UCD Digital Event previews a Connected New World

A record crowd has registered for the Digital Future event in UCD Clinton Auditorium next Wednesday evening at 6pm. It's little wonder with the theme of Ireland's Digital Future and the top ranking Speakers from SEAI, Vodafone, Google, IBM and Atlantic Bridge. It's therefore promising to be a fascinating evening. Below are some snapshots of what the CEO Speakers will be saying.

Dr Brian Motherway CEO of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland will look at how digital innovation can support a transition towards sustainability particularly on the issue of climate change. Brian will also examine the progress of digital technology and policy in Ireland and ask how is this best governed by society to ensure the best outcomes. 'It is therefore essential that national policy and governance models recognise the pace of change and encourage both public and private sectors to make energy and environmental sustainability a reality in our lives' he said.

Anne O'Leary CEO Vodafone Ireland believes that 'we can create the conditions for a sustainable national recovery - leaving no person or region behind - by harnessing the power of connectivity. Just like rural electrification in the 40s in today's digital world, access to universal high speed broadband is the great enabler to help people and communities to achieve their potential. It will unleash new creativity to communicate and socialise, new business models and industries. It will change the way our public services, healthcare and education are provided. It strengthens communities by offering alternatives to young people who otherwise may migrate to cities or immigrate'.

"With the convergence of technology, information and human ingenuity, innovation is happening at a pace today that could not be imagined ten or even five years ago" said Ronan Harris, VP, Google.

"In this age of convergence, digital transformation is no longer an option but an imperative to meet the needs of today's users and consumers. Organisations in Ireland that innovate and transform the way they operate can take advantage of new opportunities not only in this market but internationally also".  

Dr Eleni Pratsini Director of IBM Research will address the Smart Cities challenge. 'It is expected that by 2050, seventy percent of the world population will live in cities. Through cross-disciplinary research and development efforts we can help cities to better understand, interconnect and manage core operational systems in transport, communications, water and energy'. She will define a 'smart city' and the role of digital technology and through the use of examples will discuss how the intersection of mathematics, information technology, economics and engineering is used to address some of the challenges in the area of citizen care and mobility. She will also cover Smart Travel and driverless cars!

Dr Helen McBreen Investment Director of Atlantic Bridge Capital will explore three key factors that underpin Ireland's entrepreneurial future - people, technologies and market conditions. She will bring an investor perspective to the opportunities and challenges faced by today's indigenous technology companies. 'From an investment perspective there are many great Irish entrepreneurs founding companies with superb technologies but an international outcome is needed from the outset' she said 'International companies from Ireland are great success stories so we are well placed to see even more successes emerge' she concluded.

UCD EGA President PJ Rudden stated that 'We must prepare our educational commercial and industrial worlds to use digital technology to create more jobs and assist in making Ireland more competitive and a better place to live work and play'.