Bridging the Divide 2007 will bring together leaders from various sectors to discuss innovative technologies and business models for some of the most pressing issues in the developing world including health care, energy, infrastructure and education.

The objective of the Bridging the Divide conference is to facilitate an exchange of ideas and experiences on solving critical problems in the developing world using technological innovations. We hope to match leading thinkers, researchers and professionals with those who seek solutions to these problems. A key focus of the conference is to educate participants on how to harness technology to achieve development goals.

The Bridging the Divide program builds on three years of successful conferences and research at UC Berkeley with support from partners in the private sector and the United Nations. Our program for 2007 includes a Bridging the Divide conference at UC Berkeley and student research fellowships.

We would like to invite new partners and sponsors to join us in supporting this exciting program.

Elements of the 2007 Program

• Bridging the Divide Conference, Berkeley
  This event will bring together several hundred participants from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to UC Berkeley. The one and a half day event will feature keynotes, breakout panels, posters sessions, and opportunities for networking. A sample agenda is attached.

• Student research fellowships
  Interdisciplinary teams of students from UC Berkeley graduate schools submit competitive proposals to conduct practical, real-world research on the application of technology to problems in the developing world. With faculty guidance, the funded teams conduct research over the summer in developing countries and report their results to the broad community at the Bridging the Divide conferences.