Nagurney Speaks at VIII Congreso Futuro in Chile

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Anna Nagurney, the John F. Smith Memorial Professor of Operations Management at the Isenberg School of Management, recently spoke at two events in Chile as part of VIII Congreso Futuro, which is considered the most important free and open-access scientific forum in Latin America.

“It is very special to be representing the Isenberg School and UMass Amherst here at a truly unique congress,” Nagurney said.

This year’s event took place Jan. 14-20.

Congreso Futuro is unique in the region for providing Nobel laureates, scientists, researchers, artists, opinion leaders and citizens alike “the opportunity to experience some of the world’s most cutting-edge research, participate in the understanding of emerging trends and actively engage in the innovation of ideas and debates that directly influence the globe.”

Approximately 40,000 people directly attended events of last year’s Congreso Futuro around the country. The talks are live-streamed and covered on national TV.

Nagurney was invited to speak by Chilean Sen. Guido Girardi Lavín, who is president of the Future Challenges, Science, Technology and Innovation Commission, on behalf of the Chilean Congress, the Government of the Republic of Chile, and the Chilean Academy of Sciences.

On Jan. 15, Nagurney spoke at the former National Congress building in Santiago on “The Era of Supernetworks” in a thematic session on “Shaping Our Lives, Discovering Simplicity in a Complex World” with speakers from IBM and la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

On Jan. 17, she delivered the keynote “Women in Science: A Personal Journey” followed by a panel discussion at the Honour Hall at the National Congress in Valparaiso. The program included Nobel laureate J. Michael Kosterlitz, who had an office across the hall from Nagurney’s when she was a doctoral student at Brown University.

Nagurney’s itinerary included an official dinner hosted by the Chilean President Sebastián Piñera at the presidential palace in Santiago.