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Location Change: Fifth Annual Global Opportunities Conference Held Friday, April 12, at the Holmes Center

williamkamkwambaApril 4, 2013. William Kamkwamba, co-author of the New York Times bestseller “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope,” will be the keynote speaker at the 5th Annual Global Opportunities Conference to be held Friday, April 12.

Kamkwamba presents at 11 a.m. in Holmes Convocation Center at Appalachian State University. He will share his story of how he achieved his dream of bringing electricity, light and the promise of a better life to his family and his village in Malawi.

This year’s conference theme is “Africa: Creative Solutions for Development,” and will be held in the Holmes Center from 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Participants may sign in beginning at 9:30 a.m.

The conference is free and open to the public; however, registration is required by April 10. Lunch will be provided. For registration, speaker biographies schedules and directions, visit http://goc.appstate.edu.

Dr. Jeff Ramsdell, director of the Appalachian Energy Center and professor in the Department of Technology and Environmental Design, will speak at 10:30 a.m. on development in Africa and the importance of alternative and renewable energy.

Participants also will have the opportunity to attend a panel discussion addressing solutions for development in Africa. The discussion begins at 12:30 p.m., also in the convocation center. Panelists include:

  • Dr. Tiffany Christian, an Appalachian professor from the Department of Social Work
  • Dr. Leslie McLees, an Appalachian professor from the Department of Geography and Planning
  • Dr. Susan Doll, an Appalachian professor from the Department of Technology and Environmental Design
  • Jesse Pipes, co-founder and executive director of World Camp, an educational program based in Malawi

A book signing by William Kamkwamba will immediately follow the conference’s closing remarks.

The conference is co-sponsored by the Walker College of Business and its Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship, with additional funding provided by the Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Program, the Department of Geography and Planning and the University Forum.

For more information, visit http://goc.appstate.edu or contact Meredith Church at 828-262-7727 or churchmm@appstate.edu or Jesse Pipes at 828-407-0737 or pipesjd@email.appstate.edu.