carmakers should build more interactive user forums and membership clubs for car enthusiasts to discuss topics around their new electric car products. The automobile industry needs to step up the number of media interviews and the number of advertisement of electric cars not only on their website but also on TV, magazines and billboards.

In a personal interview conducted with a CFO from an electric car battery plant in Jiangxi Province, China, the executive explained: “(e)lectric cars are a new economic growth point and could even be called an ‘industry revolution.’ The market for electric cars and electric car batteries will be considerable and widespread. But the promotion of electric cars will require be a step-by-step process, and adoption will be slow.”

The CFO stated, “however, the situation will vary by country. In China, for example, the first vehicle introduced to the market was the all-electric bus. Introduction of the electric car will be somewhat slower because of the lengthy promotion process needed for acceptance of the vehicles, and financial and technical obstacles associated with building charging stations in China. In the U.S., it’s more likely that the electric bus and electric car will penetrate the market at the same time.”

All indicators show—the electric vehicle of the future will be less expensive to maintain and operate over the life of the car compared to a gasoline-powered car.

I look forward to it. We should all look forward to it.

Written by Guli “Lily” Du, Communication Coordinator at Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services. Hailing from Beijing, China, Lily is a participant of The Washington Center Intern Program.

Inventions of Necessity: Halophytes for Peak Water and Food

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 06:04:00 +0000

I've always been intrigued with the inventions and invention-mindset of the Chinese people: printing, papermaking, thread-stitched "butterfly" book bindings, gunpowder/fireworks, compass, bristle toothbrush, wheelbarrow, and the cultivation of rice, millet and soybean, to name a few. I even learned that the Chinese Quijia invented the bone fork, which had long been used before chopsticks.

Chinese inventors have a lot of firsts. Thirty four years before Dolly the Sheep, embryologist Tong Dizhou cloned a fish. Their inventions in agriculture, like heterosis in rice, greatly benefit areas with little arable land.

Many of these were inventions of necessity. The market need existed. The Chinese are also involved in current day research on halophytes.

Dennis Bushnell, the Chief Scientist of NASA led me to this topic. I had the pleasure of hearing and meeting him in person. He gave the keynote speech at O2 Environmental's Blue Tech Forum in San Francisco where he talked about halophytes (salt loving plants - they want water having .5% NaCL) as a solution to land, water, food, energy, minerals and climate change problems.

Keynote Speaker at 2nd Annual Blue Tech Forum NASA Chief Scientist,
Dennis M. Bushnell and Donna Vincent Roa,
Managing Partner & Chief Strategist, Vincent Roa Group

Bushnell's logic went something like this: a) current food production is based on fresh water plants, B) we are running out of fresh water, c) the ecosystem is crashing, d) we have "peak everything," and e) halophytes are a solution (produce food on wastelands using saline/salt water). He adds that "over 100 halophyte plants are now in trials for commercial applications."

"One efficient and still underused way to produce biofuel is to use halophytes...that could produce enough biofuel material to replace not only all the oil that is currently used in the world, but all other fossil fuels and petrochemicals to make plastics," he explains.

In 2003, Detlef Bartsch in Cash Crop Halophytes echoed Bushnell's sentiment and says that "productivity increase by crop improvement in combination with sustainable agriculture is the task of the future."

If agriculture is using 70-90% of freshwater in many countries, and fresh water availability is decreasing, halophytes seem like a logical alternative approach. Protect fresh water from agricultural uses by creating plants that thrive on sea water.

Halophytes are an invention of necessity. We can't create more fresh water, and turning seawater into freshwater is costly. Salt water agriculture can be a viable alternative to conventional agriculture.

Twenty-two nations are working on this, Bushnell notes. As mentioned, China is one of those nations.

In China, the population accounts for one-fifth of the world's total, it has seven percent of the world's arable land, and water consumption for agricultural use is 70% of the nation's total. A professor at Hanging Oceanic University says that if seawater is used to irrigate crops, as much as 300 billion tons of fresh water could be saved.

With crossbreeding and gene techniques, Chinese scientists are cultivating halophytes that can live in a saline environment. Genetically modified tomato, eggplant, pepper, wheat, rice and rapeseed can be found growing on beaches and are watered using seawater.

There are concerns: will the genetic engineering have negative ecological impacts? Will the gene transfer alter pest status? Will the new plants affect human nutrition or public health? Will there be sufficient biosafety research on environmental effects? Scientists must determine and manage risk associated with these developments.

MIT's Mission 2014 says it well: Thus, although seawater farming has great potential, we need to proceed with caution to prevent severe disruption to the existing environments, which are often very fragile.

Solving one problem does have the potential to create other problems. However, not dealing with the water shortage with some kind of solution will be catastrophic. Seawater agriculture is doable and has some ancillary benefits.

Conservation is also doable, free and without risk. Why can't we collectively raise the bar on conservation sooner rather than later to complement seawater agriculture and other inventions of necessity?

The value of water is great.

Written by Donna Vincent Roa, Managing Partner & Chief Strategist of Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.

No More Resumés! An Environmentally Friendly Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:39:00 +0000

Inc. online delivers provocative articles. A recent headline, Never Read Another Resumé drew me in. Immediately, I began to wonder how one would present personal qualifications and skills without a résumé. Article author Jason Fried, 37signals co-founder, says that he simply ignores resumés.

“In my experience, they're full of exaggerations, half-truths, embellishments – and even outright lies… Résumés reduce people to bullet points, and most people look pretty good as bullet points,” he writes.

He recommended looking more closely at cover letters to determine if someone really wants the job, whether or not they can write or spell, and whether they took the time to tailor it to the company and the job.

Let’s take this thinking a step further and simplify matters. For job seekers and for employers: no résumé? No problem. I like this idea: Create and send via email a logo or brand mark and a color palette that represents the real you. That’s it – a professional logo and color palette with at least 5 colors. Let me understand you from a graphic perspective. Allow me to see who you really are through the symbol and colors you choose.

Let these two items represent the new standard for hiring, I say. These two simple requirements will give me an idea of your ability to:

Understand and express yourself
Simplify (or the KISS principle, as coined by Kelly Johnson: “Keep it Simple, Stupid!”)
Work on and manage a critically important project
Connect art to a business imperative…you and the way you market yourself
See how creative and innovative you are
Communicate abstract ideas
Hire and work with a graphic design agency or designer (or Crowdspring for that matter).

Yes, I am advocating getting rid of hard copy resumés, and potentially resumes in general. If I need to know more I will Google you, look at your most recent 100 tweets, your latest blog posts or review your LinkedIn site (you do have one…don’t you?). For extra coverage you can also post your resume sites on like JobFox.com, My Resume Online, Wix, Emurse, VisualCV, GoGreenResumes, or other free sites. Or simply have a resume site designed to showcase your professional experience and express your personality. Nearly 80% of companies now use the web for job postings, recruiting, and to process applicants' resumes. It's a wired job market. And, resume formats will continue to evolve as the technology changes.

In the short and long run, the online approach saves time, money and paper. Posting your resume online is good for environment and more cost effective than purchasing stationery, buying stamps and spending time preparing mailing and delivering the envelopes to the post office. No more tough decisions: Linen or Ivory Laid and whether pink, blue, white or green stationery gives the right impression. And, no more resumes thrown away by disinterested employers.

Art and design can tell your truth. And, it's more delightful to look at than a two- or three-page resume with 800 words on each page. Remember, Google gives me other interesting facts about you, including what you say about yourself and what others say about you. Add some art and design to tell your story.

If you do have a personal logo and color palette, send to them me for another blog post on this subject.

Realistically, don't throw away your resume...yet. It is still expected. Just make sure you send it online.

Finding the Tiger: Technique and Emotion in the Writing Process

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:02:00 +0000

In communication and public relations, and in particular science communication, we write under a variety of circumstances.

Professors teaching science writing and science communication would do well discussing technique, technical excellence, workplace expectations, and workplace realities, in addition to addressing the emotional elements of the writing process.

Exercises that give students the opportunity to write under pressure are important, but at the same time, writing professors should also work with students to stimulate confidence in writing and require rewriting and peer review to ensure that a final product is in its best form.

Sometimes a good writer is hiding behind a curtain. No one has ever pushed the writer to go "on stage." I remember one journalism professor of mine who gently chastised me for turning in "C" material when he knew that I had the potential for creating "A" material. He said, "I know there's a tiger in there and I am going to help you find it."

For communication and public relations students, in particular, writing and speaking drive the work they will do once out of college. I would advise students to focus their college career in ensuring that they can write and speak very well. Strong craft and technique in these two areas can drive the trajectory of a career, no matter what the discipline.

For science communication, science and environment subject matter knowledge and strong interest in translating complex information in to lay language are also of critical importance.

We know that both writing and speaking stimulate fear. For writing, so much has been written about writer's block condition. It's real, but certainly can be overcome. The pressure of a deadline is a often a strong motivating factor.

For speaking, you've heard often the statement, "I'd rather die than give a speech." How much of this fear is based on the actual presentation or the fear of having to write it, or both? I suspect it's a little of both.

So, it's best to get writing (and speaking for that matter) right while in college...a safe environment to test ability, build skills, and experiment with different tools and techniques. If we can give students the opportunities and the moral support to get it right while in college, we can prepare them for the workplace.

For the science communication workplace, strong writers rule the roost.

Written by Donna Vincent Roa, Managing Partner & Chief Strategist of Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.

Photo Essay from the AWC-DC Matrix Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:45:00 +0000

Produced by Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.

2011 Matrix Award - Acceptance Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:31:00 +0000

AWC-DC 2011 Matrix Award Winner - Donna Vincent Roa

Produced by Vincent Roa Group, a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services. Field Producer - Zoe Bright, Vincent Roa Group. Graphics - Gail Peck, Peck Studios. Photos - Dan Peck, Peck Studios.

Emerging Trends in the Textbook Industry—Digitalization, A Major Environmental Victory

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:36:00 +0000

It looks like the tides are turning for textbook publishers, as the industry heads into digitalization, companies are faced with the challenge to shift gears or go under.

With the recent downfall of Borders Books, it’s clear that traditional bookselling methods have gone out of style.

But the textbook industry has long held onto the “old-school” hardcopy platform, wasting energy and stripping thousands of trees each year.

As textbook prices skyrocket, students seeking greener alternatives will find that they are numerous.

Amazon, one popular option for students, has a new e-textbook rental service, allowing students to rent e-textbook through a free software application or on Kindle—reducing up to 80% of the cost.

It is estimated that over the next five years digital textbook sales will soar to 18% above that of both university and career education textbooks combined. In fact some universities are spearheading the implementation of digital textbooks—forcing their students to make that switch.

University leaders along with major publishers like McGraw-Hill, Pearson and John Wiley & Sons are proposing a switch where e-textbooks become a part of the required course material for a class. The goal is for the university to actually foot the cost of the textbook—or at least initially. Since e-textbooks greatly reduce costs, universities can purchase them in bulk and then charge the price as part of the required course fee for the class.

Some companies like Melville are tapping into both markets, noting that some people still prefer hardcopy books, but like the additional resources often available with e-books. Melville offers HybridBooks, electronically providing additional materials and resources for both e-books and hardcopy text. The “Melville Illumination” is offered free with the purchase of a book from their hybrid series.

With so many players gearing up for change, one thing is certain—the textbook and book market as a whole will soon be taken over by digitalization. From an environmental standpoint, the implications are astronomical.

Article written by Zoë Bright, Marketing Portfolio Lead, Vincent Roa Group.

Vincent Roa Group Blue Tech Forum Review Mentioned on BlueTech Tracker

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:52:00 +0000

Mayor of Baltimore - 5th Annual Women's Business Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 15:41:00 +0000

I am honored to have met the Mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, while attending the 5th Annual Women’s Business Forum, Monday, July 25th at the Baltimore Convention Center. I also met some amazing women, and the meeting has resulted in a couple of potential contracts.

Vincent Roa to Receive the AWC-DC's Prestigious Matrix Award - Save the Date for the Annual Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 05:21:00 +0000

Dust off your hat box for AWC-DC's Annual Tea on Thursday, August 25, 2011.

Join us in The Willard Hotel's renowned Nest room, where Donna Vincent Roa, PhD, ABC, CSR-P, will receive the chapter's prestigious Matrix Award, in recognition of her outstanding accomplishments in the global communications field.

The Willard, a Washington, DC institution is the ideal setting for chapeau-wearing communicators to gather on a summer afternoon for a formal tea and an informal tête-à-tête (or deal making if you’re inspired).

The Willard’s fine tea service will begin at 3:30 p.m. and will include a selection of teas, sandwiches, scones, and delectable pastries. The Matrix Award presentation will begin at 4:30 p.m. and end at 5:30 p.m., but not before entertaining lady luck for chances at an array of divine door prizes.

Let's enjoy a refreshing break from the indelicate days of summer by raising our teacups in honor of one of our own savvy communicators.

AWC-DC Annual Tea
August 25
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 pm.

The Nest Room
Willard InterContinental Washington
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20004
Tel: 202 628 9100
Metro: Metro Center (Red, Blue and Orange lines)

Cost:
$50 AWC members, Students, Retired
$60 Non-members

Register for the event.
For more information, email awcdcevents@gmail.com.

……………………………………………..……………………

Founded in 1909, The Association for Women in Communications is one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious professional communications organizations in the country.

Four Founding Principles: Advancement of women in all fields of communications, dedication to First Amendment rights and responsibilities, recognition of professional achievement, promotion of high professional standards. Professional Diversity Is Our Strength.

Blue Tech Forum 2011 Provides Game Changing Ideas and Perspectives on Water Industry and Technologies

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 03:52:00 +0000

Water and sanitation represent the greatest threat to the environment and human health. The pressures of water scarcity – a top threat to business – and rising energy costs and population growth are driving the need for across the board innovation.

Uniting key stakeholders involved in the development and commercialization of emerging water technologies, the recent Blue Tech Innovation Forum held in San Francisco featured radical and game-changing ideas for the water industry and fresh perspectives on familiar issues, and a speaker line-up that included thought leaders, seasoned water entrepreneurs, leading innovators, and venture capitalists.

Organized by O2 Environmental and IBF (International Business Forum) and described as a “gathering spot for creative water technology as people strive to create solutions for the world’s water problems,” this water technology conference, now in its second year, was established to address industries’ growing need for new water strategies and technologies.

Key-noted by NASA Chief Scientist Dennis Bushnell, a leading thinker on science and energy, the extremely well-organized event provided a venue for broad slate of water technology companies, corporate and municipal customers, researchers, and water industry thought leaders to discuss and learn about commercialization, investing, market trends, and challenges.

In addition to defining the challenges and the enormous investment opportunity, the Forum showed where and how water technology can penetrate markets and generate significant revenues, and featured success stories, lessons learned, innovative technologies, and panel discussions on commercialization, investing, market trends, and challenges.

The Technology Showcase comprised presentations from CEOs of sixteen companies with each presenting for 8 minutes outlining their technology, target market, business strategy and company stage.

In this article, I will highlight some of the key themes and messages of the event.

The rate of adoption of new solutions is likely to accelerate. With heightened market interest in water technologies, it is an exciting time to be working in this industry. Scientific research and patent filings for disruptive, enabling technologies have increased and the rate of adoption of new solutions is also expected to increase in the coming years.

Innovation needs to be flipped on its head. It’s important to challenge conventional approaches, determine where value can be derived, re-evaluate systems’ efficiency, and come up with new ways of doing things. To embrace innovation, not surprisingly, you have to embrace change. Every organization should have a change agent at the executive level to transform ideas into reality and drive innovations in product development, financing, commercialization, distribution strategy, business plan execution, expediting growth.

Establish effective partnerships and alliances. Businesses need to leverage all partner relationships, including government, and establish alliances that help to dramatically change the economic and technical value proposition for customers. Build a network of collaborators. Define models for engagement and how all parties can profit from the collaboration. Determine if you can access or further penetrate your market through strategic partners or marketing partners.

Key partners can assist a company’s growth and development. Partner with others like suppliers and consulting engineers to execute on the growing sales demand for new water technologies, to explore alternative uses of your technology, or to determine new markets or applications. New technology companies also need to work effectively with engineering firms for application and rollout of new products. Major water companies need to work closely with delivery partners.

Use high value market segments and aggressive marketing. Accurately define sales channels and market segments with high value. Evaluate manufacturer’s representatives, strategic distribution partners, general sales representatives, direct sales, and Internet sales channels. Be creative in your distribution strategy.

Paul O'Callaghan gives Pastuerization Technology
Group the award for best go-to-market strategy.

Initiate strong brand, communication and marketing strategies to position the new technology. This may include technology papers, trade articles, blog postings, trade shows, direct mail and other customer communication channels. Don’t underestimate the power of a strong communication and marketing strategy. Done right, they can appropriately position your company.

Venture capitalists add value, not just money. Venture capitalists, who were described as “the most optimistic pessimistic believers who say no all the time,” can introduce you to partners if they can see and understand your vision. Make sure to ask what connections they might have in the water ecosystem that can help your company drive strategic growth and achieve its goals.

Showcase for a venture capitalist your team make-up, the top five things your company needs to accomplish in the next twelve months, and the advantages you bring to the marketplace. Be ready to answer the following questions:

Can you make a difference?
Is your company differentiated?
Do you have a highly disruptive technology?
Do you have value-added execution capabilities?
Do you have access to high quality relationships?
Can you define where you want to go?
Are you and your team committed and passionate?
Do you have the people with the energy to do something great?

Put the venture capitalists on the spot. Ask for names, connections, and partner opportunities (e.g., supply chain, licensing opportunities, acquisition targets, etc.).

Seller beware…while the water market is huge, it’s a difficult market. Engineering firms are not incentivized to adopt new technologies, and managers may be indifferent to adopting new technologies. Rep networks are not clamoring to adopt new technologies for their value chain. Utility owners are more discerning about change and adoption of new technologies. Thousands of calls a week to city managers or public works officials may yield little.

Some final thoughts…Work on shortening and compressing the sales cycle for greater success. Move technology into a scalable platform more quickly. Think more creatively about how to structure deals. Fast track your proof of concept and your first paying customer. Keep simple the technology and your business model. Be able to quantify the value proposition. Make sure that you have some skin in the game and are able to stand by your disruptive innovation. Have faith that your idea is good, and be the bridge between innovation and the marketplace.

Article written by Donna Vincent Roa, Managing Partner and Chief Strategist, Vincent Roa Group.

Vincent Roa Group is a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.

Maryland Passes Environmental Literacy Graduation Requirement

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:33:00 +0000

The Maryland No Child Left Inside Coalition announced that the State Board of Education voted unanimously last week in favor of language establishing a strong, clear environmental literacy graduation requirement to ensure all public school students receive a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary environmental education.

The national No Child Left Inside Coalition represents over 1800+ organizations in support of legislation and efforts to get kids back outside and reconnected to nature. The No Child Left Inside Act provides for funding to train teachers to deliver high quality environmental education; incentives for states to develop State Environmental Literacy Plans; encouragement for teachers, administrators, and school systems to make time and resources available for environmental education for all students; and integration of environmental education across core subject areas.

According to the organization, this vote cements Maryland as the first state in the nation to approve such a requirement, a credit to Governor O’Malley, the Partnership for Children in Nature, the MDNCLI Coalition, state board members, and State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick.

While many states, including Maryland, have had environmental literacy standards within the curriculum, this new graduation requirement mandates that every public school system in the state now provide a multidisciplinary environmental education program infused with current curricular offerings, and aligned with environmental literacy standards.

For the first time in history, environmental literacy is included in the U.S. Department of Education budget, a major victory for No Child Left Inside. The NCLI Coalition is hopeful that the new version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (formerly known as No Child Left Behind) will include language from the No Child Left Inside Act. To learn more and help support this legislation, visit www.nclicoalition.org today!

Vincent Roa Group in Slate of Sponsors for DC Water for People Gala

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:05:00 +0000

Join the Washington, DC Water For People Committee on Monday, June 13, 2011 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts as they host the 2011 Gala Reception to recognize women around the world who have made significant contributions to their community in the field of water and sanitation.

The Washington, DC Water For People Gala will bring together utility managers, industry leaders, the Nation's policy-makers and the philanthropic and business communities who are at the forefront of making a positive impact on global water issues.

Vincent Roa Group is one of the sponsors of the Gala Reception and Donna Vincent Roa, Managing Partner and Chief Strategist of Vincent Roa Group will be attending with guest Sasha Whitaker.

The theme for this event, Women In Water, is an important one. Throughout the world, 884 million people do not have access to safe drinking water and 2.6 billion are without adequate sanitation facilities. Women and young girls spend countless hours and walk miles each day, often at great risk to their safety and lives, to secure water for their families; subsequently, losing their opportunity to earn an income or education. Water For People is working to change this.

The VIP reception will feature a few words from our special guest - George Hawkins, General Manager of DC Water. Other confirmed speakers include Maria Otero, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, as our keynote speaker; Ambassador Harriett Babbitt, Former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States, as our MC; Elisa Speranza, President of CH2M HILL's Operations & Maintenance Business Group; and Diana Betancourt, Central America Regional Manager for Water For People.

The reception will also feature world music and a live performance from Itumiray playing traditional Andean and Bolivian music, a diverse selection of international hors d'oeurves, open bar, and an opportunity to enter into a raffle for numerous prizes, including a one week stay at the Ko'Olina Resort and Beach Club in Hawaii.

After June 11th, tickets are $75. Tickets will not be available at the door, however they can be purchased up to 5pm the day of the event. Click here for tickets.

For more information, email: gala@waterforpeopledc.org

Think About Water: Scarce and More Precious Than Oil

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Clean water on this planet is surprisingly scarce. You've all heard the figures: less than 1% of all fresh water is readily accessible for direct human use, representing only 0.007% of all water on earth. That's not a lot of water.

Our world has a water crisis. Throughout the world unsafe drinking water and lack of sanitation kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Over 42,000 people die each week with E. coli, salmonella, cholera, and hepatitis A, to name a few.

If you are at your desk reading this blog post, you've probably got a glass of water (or God forbid a bottle of water) to your right, your cell phone to your left...two things we take for granted. Did you know that more people have access to a cell phone than a toilet? No one wants to talk about this.

In our world, over 2.5 billion people do not have a proper place to defecate. The sewage spills into rivers and streams, contaminating drinking water and causing disease.

While these facts may be grim, there is hope for real solutions as more and more people around the world are waking up to the clean water crisis. Earlier this year, the UN declared access to clean water a human right and groups like Water.org and others work tirelessly to bring water access to the developing world.

At the forefront of the water crisis is Sanitation and Water for All, a global partnership between developing countries, donors, multi-lateral agencies, civil society and other development partners working together to achieve universal and sustainable access to sanitation and drinking water, with an immediate focus on achieving the Millennium Development Goals in the most off-track countries.

This transparent, accountable and results-oriented framework for action provides a common vision, values and principles that support a vision for everyone in the world to have sustainable access to sanitation and drinking water by:

Increasing political prioritization for sustainable sanitation and drinking water
Supporting strong national sanitation and drinking water planning, investment and accountability frameworks
Improving targeting and impact of resources for sustainable sanitation and drinking water
Supporting effective decision making by providing detailed information and evidence on sanitation and drinking water
Strengthening mutual accountability of governments and development partners.

The partnership is raising awareness of these issues at the political level. We can compliment that by using our voices collectively to shine the light on this vital cause through our blogs and to raise awareness about how the provision of water and sanitation can change the lives of the world's poorest people. It's a cause worth talking about and taking action, both locally and globally.

A fact: Americans use a lot of water...159 gallons of water every day. That more than 15 times the average person in the developing world. We take long showers, wash our hands, water our lawns, wash our clothes, and wash our cars. A five minute shower (yours that short?), for example, uses about 10 gallons of water - the amount most people have to do everything (e.g., bathe, wash clothes, cook meals, and quench their thirst).

43 Million Refugees - No Key to Home. You Can Help.

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Click this link.

USA for UNHCR recently launched the Blue Key campaign, which captures the plight of refugees worldwide through a simple icon: a blue key, symbolizing the key to a home that many refugees will never hold.

The campaign goal is simple: to get 6,000 Americans (they can only ship keys within the US) to sign up for their own symbolic Blue Key - a lovely $5 pin or pendant - to show support for the issue, refugees and the 6,000+ UNHCR staffers worldwide who work to alleviate the trauma these people go through, through no fault of their own.

They hope to achieve this goal by June 20, which is World Refugee Day.

This is a real and tangible way to support the cause. Go get your blue key today.

If you're active on Facebook, "like" their page. You could even change your Facebook avatar to a Blue Key... and/or you could let your Facebook friends know about it. If you're active on Twitter, follow USA for UNHCR.

Even better, donate a tweet a day (it's only one) via their JustCoz page. And of course, you can change your Twitter avatar too.

You could also add a link to your Other Websites on LinkedIn. See my profile for the example. And finally, copy this blog test and post on your own blog so that this campaign can get some mileage.

One of my friends and a leader in the social media space, Shonali Burke is working with USA for UNHCR and has asked for our support. It's a cause we can all rally around to support.

Be one of the 6,000 who step up for this one. It's such a small thing we can do to support this cause. Thanks.

Blue Tech Forum 2011 - Mapping the Innovation Landscape in Water Technologies

noreply@blogger.com (Vincent Roa Group LLC) — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:31:00 +0000

I am in San Francisco this week attending the Blue Water Forum as part of my industry research for the ACTiVATE program. My focus since the beginning of the program has been water, energy and sustainability. During this research, I came across the Forum and decided that it would be a great way to become familiar with water technology success stories, lessons learned, market trends which are addressing real-world water challenges, and the innovation landscape.

I am intrigued from a business perspective in the pressures that water scarcity, rising energy costs and population growth are putting on the "system" to create innovative solutions and new and expanding market opportunities.

This Forum promises to highlight advanced technologies, feature seasoned water entrepreneurs, and showcase new technologies from water tech start-ups. I am especially interested in what utilities are looking for, why investors are coming to the table, and the networking opportunities with water-tech innovators, industry thought leaders, and venture investors.

Things are changing in the world of water technologies.
New markets are emerging as mounting pressures require new solutions.The BlueTech Forum will ensure you have your finger on the pulse of what’s changing, who is innovating and where the opportunities are.

This is a boutique event presents a unique networking opportunity for the technology leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and innovators. The Technology Showcase will feature invited companies, from key market areas, outlining in ten minutes their technology, their target customer and their go to market strategy.

The Panels and Presentations will focus on how companies can access emerging markets, protect their technology advantage. You will hear how progressive water utilities around the world are embracing innovation and how the worlds largest water technology companies are moving to partnership and open innovation models to accelerate market adoption of new solutions.

The keynote speaker for the event is Dennis Bushnell, Chief Scientist, NASA Langley. A sought after speaker on climate change, he is responsible for technical oversight and advanced program formulation for a major NASA Research Center with emphasis in the areas of atmospheric sciences and structures, materials, acoustics, flight electronics/control/software, instruments, aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, hypersonic airbreathing propulsion, computational sciences, and systems optimization for aeronautics, spacecraft, exploration, and space access.

Vincent Roa Group is a strategic business and science communication firm that provides executives with world-class communication, brand management, and on-call premium editing and writing services.