Visions of 2034 explored at Imperial event
The trends, emerging technologies and big ideas of the next two decades were explored by innovators from industry and academia at Imperial this week.
Imperial’s 2034: Tech Foresight event enabled experts to take a long view of technological shifts and emerging challenges, while discussing how scientists, technologists and innovators can shape these trends.
The theoretical limits of materials, smart cities, digital identities and networked science were among the themes covered at the one-day conference for Imperial Business Partners, delivered by Imperial's Foresight Practice and the College’s own experts.
The programme was designed to prepare the minds of business leaders, industrial scientists and R&D chiefs for where today’s breakthrough lab discoveries will lead.
During the event, breakout groups – dubbed ‘Futorials’, or tutorials of the future – encouraged debate around the future impact of science-driven innovation on business.
Many drew inspiration from an exhibition of student inventions from the Innovation Design Engineering course: Imperial’s double master’s degree in conjunction with the Royal College of Art.
Among the 2034: Tech Foresight speakers were:
- Professor Donal Bradley, Vice Provost (Research), who delivered a keynote on innovation ecosystems, serendipity in research and dealing with the unknown.
- Professor Julie McCann of the Department of Computing, who presented on ‘smart dust’ and adaptive emergent systems engineering
- Dr Finn Giuliani of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who presented on the pushing of materials to their theoretical limits
- Professor Eric Yeatman of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, who presented on putting intelligence into future cities
- Professor Chris Hankin, Director of the Institute for Security Science and Technology, who spoke about digital identity, privacy and security in an age of big data
- Professor David Klug of the Department of Chemistry, who presented on new networked approaches to innovation
- Dr Greg Offer of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who reviewed last year’s Tech Foresight predictions
Influencing change
Professor Debra Humphris, Chair of 2034: Tech Foresight and Vice Provost (Education) at Imperial, said:
“Today’s university-led discoveries will shape new markets, transform industries and affect all of our lives. It is crucial that pioneering institutions like Imperial work with other innovators across a range of sectors and across the globe to understand and influence these changes.
“2034: Tech Foresight gave academics and industrialists a unique opportunity to take a step back from the day-to-day and think long term, way beyond our next research projects or quarterly results. This stimulated a diverse range of new ideas and connections, leaving the Foresighters feeling challenged and inspired, and we hope, better prepared for the future.”
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