IDC 2009 - Panel speaker bios

Scientific advances and technological innovation in many fields have had a great impact on human society. However, the role of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in international development continues to be a major source of controversy. While it is acknowledged that IPRs are crucial driving force of technological innovation, it is widely feared that strong intellectual property regimes could prevent development in developing countries.
What role do Intellectual property rights play in international development? Does the WTO TRIPS agreement hinder development or facilitate it? Does the open source development have potential for universal benefits and for closing the digital gap in developing countries? How do we balance that role with promoting technological innovation? This panel session examines these divergent views and identifies solutions for international development.

SAT, 4/4, 2:40-4PM. Location: Littauer 140

Biographies

NY, NJ, and Washington, DC licensed international business, regulatory, tax and trade lawyer. Managing Attorney, Sound Science Business Strategies, LLC; President, Institute for Trade, Standards and Sustainable Development (ITSSD) nonprofit legal research and educational organization. 22 years experience counseling trade associations, public and private internationally-focused businesses operating within the commercial, financial, life sciences, and information & communication technology sectors, as well as, national governments, including former Bush administration executive agencies, and U.S. Congressional subcommittee chairs and professional staff, how to reduce asset, operations and tax risks from evolving foreign and international laws, regulations, taxes, standards, and WTO, WIPO, UNEP, UNCLOS treaties and customary international law.

Adjunct Professor of International Trade Law, Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University; Guest lecturer/panelist: Georgetown University Medical School; Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vyatka State University, Russian Federation; University of Miami School of Law; Temple University Beasley School of Law; National Defense University; EurasiaBIO International Congress for Biotechnology, Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Russian Society of Biotechnologists; XXth Annual Forum da Liberdade, the Instituto de Estudos Empresariais (IEE), Porto Alegre, Brasil; BIOKorea 2008 Conference, Cheongju, South Korea.

Publications: Book chapter (India); Law reviews (US); Law, diplomacy, economic & political journals (US, Europe); Trade magazines (US, Europe); News media articles (US, Europe, Oceania).

LLM Taxation, Georgetown University Law Center; J.D., University of Miami School of Law; B.A., Philosophy, Boston University.

Dr. Rama Rao is the Officer-in-Charge of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Coordination Office in New York. He has been WIPO’s representative since 1998 at the UN Headquarters in New York and undertakes outreach functions.

Dr. Rao worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India for nearly twenty five years and became its Chief Legal Adviser. He was also the Legal Adviser at the Permanent Mission of Indian to the United Nations in New York from 1995-1998. Earlier, he was a full time professor at the Advanced Legal Studies Department of the University of Madras from 1977 to 1982 and lectured at several universities in USA since 1990s. He was also a visiting faculty at the Indian Academy for Diplomacy and International Law, Indian Foreign Service Institute, Executive Member of the Indian Society of International Law, Member of the Editorial Board of Indian Journal of International Law and the Indian Year Book of International Affairs, and an active member of the International Law Association in India Branch and is enrolled as a member of the bar at the Delhi High Court. He has several publications.

Ph.D., MPhil, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi; LL.M., LL.B., B.SC., Andhra University, Waltair

Professor of the Practice of International Development and Director, Science Technology & Innovation, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Calestous Juma is Professor of the Practice of International Development and Director of the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project. He is a former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and Founding Director of the African Centre for Technology Studies in Nairobi, and he also served as Chancellor of the University of Guyana. He has been elected to several scientific academies including the Royal Society of London, the US National Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. He has won several international awards for his work on sustainable development. He holds a PhD in science and technology policy studies and has written widely on science, technology, and environment. He teaches courses in developmental policy as part of the MPA/ID Program. He is lead author of Innovation: Applying Knowledge in Development. He is editor of the International Journal of Technology and Globalisation and International Journal of Biotechnology.