Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the first joint Israel/U.S. water conference, BusinessH2O Summit, at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas on December 12, 2016.
The summit will bring together policy experts, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors to discuss best practices in water policy. Water experts from BGU’s Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research will discuss proven practices for promoting corporate water stewardship and public policies in Israel and the U.S. that address the growing demand for water.
Key sessions and roundtables will address:
• The Future of Water -What are the trends, risks and emerging solutions?
• Improving Water Governance - What public policies will ensure economic growth?
• Water Innovation - How can businesses effectively mobilize technologies?
• Water Stewardship as Business Strategy - What are best practices for implementing good water principles throughout corporate supply chains?
• Water Stewardship as Business Strategy - What are best practices for implementing good water principles throughout corporate supply chains?
Featured speakers from BGU include Zuckerberg Institute Director Prof. Noam Weisbrod, Prof. Amit Gross and Prof. Jack Gilron, co-founder of Rotec, which develops novel technologies for sensing, monitoring and preventing mineral scaling on the surface of membranes and pipes used in the water treatment industry.
"BGU is proud to be a platinum sponsor of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s BusinessH2O Summit featuring some of our top researchers who will share their research, innovation and expertise,” says Prof. Weisbrod. “We are looking forward to sharing technological know-how and finding new opportunities to partner with stakeholders in the global effort to mitigate water issues in the U.S. and worldwide."
Israel is the only country where the desert is receding because of water management practices and innovations. BGU scientist Sidney Loeb pioneered modern desalination techniques in the early 1960s and the University has since developed many water technologies that ensure the country has more than enough water to serve its population and agriculture. Currently, BGU has partnerships with major U.S. universities, including the University of Chicago and Arizona State University, and continues to advance international water research.
Zuckerberg Institute benefactor Roy Zuckerberg will present a keynote address on “Investing in Water Research,” outlining his vision for water industry research in Israel and around the world. Zuckerberg is a senior director of the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a former vice chairman of Goldman Sachs and chairman emeritus of the University’s Board of Governors. He currently serves as chairman of Samson Capital Advisors.
Earlier this year, the Zuckerberg Institute benefited as a recipient of a $400 million gift to BGU by the late Howard and Lottie Marcus. The Marcus bequest is believed to be the largest gift ever made to an Israeli university or institution of any kind. A significant portion was earmarked for water research.
