At the opening of the first sessions of the 27th IASP World Conference Luis Sanz, Director General of IASP, introduced the speakers with the caveat that "an optimist is a well informed pessimist." Given the amount of misnomers and mishaps regarding scientific enquiry and discussion that find their way to the public, sometimes for the greater good and sometimes not, the first order of the conference was indeed establishing the correct color for the frame of the glasses that participants were asked to wear to view science parks through the lens of Green Growth.
Mr Kang, Gye-doo, President of Daedeok Innopolis congratulated the IASP headquarters, the Korean Ministry of Knowledge and Economy, Hana Bank and other corporate sponsors and NGOs. Mr Kang explained to attendants that Daedeok was founded to be a driver of economic growth and is an especially relevant pillar of Korea in the context of the global financial crisis. Mr Kang introduced attendants to the concept of the Daedeok declaration in that it will "pledge a new role for STPs in sustainable development."
The message from Achim Steiner congratulated 'the spirit of Daedeok Innopolis.' Mr Steiner reiterated the need to 'rethink economic models' and that the need is both 'a necessity and an obligation.' The Prime Minister of Korea, Chung, Un-chan, thanked the IASP and Deadeok Innopolis and spoke of the Korean prioritization of low carbon Green Growth back in 2008 and of the proposed 'science belt' establishment to both 'stimulate jobs and solutions to impending problems. '
Joan Bellavista, President of the IASP, mentioned of how the IASP have become both more active and visible. Joan Bellavista also declared the conference open before the Korean Prime Minister thanked distinguished guests and attendants of the conference and Robert Grubbs was welcomed onto the stage to speak. Dr Grubbs gave an overview of his prize winning research that many of the non chemist crowd, it was audible, could not understand until the metaphor of a dance was used to explain Olefin Metathesis. Though what Dr Grubbs didn't tell was that the ability to understand the concept of the Olefin Metathesis reaction abstractly is thought by many to be a result of high reasoning facilities so those that were audible in the dance demo can reshape their perceptions of self favorably on that count thanks to Dr Grubbs.
Suh, Nam-pyo, President of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), despite having a cold, addressed the Grand Ballroom of the DCC. Primarily, Dr Suh spoke of possibilities for achievement by 'the solving of humanity's most pressing problems.' That is no small task so Dr Suh further refined the vision by focusing the crowd on cost versus return in terms of carbon savings as well as dollars, for which the alternative car pilot project opened in Seoul Grand Park was offered as a crown Korean effort.
Dr Bjorn Lomborg and Nomakuchi Tamotsu were slated to speak in the first session after the opening speeches on policy and innovation systems for global green growth. After lunch the special session on the role of STPs in economic development was well attended and all those who did, managed to learn, among much, Dr Leo Esaki's steps for success.
