New York, NY and Nanjing, China – The first "Think Green: Energy, Education, and Environmental Initiatives" global forum was successfully held in Nanjing, China on April 7–9, 2010. The forum, co-hosted by New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) and Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NUPT), attracted many attendees including Chinese and U.S. government officials, leaders in higher education, and innovators and executives in the public and private sectors.

Speakers included international dignitaries including Lady Barbara Thomas Judge, chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority; Dr. Yun Le, general manager for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo Project; Martin Schoenbauer, executive director of the U.S. Department of Energy in China; Zhang Xinsheng former Vice Minister of the Education Ministry of China; NYIT President Edward Guiliano; and NUPT President Yang Zhen.

Conference sponsors included OMNI Contracting Company, Inc., Institute for Sustainability, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Sustainable Engineering Forum (SEF), Earth Engineering Center (EEC) of Columbia University, BizReview, Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WTERT), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Jiangsu Institute of Communication, Jiangsu Society of Electronics, and Changshu Yushan Hi-Tech Industrial Park Administration Committee.

A common theme among speakers and panelists was the importance of partnerships in promoting sustainable initiatives through innovation, investments, and education.

"Think Green is an example of how global education in the 21st-century works, and how two universities from two of the world's largest economic powers can successfully collaborate on projects that are timely and of global impact," said NYIT President Guiliano. "On this emerging grid, education is the current that flows across borders and oceans, bringing the promise of solutions to civilization's most complex challenges."

NUPT's President Yang also stressed the importance of collaboration when it comes to addressing the issue of sustainability. "The future road of green development must start from science and technology and education," he said in his keynote speech. "Through this conference, we aim at the most challenging issues of the 21st-century in the fields of energy, environment, and education, and seek solutions in technology and policy perspectives. This is our common mission."

An interactive satellite "Think Green" conference for NYIT-Nanjing students at the NUPT campus was held to complement the global forum. President Guiliano addressed students with a panel of experts including Dr. Roger Yu, dean of NYIT's College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Alan Mickelson of the University of Colorado; Joanne Fox-Przeworski, former director of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); and Nada Anid, dean of NYIT's School of Engineering and Computing Sciences.

NYIT is a leader in sustainability and "green" research and education, dating back to 1973, when faculty and students designed the first hybrid car, and more recently installed the first solar-powered carport in Long Island, N.Y. Through its partnership with NUPT, NYIT has focused its environmental efforts to drive changes in energy practices that will benefit the world at large.

For more information on the event, including forum agenda, latest updates, and speaker biographies, visit www.nyit.edu/think_green.

About NUPT

NUPT is a key provincial university established by the Jiangsu Provincial Government and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. In 2007, NYIT and NUPT established a long-term partnership, which includes student exchange, staff training, and research cooperation. NUPT is home to more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in 16 schools with a focus on information technology and telecommunications and engineering. NUPT is a research-oriented university that promotes international exchange and cooperation. For more information, visit www.njupt.edu.cn/en/.

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About NYIT

NYIT is a highly accredited, not-for-profit comprehensive university that has been a longtime leader in technology-infused, professional education. It is home to more than 90 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in seven schools, from architecture to medicine. NYIT has 15,000 students worldwide at campuses in New York, Bahrain, Canada, China, Jordan, and Abu Dhabi.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, 85,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

Briana Samuels
Communications Specialist
516.686.1354