Next Lives Here Summit

Written by Jessica Francis
When I went to the Summit, I did not really know what to do first. So I wandered the rooms hoping some booth would catch my eye. There was one in the corner full of pictures and artifacts and a T.V. screen showing some kind of indigenous people. It seemed out of place in this room full of suits, V.R., medical devices, and other cutting edge technologies. Naturally I was curious. I spoke with this man for about fifteen minutes and read every display. His homeland, the Republic of Kiribati, is one I have never heard of. It is a small island near Hawaii and it is going under water. The rising of the oceans is something we do not notice, especially in Ohio, but the people in Kiribati and other islands like it can practically see the ocean rising around them. They want their stories told and their culture remembered. They do not get any time in the media, so some of them are beginning to use social media to raise awareness about themselves. They have a Facebook page and an instagram if you want to learn more. After I thanked him for his time and carried on, I went to watch the presentations. Bailout systems seemed quite exciting. The aim is to create a better system for firemen getting out of buildings. One of their points was that the fire fighting industry uses a lot of old technology and does not experience much innovation. They had testimonies from local firemen. They also discussed other potential applications such as helicopters, rock climbing, the military, and even residential uses. This was a very exciting and educational experience. I would be interested in going next year. 

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