BC Business
DISRUPT 21st INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ELECTRONIC ART From large-scale interactive art pieces to cutting-edge electronic music, ISEA’s eclectic showcases have made it one of the world’s most prominent international arts and technology events. ISEA was held in exotic locations like Istanbul, New Mexico and Australia before washing up on Vancouver’s shores. The theme for this year’s symposium is “disruption” and attendees are invited to challenge “the aesthetics of change, renewal, and game-changing paradigms.” Go crazy. SFU Woodwards campus. August 14 to 18. Prices range from $200 to $650; isea2015.org LEARN DESIGN AND CONTENT CONFERENCE When content is king, it helps to be a kingmaker. Through hands-on workshops and talks by industry leaders, this three-day conference focuses on how to tell stories that shape how people think. Topics range from Conflict Is the Key to Great UX, Design Renegade and Guerrilla Design Tactics to Everybody Hurts: Content for Kindness. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, MailChimp’s throwing a party Thursday night. Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. August 5 to 7. $795 to $1,295; designcontentconf.com
ENGAGE GROW CONFERENCE Who knew that Whistler is becoming the “sandbox” for Silicon Valley to experiment and test the latest advancements–a place where nature and sport collide with innovation? At the Grow Conference, there will be 800 or so North American tech entrepreneurs, investors, executives and creative minds in Whistler to check out the latest advancements around the Internet of Things and the “Future of the Connected Devices.” The Fairmont Chateau Whistler. August 19 to 21. $995; growconf.com KNOW LOUDER THAN WORDS: Harness the Power of Your Authentic Voice This one’s all about you. According to Todd Henry, a motivational speaker self-described as “an arms dealer for the creative revolution,” those who identify and develop their unique voice will gain more attention and wield more influence. But first they must identify what they truly stand for, develop a compelling vision and become masters of expressing their ideas in whatever media they choose. Henry offers strategies, exercises and true stories that illustrate the five attributes of resonant work: authenticity, uniqueness, consonance, empathy, timing. Penguin Random House Canada. Available in hardcover August 11. $32.95; penguinrandomhouse.ca SUSTAIN 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOREFINERY–TOWARDS BIOENERGY As the global rise in energy demands continues to be a major topic of debate for governments, academia and the energy sector alike, the need for sustainable alternatives in bioenergy and advanced biorefinery technology are more important than ever. This conference provides a glimpse into how we can help conserve biological reserves while being conscious of the need for the exploitation of those very resources. UBC. August 10 to 12. $300 students, $400 postdoctoral fellows, $600 professional; icbb2015.org
READ HUMANS ARE UNDERRATED: What High Achievers Know That Brilliant Machines Never Will Worried about being replaced by a robot? Well, there’s hope for humans, says Geoff Colvin, senior editor and columnist for Fortune magazine and author of books including Talent Is Overrated and now Humans Are Underrated. The answer, he says, lies not in the nature of technology but in the nature of humans with our capacity for empathy, creativity, social sensitivity, storytelling, humour, building relationships and leading. Penguin Random House Canada. Available in hardcover August 4. $32.95; penguinrandomhouse.ca ■