DU Taking Part in Biennial of the Americas

Like a lot of people in the DU community, this month JB Holston is packing his bags and heading out of town. But unlike many people, the Dean of the Daniel F. Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science is not going on vacation, he’s heading to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro for work. Holston is joining a Colorado delegation, led by Governor John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, attending the Biennial of the Americas 2016 Summit.

“The big objective is to just try to tie Colorado and Brazil, particularly around the innovation economies, a lot more closely together. But the other is to explore civic and transparent government, citizen government and higher education,” Holston says.

The summit started in 2010 by then-Denver Mayor Hickenlooper as a way to re-direct attention away from China and Europe as trading partners and cultural competitors. The Biennial attracts leaders from Canada, the U.S. and Latin America.

The conference connects business, cultural and civic interests from throughout the Americas by building lasting relationships and inspiring action through dialogue and art and addressing pressing issues of our time.

“Brazil, like a lot of countries around the world, is looking at Colorado and saying, ‘you guys got that right and what can we learn from how you’re doing it,’” Holsten says. “So, it’s really a two-way street. What can we learn from what Brazil is doing in innovation in some sectors like energy. And what can they learn about what we’re doing around the energy economy to really spur entrepreneurship here.”

Dean Holston will share his experiences and insights when he returns to Colorado.