“ICT research and ICT for development” Forum – Speakers’ biography

Sep

2011

“ICT research and ICT for development” Forum – Speakers’ biography

Welcome addresses

	Dr. Ko Ko Oo is the Deputy Minister of Myanmar Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). He received a B.Sc with honors and an M.Sc in Physics from Yangon University (Myanmar). He completed his PhD in engineering in Japan in Osaka. From 1986 to 2000, he was a Demonstrator to Lecturer at the Department of Physics of Yangon University. He started to work for the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2000 as an Assistant Director to Director General in charge of the Department of Technology Promotion and Coordination (DTPC), the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Advanced Science and Technology (DAST) before being appointed to his current position in March 2011.
	Korn Mads is Attaché (Cooperation) of the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand.
	Dr. Alexander Alamil Lim graduated with a PhD. degree in Solar Energy/PV Systems at Murdoch University in Western Australia. He has over 20 years experience as Instructor, Assistant professor and Associate professor at University of Philippines Los Banos. From 1996 to 1999 he worked as Programme Coordinator and obtained the diploma in Science Teaching from the UP Open University. During the years 1999 – 2004, Alexander Lim occupied the position of Deputy Executive Director in Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development. Then, in 2004 he joined the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta as Senior Officer at Science and Technology Division and was appointed in 2007 Head of Coordination Unit at the Bureau for External Relations and Coordination (ASEAN Secretariat). Since 2009 Alexander Lim has occupied the position of Assistant Director and Head of Science and Technology Division in ASEAN Secretariat.

Setting the scene

Roger Torrenti graduated in 1976 from Ecole Centrale de Paris, one of the French “engineers high schools”. He began his career as a research engineer at the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), where he developed a specialized knowledge in energy technologies. Two of his research results were patented in 1977 and 1978. He also had the opportunity to be involved in international working groups, from 1979 onwards, within the IEA (International Energy Agency) and EC projects. In 1979, he was given the management of an applied research institution linked to Ecole Nationale des Mines de Paris and the French Ministry for Industry. Its core activities concerned the use of information technologies in energy systems. There, Roger developed his specialized knowledge of the energy and IT fields (one of his research results was patented in 1981) and his international experience (he was involved in international research projects and the organization of international conferences). In 1984, Roger Torrenti founded Sigma Orionis (formerly Sigma Consultants), and he is still its CEO and main shareholder.

European, ASEAN and global mechanisms supporting cooperation in ICT

	Alvis Ancans joined the international relations unit of the European Commission’s Information Society and Media Directorate General in march 2007. His main duties include fostering ICT research cooperation between the EU and Asian countries, notably, India, Japan, Korea and ASEAN. Before joining the commission, Alvis worked as the political specialist at the U.S. Embassy in Riga, Latvia. He holds a master’s degree in international relations from the fletcher school of law and diplomacy, Tufts University.
	Cecile Faraud is working for the french Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs since early 2010, while being in charge of regional cooperation for Southeast Asia at the Regional Delegation located at the Embassy of France in Thailand. Her main missions are focusing on managing projects related to governance and development relevant to Southeast Asian countries. She also has in charge the Regional Secretariat of the ICT-Asia and BIO-Asia programmes, both aiming at strenghening cooperation between research teams in Asia and Europe. Graduated with a master degree of International studies, Ms Faraud previously worked as a research fellow at the Political Committee of the Western European Commission.
	Tiziana Bonapace is an international development economist, she works at ESCAP, one of the five regional Commissions of the UN, where for over 21 years, Ms. Bonapace has worked on issues related to macroeconomics, trade and industrial policies, disaster risk reduction and ICT connectivity. Ms. Bonapace has a particular interest in the technological advances that drive regional connectivity and societal change. Ms. Bonapace has been involved in the preparation of studies, research and analytical papers and has participated as a panelist and resource person in many meetings of senior government officials and business leaders. Ms. Bonapace has lived in Italy, Thailand, and South Africa, where she obtained her Masters Degree in Commerce.
	Eun-Ju Kim is currently Regional Director of ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific based in Bangkok, Thailand, representing ITU and responsible for some 40 Member States in this dynamic region. Before she joined the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – a UN Specialized Agency for Telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) – in 2000, she had served several posts such as Director for Regulatory Affairs at the ICO Global Communications based in London; Lecturer for Telecommunication Policies and Regulations at the London City University, and Senior Adviser to Ministers at the Ministry of Communications in the Republic of Korea.

Good practices, lessons learnt and case studies

	Inge Mangelschots is the International Relations Officer of the Universiteit of Gent, Belgium.
	Denis F. Villorente is the Director IV of the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI). He headed the Technical Evaluation Committee which evaluated and certified the system that was used during the 2010 Automated National Elections. Villorente likewise led the advancement of research networking in the country through the Philippine Research, Education and Government Information Network (PREGINET). Considered as his brainchild, PREGINET has provided a faster and reliable means of academic collaboration among researchers and scientists. Along with the 2010 GAWAD CES recognition, Villorente was also awarded the ‘Wind Vane Award’ by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) for his valuable support to the PAGASA.
	Sylvia Cadena joined the United Nations Volunteers Program in 1993. After 18 months working at the Southlinks Project, she served at Colnodo (a non-profit ISP and APC member in Colombia), as a webmaster and special projects coordinator. Sylvia was hired in 2000 as the Information Officer for the Tropical Whitefly IPM Project (a global initiative of the CGIAR centres on integrated pest management) where she developed the information platform for the global team and their on-line research activities. In July 2003, she joined the Institute for Connectivity in the Americas and the International Development Research Centre regional office in Montevideo, Uruguay where she was awarded for her work with the “Annual Award for Young Professionals”. From 2004 to early 2008, she worked as a consultant supporting community wireless networking in Latin America, by coordinating an information platform called WiLAC, which supports the development and translation of technical training materials. She was also the coordinator of the regional wireless training and applied research project called TRICALCAR. Sylvia joined ISIF (a joint small grants program from APNIC, IDRC and ISOC) as a program officer in April 2008.
	Pierre Yves Danet is Vice-Chair of the Network Electronic Media (NEM) European Technology Platform. He is a graduate of a High French engineer school and began his career with CAP GEMINI as a project leader of CTS projects (CTS4 and CTS5) and as a test and service expert in ISDN. He was involved in many ISDN standardisation activities before taking on the position as Coordination leader for the ISDN user/network interface within France Telecom in 1996. Since 2004, Danet has held the position of deputy of the laboratory in charge of Home Services development at France Telecom R&D – where he is also the Coordinator of the IST ePerSpace project. In 2005, Danet became the France Telecom representative in the NEM (Networked Electro Media) platform where he belongs to the steering and to the executive boards and he leads one working group in charge of Networked multimedia content delivery (NMCD). In 2007, he became the Vice Chairman of the NEM platform in charge of strategy. In 2008, Danet took the lead of the edition of the Future Internet Strategic Research Agenda shared by 5 ETP (NEM, eMobility, NESSi, ISI and EPOSS). In 2010, he organised and chaired the Future Internet Assembly Smart Energy session and was invited by the Commission to setup a Cross ETP group in order to study the impact of ICT on the Grand Societal Challenges.
	Channa Gunawardena is a Management Systems and Project Management specialist, with over 13 years experience inInternational Development consulting, focusing on sustainable socio-economic development. He is currently Director of Megaskills Research, a UK based consultancy group that has implemented over 350 sustainable development projects. Dr Gunawardena holds a PhD in “Management of Donor funded International Projects in Developing Asia” with the renowned Lancaster University Management School, United Kingdom (6 star research rating) which included a major review of performance, management and evaluation issues in projects funded by the EC and ADB in the Asian region.
	Mervyn Levin is Founding Director of Levering Ltd. He has an extensive, influential network across digital content/media, telecoms, software and finance sectors in Europe and Asia, working with highly diverse organisations across industry, the financial sector, governments and the research community. His roles include Representative of international organisations for ICT and digital media in Asia and performing Advisory and Corporate Diligence on Technology, Media and Telecoms for investors. He oversees on behalf of the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board a wide range of R&D projects. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at University of Sheffield and publishes in refereed journals. From 2002 to 2007, Mervyn was Head of Digital Content Policy in UK Government. This involved leading UK Government policy for digital content industries, shaping the national agenda for the Creative Industries in close conjunction with industry at a time of massive growth and exciting change in the broadband and media landscape. Over the previous 20 years, he held senior global management positions at Thomson Reuters based in the UK, Latin America and Switzerland, making substantial contributions to the company’s position as a leading information supplier to the world’s financial community.