Disruption

The relentless parade of new technologies is unfolding on many fronts. Almost every advance is billed as a breakthrough, and the list of “next big things” grows ever longer. Not every emerging technology will alter the business or social landscape—but some truly do have the potential to disrupt the status quo, alter the way people live and work, and rearrange value pools. It is therefore critical that business and policy leaders understand which technologies will matter to them and prepare accordingly.

In this half-day conference we’ll explore the discuss the impact of several exponential technology areas like: AI, the Internet of Things (IOT), Robotics, Virtual Reality and the Life Sciences.

We’ll start with a light continental breakfast, our speakers will rock the stage until around 11:00am we’ll do a bit of Q&A as our speakers join a panel to discuss disruption. We’ll wrap with a networking lunch at noon.

8:00 AM – Registration

8:20 AM – Introducing Disruptive Technologies, Chuck Russell

8:45 AM  – Embracing Disruption, John McElligot

9:15 AM – The Internet of Things: The Fast Approaching Hyper-Connected Tsunami, Andrew Hacker

9:45 AM – Genetic Engineering -A Novel Medical Food for the Management of Iron Deficiency,  Dr. James Connor & Raymond Stevens

10:15 AM – Break

10:45 AM – Virtual and Augmented Reality, John E. Williamson

11:15 AM – Robotics with the MK3 CALIBER EOD, Corporal Mathew E. Strange

11:45  AM – Leading Edge Aquaponics,   Dr. David Foster

12:15 PM –  Wrap UP followed by a Networking Lunch

Topics and Speakers

Introducing Disruptive Technologies – Chuck Russell, President and CEO of the Technology Council of Central PA

The Internet of Things: The Fast Approaching Hyper-Connected Tsunami – Andrew Hacker, Create Different

Internet of Things (IoT): Think Smart cities, smart grids, smart homes, smart you! As computing technology gets ever smaller and cheaper, embedded computing intelligence can be found everywhere. We are already seeing sensors in everything from lightbulbs, to pets, to clothing…. Everyday physical objects are coming alive, and there are lots of them, lots and lots. Predictions vary, but most experts place the number of connected devices on the Internet as high as 100 Billion by 2020 . These devices will produce Zetabytes of data and create anywhere from $2Trillion to $19 Trillion in new market value. That is only 4 years away!

IoT is a massively disruptive and exponential technology that brings the promise of improved living, more efficient business processes and services, as well as a whole set of new challenges including preventing major safety problems, managing data overload, dealing with new security issues, and defining privacy guidelines.  Learn the IoT landscape and how every major industry is rising up to embrace this new technology and at the same time scrambling to come up with innovative solutions to handling the expected (and unexpected) challenges.

Andrew J Hacker is a futurist and cutting edge technologist who has been involved with and evangelized exponential, emerging, and disruptive technologies since 2006 and been a techno-geek, well since tearing apart and reassembling his first Apple IIe in the early 80’s.

Andrew is the Founder of Create Different, LLC an exponential technology startup, home grown right here in Harrisburg, creating the industry’s first intelligent data framework. Create Different’s solution, based on autonomous data agents called Nuances, provides advanced contextual analytics, emergent machine learning, and IoT data ownership,  helping to forge the New Data Economy of today’s Hyperconnected world.

Andrew is a seasoned executive who has worked for large private sector and government organizations in both the Information Technology and Cybersecurity fields. Andrew is a nationwide speaker and columnist and has a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering.

Embracing Disruption – John McElligott, 3TC Development & the Fortress

The world is amazing! Everyday there are more and more remarkable discoveries, inventions and technologies being developed. It can seem overwhelming, trying to plan for every possible scenario, trying to decipher the impact each new innovation will have on our businesses, communities and our joint future. Industries that have seemed steady and unchanged are being rocked to their core. But for those of us willing to look deeper we will not only begin to understand the “why’s” but will see the unique and once in a lifetime opportunities hiding in emerging technologies and philosophies.

John McElliott will give us a crash course in emerging topics in technology with a focus on Robotics as well as discuss some of the endless possibilities for our region if we shift our mindset and Embrace Disruption.

John McElligott

John McElligott has always had a passion for helping and improving the quality of life of others. Originally from Springfield, Massachusetts, John grew up in a missionary family, where he traveled throughout Europe as a child. After he turned 18, John came back to the US, and joined the United States Marine Corp while in college.

As a Marine, he was employed as a combat engineer during 9/11. Though a man of many talents, including architectural photography and music, Johns primary passion has been focused on the rise and rejuvenation of third tier cities. As CEO of two tech startups John has led product development, fundraising and product deployment.  As co Founder, Vice President and Chief Communications Officer of Royal Square Development and Construction and CEO of the Squared Collective, John spearheaded technology, marketing, community engagement and investor relations as well as being a driving force in Business and Economic Development. Helping to grow the company from 4 employees to nearly 40 in 12 short months he also worked on the acquisition and development of more than 50 properties in downtown York including but not limited to the $1,500,000 Bond Building project and most recently the $15,000,000 Market Street Revitalization Project in downtown York.

Known professionally as a Vision Caster, John believes in the power of community networking through communication and technology. He views the struggles that York, and other third tier cities experience, as a reflection of the struggles of the nation as a whole, and feels it is his civic duty to tackle those problems on a community by community basis. By addressing these problems on a small scale, John feels confident that we can begin to make positive lasting changes not only to our communities, but to our nation. He believe technology should benefit the lives of all of our citizens regardless of race, education or socio economic position and is the cornerstone of a sound Economic Development model.   John is currently the CEO of 3TC Development as well as the Fortress, the regions first code school as well as President of “The Fortress Project”. John is also a sought after National public speaker on the topic of “Embracing Disruption” and the impact of exponential technology on 3rd tier cities. John resides in the great city of York, Pennsylvania.

Genetic Engineering -A Novel Medical Food for the Management of Iron Deficiency

CHYNA LLC was formed by Penn State scientists and investors to provide a novel medical food, ViaFerr, to address the unmet clinical need for an effective treatment of iron deficiency. This product is significant because its focus on iron-deficiency anemia addresses the number one nutritional problem and one of the 10 leading disease risk factors in the world according to WHO. It is a global health concern second only to tuberculosis in cost. Worldwide, it is estimated that over 2 billion people, over 30% of the world’s population, suffer from anemia, mostly due to iron deficiency. The current market for iron supplements both as nutritional supplements and pharmaceutical interventions is approximately $1.3 billion. In the US, iron-deficiency anemia is a problem and has long been a focus in women of child-bearing age, especially prevalent in postpartum women where it can negatively impact the maternal-new born relationship. IDA also is a problem for women in the military where at least 1/3 of women completing basic training are found to be iron deficient to the point of being anemic. The consequences of iron deficiency are fatigue and decline in work productivity, heart problems, obsesity and cognitive impairment. Iron deficient children are at increased risk for ADHD and iron deficiency has recently been linked to cognitive decline in elderly.

ViaFerr is an innovative approach to this tremendous clinical problem using nutritional yeast biotechnologically modified to express the protein found in breast milk for iron delivery. Thus, we have found a way to mimic the safe and effective way mother’s provide milk to their infants. We have preclinical proof of concept established in rodent and non-human primate models. As a medical food, the FDA does not require clinical testing before going to market. Thus, based on the exciting preclinical data, we plan to launch the product before the end of 2015.

James R. Connor, Ph.D.

Dr. Connor is a Distinguished Professor at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. He is an internationally recognized expert in the area of iron metabolism. He has been privileged to maintain a continuously funded program for 30 years with funding from 5 different NIH agencies and numerous foundations. This funding has allowed investigations into many aspects of iron metabolism including its role in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s Disease and restless legs syndrome. Connor is a member of a number of advisory boards and editorial boards. Most recently, he worked with the leadership of the National Institute of Drog Abuse to develop approaches for using nutritional modification to treat addictive behaviors and was an invited participant at a NIH/Gates Foundation sponsored meeting to evaluate iron supplementation in malaria. The development of this medical food is an outgrowth of extensive preclinical research. Connor is founder and CEO of CHYNA LLC.

Raymond Stevens, MBA

Mr. Stevens has over 25 years leadership experience in the life sciences with expertise in finance, IT, business development and product development and launch. He was a founder and VP, Finance & Operations at AltheRx Pharmaceuticals where he had responsibility for Project Management, CMC Development, Operations and Finance.

Virtual and Augmented Reality – John E. Williamson, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

Haven’t we been here before? Looking at the future of VR by looking back.  John E. Williamson, Harrisburg University Professor, was on the front lines of VR during it’s last big push 20 years ago. This talk will discuss what has changed and what has not and what it will take before we all plug in and tune out in VR.”

John E. Williamson

Working as a Producer, Designer and Narrative Designer, John E. Williamson has shipped over three dozen games in nearly every genre (FPS, RTS, Survial Horror, Arcade, F2P) on nearly every platform (including iOS, Android, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360). Titles have included the original Spec Ops franchise, Rainbow Six, America’s Army, SAW, ​Disney’s Atlantis, Hawken, SuperNova, and many more. Holding a BS and MS in Experimental Psychology from Texas A&M, Mr. Williamson has also taught Advanced Game Design at Digipen Institute of Technology and given talks at PAX Prime, GDC, GeekGirlCon

The MK3 CALIBER EOD Robot –  Corporal Matthew E. Strange Coordinator, Hazardous Device & Explosives Section Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Emergency & Special Operations

Come hear Mathew Strange discuss state-of-the-art robotics as he describes the MK3 Caliber EOD robot used by the Pennsylvania State Police to search out, examine and ultimately diffuse hazardous devices and explosives.

The MK3 CALIBER® EOD robot satisfies a growing need for a medium-sized platform that offers the towing and dragging capability of a larger robot, and the speed, agility and dexterity of smaller, lightweight platforms.

Equipped with a heavy duty claw and rotating TwinDisrupter Turret, the MK3 CALIBER® offers mission critical dependent features at a low cost. Based on recommendations from bomb technicians, the robot is completely modular which allows for easy platform upgrades, field repair, and part replacement and reduces annual maintenance costs. MULTIPLE WEAPONS The unique 355° rotating, 180° tilting Twin-Disrupter Turret provides unparalleled aiming capability of 2 recoilless disrupters. Integrated Cross hairs on the CCU screen with 4 green lasers and 2 color cameras are used for sighting weapons. 4 independent firing circuits are used for initiating disrupters, bottle charges or x-ray systems.

The Hazardous Device and Explosives Section (HDES) of the Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations commenced operations in September 2004.  The primary mission of HDES is to provide the Department with the ability to render safe and/or remove suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs), incendiary devices, explosives, explosive chemicals, pyrotechnics, and ammunition.  The unit is comprised of 9 bomb technicians based in Hershey and Greensburg.  The unit averages approx. 250 calls a year.

Leading Edge Aquaponics – Paul Nickerson, Dr. David Foster, Charlene Gruhn @ Zoetic Global

Paul Nickerson will outline the fundamental processes of aquaponics and Controlled Environment Agriculture and the ways in which it can act as a disruptive technology in mainstream agriculture. He will also discuss past and current projects in which Zoetic Global is engaged as well as a brief glimpse of possible future developments in the aquaponics industry. Dr. David Foster will focus on the connections between the aquaponics industry and higher education, specifically as it relates to collaborative partnerships between universities, and private enterprises, and the potential chains of mentorship, internships and study programs made possible through these collaborations. Charlene Gruhn will touch upon issues related to work force development and the ways in which Zoetic Global’s operating principles use disruptive technologies to create innovative ways of conducting business. She will also address some of her past work experience in creating jobs and shaping new and innovative business models.

Paul Nickerson

Paul serves as the Vice President of Applied Sciences for Zoetic Global. Mr. Nickerson has worked in more than a dozen countries in South and Central America, Africa, and Asia, and become a leader in the design and construction of Controlled Environment Agricultural systems. His global perspective, coupled with his passion for sustainable agriculture, enables him to bring a wide range of tried and true solutions to the table. As Vice President for Applied Sciences at Zoetic Global, he directs the design, engineering and implementation of commercial, educational, and research based aquaponic systems.

Dr. David K Foster

Dr. Foster is the Director of Agricultural Research for Zoetic Global. Our focus includes development of new crops, application of biotechnology and alternative lighting strategies to reduce pests and speed crop cycles and the incorporation of these advances into secondary and post-secondary education. He is also Professor of Biology and Environmental Science at Messiah College Grantham, PA. Dr Foster Foster an MS in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development and a PhD in Botany (University of Wisconsin-Madison 1993, 1998). He holds the Naturalist and Environmental Analyst certificates from AuSable Institute for Environmental Studies where he serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Charlene Gruhn

Char leads Global Service Delivery and Operations for Aggreco. As both a ‘tech startup’ veteran, and the former Partner and EVP of avVenta Worldwide (now Accenture Interactive), Char is a true tactical guru overseeing technical delivery teams of 500+ employees in successful service delivery to Fortune 100 clients including Google, General Motors, Citi and Yahoo. She is an accomplished Information Technology Executive and former MIT Sloan School Analyst with extensive international business experience spanning Enterprise Software, Digital Media and Product Development.