Photo Courtesy of EnergyWaterFoodNexus.
Florida A&M will be hosting its third biannual EnergyWaterFoodNexus in November in the Lawson Center.
The summit will bring together leading policy-makers, scientists and entrepreneurs who will explore the nexus approach, which is based on the idea that an action in one sector impacts others.
In order to find effective sustainability solutions all three elements must be explored equally, summit organizers said. The summit will hold sessions allowing participants to use their problem-solving skills to tackle issues surrounding food, water and energy.
This summit will also offer mentorship and connections to public and private industry sectors.
With Florida A&M as a reputable leader in the science, housing active research and innovation, the objective is to team up with corporations and government agencies to resolve the energy, water and food crisis.
The nexus’ primary home is located in Tallahassee, a city that is certified for sustainable practices.
This year’s two-day summit will focus on: Water as driver for a sustainable nexus. With clean drinking water as one of the top challenges facing the world, getting access to it is becoming more and more of a challenge.
Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water.
According to the World Health Organization, diarrhea is the most widely known disease linked to contaminated food and water but there are other hazards. Almost 240 million people are affected by schistosomiasis — an acute and chronic disease caused by parasitic worms contracted through exposure to infested water.
The goal of this summit is not only to better educate but also to generate ideas toward better use and preserve our natural resources.
Victor Ibeanusi is the summit chair and dean of FAMU School of the Environment. “Global needs for safe drinking water, clean energy production, and improved food security are spurring researchers and industry to discover and apply innovative and sustainable solutions to meet needs of growing populations while protecting the integrity of natural systems,” he said on the Nexus website.
Tickets and registration are live on the Nexus website offering two package deals, general admission and student admission.
If students are in need of financial assistance they can apply to the Nexus scholarship with a submission of a 500 word or less abstract.
For more information on this year’s summit go to www.famuenergywaternexus.org .