IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)
Technology for the Benefit of Humanity // Colorado Schools of Mines, USA / October 22-25, 2025

Keynotes and Plenary Sessions

Advance, subject to change

Keynotes

Download/view Plenary Speaker bios (PDF)

MGA Young Professionals Welcome Reception

Thursday, October 13
6:30-8:00 pm
Grand 2/3

Keynote Speaker — “Influence of life quality in developing countries by disruptive & transformational technologies”, Dr. Bartosz Wojszczyk – President & CEO, Decision Point Global

 

Opening Plenary

Friday, October 14
8:00-9:30 am
Grand 2/3

Conference Welcome — Joe Decuir (GHTC 2016 Chair)
Opening Remarks — Mike Andrews (IEEE)
Keynote Speaker — “Technology and Resilience in the 21st Century”, Walt Hubbard, Director of King County [Washington, USA] Office of Emergency Management

 

Dinner & Awards Ceremony

Friday, October 14
6:30-8:00 pm
Grand 2/3

Region 6 Awards — Thomas Coughlin (Region 6)
Region 6 HE Award — Thomas Coughlin (Region 6)
Best Student Papers Awards — Charmayne Hughes (GHTC 2016)

Keynote Speaker — “Beyond the ‘Shine’, the future Hero of Humanitarian Response”, Alexis Bonnell, Division Chief: Applied Innovation and Acceleration, U.S. Global Development Lab, USAID

 

Conference Dinner

Saturday, October 15
6:30-8:00 pm
Grand 2/3

Keynote Speaker — Dave Cook, Engineers Without Borders-USA 2016 President

 

Plenary Sessions

Session I — Building effective distribution channels for humanitarian technologies

Friday, October 14
11:30am – 12:30pm
Grand 2/3

Sponsor Speech: Kartik Kulkarni (SIGHT), and Paul Cunningham (HAC)

Panel

Humanitarian technology must be available at a reasonable price where it is needed to make a difference. The panelists provide insights gain from their experiences deploying humanitarian technology

Panelists:

  • Emma Colenbrander (co-founder, Pollinate Energy),
  • Steele Lorenz (co-founder and CEO, MyRain),
  • Jodie Wu (founder and CEO, Global Cycle Solutions),
  • Jackie Stenson (panel moderator, co-founder of Essmart)

Download/view Deployment Panelist bios (PDF)

 

Session II — Humanitarian Applications of Mobile/Wireless Devices

Saturday, October 15
11:30am – 12:30pm
Grand 2/3

Sponsor Speech: Maurizio Vecchione (Global Good)

Panel

Several winners of the Vodafone’s Wireless Innovation Project will discuss their projects, what inspired them and obstacles they overcame to succeed.

Panelists and Their Projects:

  • Seva Sanitation, Cody Finke, Environmental Science and Engineering, Caltech
  • Mobile Stethoscope, Richard Fletcher, Mobile Technology Lab, MIT D-Lab
  • MoMo monitor, Tim Burke, WellDone International, Arch Systems Inc., CTO and Co-Founder
  • Neopenda, Sona Shah, Neopenda, CEO and Co-Founder
  • EyeSee, Navid Amini, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles
  • C-Air, Steve Feng, Ozcan Research Group, Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles

Download/view Mobile/Wireless Panelist bios (PDF)

 

Closing Session

Sunday, October 16
10:30am – 11:30am
Grand 2/3

Closing Comments — Dick Wilkins (GHTC 2017 Chair)

Conference Reflection Session w/ Track Chairs – Jim Miller