The Wings Conference

Experience the Energy of The Wings Conference 🔥 Catch the highlights from The Wings Conference in our latest sizzle reel. The Wings Conference is dedicated to accelerating climate tech innovations that enrich the lives of everyone in Oregon. If you are Inspired to join us next year, please visit our website for more information: wingsconference.com = Credits: Event Production: Smith & Jones Innovation https://lnkd.in/gfSYU6rs Video Capture, Production, and Editing: AFTER95 Creative https://lnkd.in/gN--rj5f #climatetech #innovation #community #Wings2024

Wings Conference Showcase Speaker series is now available! The Wings Conference Showcase Speaker series features Oregon-based projects and organizations making real headway with climate solutions that can benefit us all. Speakers share with us a short story of their project and let The Wings Conference community (and the world) know how we can help move it forward. 🔗 Watch Showcase Speaker series now on YouTube https://lnkd.in/gZspUfck 2024 Showcase Speakers Tanya Barham | Founder and CEO | Community Energy Labs Dexter Turner | Founder and CEO | OpConnect Jocelyn Gaudi Quarrell | CEO | Bold Reuse Mona Pearson | Director | The Lucky Cow Kellen Moody | Founder | Alluvium Gatherings James Metoyer III | Founder and Executive Director | EnerCity Collaborative Patrick Crowley | CEO | Chapul Farms Martin Cenek | Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science | University of Portland #climatetech #innovation #wings2024

Oregon's Commitment to Climate Change Initiatives | Fireside Panel President and CEO at the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO), Skip Newberry (he, him), hosts Karin Power (Office of Governor Kotek) and State Senator Elizabeth Steiner to talk about the Oregon's commitment as a state for climate change initiatives. 🔗 Watch the full talk now on YouTube https://lnkd.in/gEdtq3fC Karin Power serves as Governor Kotek’s Natural Resources and Climate Policy Advisor. Prior to joining Governor Kotek’s administration, she has ’s held roles that bridge environmental sustainability and business, including positions as interim Executive Director for Business for a Better Portland, Administrative Director for B Local PDX, Oregon’s certified B Corp business association, and Associate General Counsel for The Freshwater Trust. Elizabeth Steiner is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Family Medicine at OHSU. She has served as the State Senator for Northwest Portland and Beaverton since 2011. She is the Senate Co-Chair of the Full Ways & Means Committee, which oversees Oregon's state budget. She is also a member of the Capital Construction Sub-Committee and Co-Chair of the Legislative Audits Committee, both of which address portions of the budget. Skip Newberry, President and CEO at the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO), is a frequent speaker on technology trends and topics, economic development, public-private partnerships, and civic innovation. Before joining the TAO, Skip served as an economic development policy advisor to Portland Mayor Sam Adams, where he helped create Portland’s first comprehensive economic development strategy in 16 years, recognizing software as a key industry cluster. #climatetech #innovation #oregon

As a longtime active "talker" about food, farms, and food systems economy development in our region, I got the opportunity to "speak" - meaning prepare, train, practice, and learn about better presenting my standing vision for transforming Oregon and Washington's food systems into a innovative and appropriate model of resilience, sustainability, and equity for historically underrepresented and marginalized populations. Drawing on the PNW regions rich agricultural heritage, I highlighted the stark contrast between the region's food abundance and the troubling levels of food insecurity among our residents. My position is that in order to "solve" some of the critical issues we face surrounding food, we will be better off treating food and our food system for what it truly is: a Critical Infrastructure — akin to utilities or road system, and invested in, maintained, and valued for its importance in our basic survival as human beings. This formal status can ensure the food system, local, to regional, to national, is actually sustainability and availability, especially in our near constant crisis situations. Our electrical, waste treatment, and water systems are protected and provided special district status across rural and urban landscapes, and similarly for our food, we share both the need to eat, and the need to share our markets, products, and resources in order to continue living. My call to action is becoming more clear with the experiences provided by speaking to audiences: 1. Integrate accessible, affordable, appropriate, and non-toxic technology into the our food loop; soil - seed - cultivation - harvest - transport - processing - packaging - waste, to innovate and better curate our daily needs. 2. Strengthen community ties by investing in protecting and holding regional farmland and investing and subsidizing regional small farmers, producers, ranchers, and fishers who make up nearly 85% of all farmers in the Pacific Northwest. 3. Transform food production and processing from a more chemical/toxic/health negative business model to a health-for-everyone approach to better protect both ecological and human quality of life, and.... 4. Place the farm, ranch, and food worker first, value the food worker first. The value of food work, especially at the ground-level is equivalent to the value of an electrician, a carpenter, a plumber....the infrastructure cannot operate functionally without the workers! Housing, health subsidies, education support, improved quality of life - makes better food! This approach, food as a critical infrastructure, not only addresses the very immediate challenges of food chain gaps, waste, and ever present insecurity but also sets a course for long-term community-centered, collective impact on our overall resilience and health. #foodasinfrastructure #efod #equitabledevelopment #foodsystemsdesign #betterinvestmentbetterfood #nontoxicfarming #handsofffarmland #foodjusticeisfoodequity #bipocfoodleaders #foodloop

Green Horizons: A Blueprint for a CleanTech Cluster in Oregon | Patti Brooke What if Oregon is the next global hub for cleantech innovation? 🔗 Watch the full talk now on YouTube https://lnkd.in/gvGN-9D2 Patti Brooke, Managing Director of Moonbeam Exchange, shares a compelling vision for transforming Oregon into a leading cleantech cluster. Inspired by successful clusters like Silicon Valley, strategic initiatives like Hawaii's focus on renewable energy, and Oregon’s own Silicon Forest, Patti makes a compelling case for the state’s ability to serve as a global center for cleantech innovation. With the state's rich history of innovation and strong commitment to sustainability, Oregon is uniquely positioned to pioneer the future of clean technology. Patti emphasizes the crucial roles of diverse stakeholders, from large corporations to startups, investors, and academia, as well as the importance of seizing the many opportunities for federal funding. Listen and discover the key factors we can leverage to bring Oregon’s potential for a cleantech cluster to life! Let us know your key takeaways from Patti's talk in the comments below. #climatetech #innovation #startups

Friend of the Wings Conference in Fast Company. 🦗 🍫 🪽

You are a Futurist | Cynthia Carmina Gómez, MS, MFA In a rapidly changing world, how do we ensure our future selves will thank us for the choices we make now? 🔗 Watch the full talk now on YouTube https://lnkd.in/gfUfBBdY Cynthia Carmina Gomez, a futurist and Director of Community Impact at Portland State University, says we each need to reflect on our past and future selves to understand how our life has changed — and how it will continue to evolve. FMRI studies show we tend to view our future selves as strangers! This disconnects us emotionally from our own future and blocks us from effective planning. The solution? Make an intentional practice of envisioning yourself in the future. This helps you grasp the implications of your choices and actions. Through a blend of personal narrative, scientific insights, and participatory exercises, Cynthia challenges us to claim our roles as architects of the future. She advocates for a more inclusive approach to future-building that incorporates diverse perspectives and experiences. It’s about recognizing and valuing the unique insights and contributions that different communities — and we ourselves — bring to the table in envisioning and creating a shared, desirable future for all. Let us know your key takeaways from Cynthia's talk in the comments below. #climatetech #innovation #futurist

Food Is Infrastructure | Eddie Benote Hill Imagine a future where every bite we take nourishes us and our planet. 🔗 Watch the full talk now on YouTube https://lnkd.in/ghFmmuhD Eddie Hill, co-founder of Food Loop Northwest, shares his vision for transforming Oregon's food system into a model of sustainability and resilience. Drawing on Oregon's rich agricultural heritage, Eddie highlights the stark contrast between the state's food abundance and the troubling levels of food insecurity among its residents. He passionately argues for treating food as critical infrastructure — akin to utilities. This can ensure its sustainability and availability, especially in crisis situations. Eddie's call to action is clear: integrate technology, strengthen community ties, and transform food production to protect both ecological and human health. His approach not only addresses the immediate challenges of food waste and insecurity but also sets a course for long-term community resilience and health. Let us know your key takeaways from Eddie's talk in the comments below. #climatetech #innovation #sustainability

What Engineering Can Learn from Indigenous People | Joseph Bull It’s no secret native culture and knowledge is way ahead of western science in aligning human activity with nature. 🔗 Watch the full talk now on YouTube https://lnkd.in/gRWtq2iU So why are Native people largely missing in the STEM fields that underpin climate solutions? Joseph Bull is Dean of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at Portland State University. His Wings Conference talk underscores a vital missing ingredient to tackle the climate crisis effectively: Native American traditional knowledge. He challenges the STEM community to rethink its inclusion strategies, advocating for a system that values and integrates the unique perspectives and practices of Native Americans. This call to action is not just about enhancing diversity. It’s about infusing the STEM field with the invaluable insights and approaches — assets that are desperately needed to save Let us know your key takeaways from Joseph's talk in the comments below. humanity. #climatetech #innovation #education

Manufacturing Sustainability | Alicia Chapman Meet the woman transforming manufacturing for a cleaner, greener tomorrow. 🔗 Watch the full talk now on YouTube https://lnkd.in/g-_n5jTg == Alicia Chapman, CEO of Willamette Technical Fabricators, LLC has a bold vision for workforce development to drive the green revolution. In her talk, Alicia shared her journey from a bunker in Afghanistan to leading a pioneering metals manufacturing company in Portland focused on producing green infrastructure. She emphasized the importance of creating good jobs that integrate new technologies and offer meaningful work. At the heart of her strategy is training a diverse new generation of skilled workers, including those from underserved communities, to support projects like modern, earthquake-resilient bridges and floating offshore wind turbines. Discover how Willamette Technical Fabricators is setting new standards in the industry while contributing to environmental and social progress. Let us know your key takeaways from Alicia's talk in the comments below. #climatetech #innovation #workforce