Global Technology Management Conference coming to Bemidji this week

Starting this week, information technology, computer science, business technology and engineering technology professionals from all over the world will descend on Bemidji for the Global Technology Management Conference.

The three-day gathering, May 26-28, will feature presentations on subjects such as enterprise architecture management, forensic analysis of solid-state hard drives, residential solar energy generation systems, and using low-cost hardware and software to operate a community radio station. Presenters come from all over the world from countries including Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

The event is coming to Bemidji State University through the efforts of Dr. Mahmoud Al-Odeh, an assistant professor of technology, art and design at BSU who has been working to bring this conference to Bemidji since he arrived on campus in 2012.

Al-Odeh sees the conference’s visit to Bemidji as a unique opportunity to showcase BSU’s emphasis on sustainability and illustrate sustainable practices in technology.

“Sustainability is what connects BSU with the conference,” Al-Odeh said. “We would like to know how technology has been used and managed in these areas.“

The conference’s keynote speaker will be **Dr. Marion Schafer**, coordinator for the technology management doctoral program at a consortium of five schools that includes Indiana State University. The address will focus on Schafer’s work to research sustainable practices and the environmental impact of product packaging.

The Global Technology Management Conference is one of many sponsored by the Society of Digital Information and Wireless Communications, which supports academics and professionals working with computers, networks and wireless communication. It sponsors conferences all over the world, in both industrialized and developing nations, with the goal of bringing positive change through technological innovation. Previous conferences have been held in countries such as Malaysia, Taiwan, Lebanon and Tunisia.