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NEWSLETTER

May Issue No. 55
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In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Annual TIDES Demo-Fall 2014
It is our pleasure to announce that registration for the 2014 TIDES Demo has opened! This years forum will take place from 7-10 Oct 2014. We are looking for exhibitors. If you would like to exhibit or attend please click here.

STAR-TIDES Brown Bags at National Defense University!

 

May 12th: Moses Naim,
 Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceClick here for more info or on our Facebook Events Page
 

May 14th:  Nelson Jacobsen, CEO Random Hacks of Kindness Click Here for more info or on our Facebook Events Page  

 

May 28th: Erin Jeffery, International Development Policy and Advocacy, InterAction. Click here for more info or on our Facebook Events Page 


18-21 May 2014  
University Park, PA  
Penn State University's College of Information Science and Technology (IST) will be hosting an international conference focusing on Disaster/Emergency Management and Response. ISCRAM is an international community promoting research and development, exchange of knowledge and deployment of information systems in the field of crisis management, expected to draw over 300 attendees.

 

Last year's ISCRAM conference topics were: "holistic crisis management" and
"the need to close the gap between scientists and the practitioners." ISCRAM 2014 will advance these discussions as it takes a leadership role in reframing information systems for emergency response and crisis management scenarios.

 

Click Here for more information or email David Jordan at [email protected] 

 
COMMERCIAL AFRICAN OPEN SOURCE INFORMATION SHARING 
Through a partnership with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Africa, the Center for Technology and National Security Policy will host a forum on 22 May 2014 at National Defense University. They Keynote Address will be delivered by Dr. Patrick Meier of the Qatar Computing Research Institute. For more information, please contact Nelly Mobula at 202-685-1971 or at [email protected]

Cool Websites to Check Out for the Latest in HA/DR and Development! 


For more resources, Click here.


World Toilet Organization  is a global non-profit committed to improving toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide. WTO empowers individuals through education, training and building local marketplace opportunities to advocate for clean and safe sanitation facilities in their communities. Founded in 2001, WTO continues to provide an international platform for toilet associations, governments, academic institutions, foundations, UN agencies and corporate stakeholders to exchange knowledge and leverage media and corporate support in an effort to promote clean sanitation and public health policies. Organizations such as this are central to STAR-TIDES due to their open access network that allows for the support of new sanitation technology.

 is a nonpolitical, non-denominational entity founded in 1994 as a non-profit (501C)(3) international relief organization which arranges a variety of support for the needy of the world. Through their variety of connections, HRO can support in the acquisition and transportation of supplies for long-term projects in the developing world. TIDES is highlighting this organization in this month's newsletter because of HRO's dedication to sustainable and long-term aid projects. Without entities like HRO, international development would be far more difficult to support.
Quick Links
New Publications 
for all the latest publications! 


New events are being added periodically, so don't forget to check out the STAR-TIDES Calendar of Events and on our Facebook Page!  
STAR-TIDES Network Announcements
It is with great happiness that we are able to report on some exciting news coming out of Sirona Cares. Michelle Lacourciere (Sirona Cares Foundation) has received a Jefferson Award for public service for her work bringing energy access to impoverished communities.  Having received recognition as an awardee last fall, and then a Silver Jefferson Award as a regional top-five awardee she has now been selected to represent the San Francisco region and will be flown to D.C. for a three day event at the Mandarin Oriental from the 16-18th of June.  Founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and Sam Beard, the Jefferson Award is America's highest honor for public service, a "Nobel Prize for public service".
 
In other news, another STAR-TIDES network member, Afzal Syed (Solar Cookers International) won Verizon's 2014 Employee Environmental Excellence Award for his volunteer work for starting recycling at Dar Alnoor mosque in Manassas, VA and for volunteering to promote solar cooking with Solar Cookers International, Solar Household Energy, STAR-TIDES.  
 
CTNSP Challenge Competition Update
On 23 May, we will host a conference call to discuss the Disaster Apps Challenge Competition. The purpose of the call is to introduce the Challenge, explain the basis for meeting the Challenge, and answer your questions. As a result of attending, participants should have a clearer idea of whether or not they are interested in participating in the Challenge.

When: Friday, May 23, 20141:00 - 2:00 PM (Eastern Time); 10-11:00 AM
(Pacific Time)
Conference Dial-In Number:  1-209-255-1000
Participant Access Code: 966583#

**We have decided to extend the deadline for our Disaster Apps and ERW & Landmine Challenge to July 15, 2014.
Sirona Cares and Day and Night Solar: A STAR-TIDES Success Story

(By Andrew Mascelli)
Sirona Cares and Day and Night Solar: At TIDES, it is easy to boast about our partners and how diverse our network has become over the past seven years. However, it is not too often that we see the fruits of this network in such a splendid fashion as the partnership between Sirona Cares and Day&Night Solar.
In 2012, during the AFCEA West Conference, these two organizations came together and recognized that each one had a specific need that could be met through cooperation. Nearly two years later, this idea has become reality. To read the full article, click here.
TIDES Monthly Interview:
Jason Kass of Toilets for People
(By Nicholas Arciniegas)
Toilets for People has made a name for themselves in recent years as they tackle the crisis of poor sanitation in developing nations. With a tongue-in-cheek attitude, Jason Kass leads the organization with his creation, which is known as the CRAPPER. After Jason and his team participated in the last TIDES Demo in October 2013, it became clear that they developed something important and that a partnership with this group should be nurtured.

In order to gain a better understanding of the history of Toilet's for People and its mission, Nico Arciniegas had a conversation with its founder, Jason Kass. All of us at TIDES are very thankful for Jason and his willingness to share his time and knowledge with the STAR-TIDES network. To read more, click here.

If you are interested in interviewing for the TIDES Newsletter please contact Heather Levine at [email protected] 

IKEA Solar Shelters: A Shelter Revolution?
(By Jonathan Fredrickson)
IKEA Solar Shelters are the most recent and exciting product of public-private cooperative ventures and the result is the conclusion of a partnership between United Nations Hugh Commissioner for Refugees and IKEA. Recognizing the need to reinvent the generic emergency shelter, IKEA approached the UNHCR in 2009 with a simple idea, based on the philosophy that underpins all IKEA products: simplicity. Today, prototypes are in testing in refugee regions throughout the world and commercial models will be available in coming years. For more information, visit the website.
(By Nicholas Arciniegas)
Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) represents an increasingly large part of the U.S. military's mission. From March 24-27, 2014, TIDES intern, Nicholas Arciniegas, participated in an exercise  at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia simulating the conditions after Typhoon Haiyan to help train the 10th "Waterborne" Transportation Battalion on HA/DR operations. In this month's newsletter, Nicholas recounts his experience. For the full article, click here.
Thoughts on Malaria Day 2014
(By LouElin Dwyer)
World Malaria Day was celebrated on April 25th, 2014. Great progress has been made in reducing the number of deaths and infections on an annual basis in Africa and throughout the world. However, progress should never justify any reduction of effort as there is always more work to be done.
For more information and access to other links, click here.

 

JOIN THE STAR-TIDES NETWORK  

STAR-TIDES is an international research and networking project that is only as good as its members.  Learn more and consider joining us in bringing research support and relief to stressed populations.  Continue to share and support TIDES by clicking the "Update Profile/Email Address" link below.

  

Sincerely,

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