Thursday April 14th, 4:00pm-6:00pm, in
Room ASC-328 (Annenberg School for Communication, USC)

IDRC is a Canadian public corporation that works in close collaboration with researchers from the developing world in their search for the means to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies. From its creation in 1970, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has been committed to advancing the role of information in development. A tradition of innovation that began with an emphasis on building databases and information systems has evolved into a focus on the transformative nature of information and communications technologies (ICTs). IDRC was one of the first development agencies to embrace ICTs as a key means to foster development and alleviate poverty. With established programs like Acacia in Africa , Pan Asia Networking in Asia , and Pan Americas in Latin America , IDRC has acquired a breadth of experience on the impact of ICTs on the lives of people in the developing world.

Richard Fuchs
Director, Information and Communication Technologies for Development (IDRC, Ottawa)
A sociologist and rural development technologist, Richard Fuchs has amassed broad experience in academia, the public service, and the private sector. He served as Executive Director, and later as a commissioner, of the Newfoundland Economic Recovery Commission where he was also Vice-President of Rural Development. He was the founder and CEO of the Enterprise Network Inc., a Crown corporation that established Canada's first rural online and telecentre services. In 1996, he set up Futureworks, a firm specializing in the development of distance technology systems and services in rural areas of the developing world. In 1999, his company won Canada's Export Excellence Award in Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Fuchs established North America's first system of rural telecentres and online services in Newfoundland, many years before the Internet became publicly available.

Steve Song
Managing Director, Connectivity Africa (IDRC, Ottawa)
Steve Song studied cognitive science and artificial intelligence at the University of Toronto in Canada, and worked for many years in the computer industry. However, he prefers to refer to himself as a "reformed" technologist. Steve Song is now the Managing Director of Connectivity Africa, an initiative hosted by IDRC that is part of Canada's response to the G8 Africa Action Plan. Connectivity Africa's mission is to accelerate innovation, adoption, and development in information and communication technologies in Africa. Mr. Song was formerly a senior program officer with the Bellanet International Secretariat where his work focused on knowledge management and its implications for international development and on collaboration. He has led a number of knowledge management strategic planning missions and has organized workshops throughout Africa and Asia. In the open source arena, he has championed the use of free software for collaborative work in developing countries. He has worked in the area of ICTs for development since 1991. He was involved in the early development of the Internet in the nonprofit community in South Africa, including set-up of the first Web site for nonprofits; he was also involved in launching of the first online searchable newspaper archive in Africa.

Laurent Elder
Pan Asia Networking Team Leader (IDRC, Ottawa)
Laurent Elder leads IDRC's Pan Asia Networking (PAN) efforts. He joined IDRC's Partnership Division (now the Partnership and Business Development Division) in 1997. Since 1999, he worked at the Regional Office for West and Central Africa on issues related to information and communication technologies and their use in international development, as well as on partnerships in international aid and fundraising. He started his career as a research assistant in France on issues related to French history and international relations. After earning an international master's degree in business administration and a master's degree in history, both from the University of Ottawa, in Canada, he worked for Canada's Ministry of Finance.