Head Of Science, Technology Think-Tank To Speak At Virginia Tech

Joseph D. Ben-Dak, a former advisor on science and technology to the United Nations (U.N.) and now chairman of Knowledge Planning Corporation, a strategic think-tank that provides advice on science and technology to banks, corporations, and governments, will visit the Virginia Tech campus on Monday, March 24, to discuss "Globalization: Why It Fails and How It Can Be a Key for a Brave New World."

The event, which is open to the public, will be held 5-6:30 p.m. in 1045 Pamplin Hall and will be preceded by a reception for the speaker from 4:30-5 p.m. in the Pamplin atrium.

According to Ben-Dak, his talk will review globalization trends from three perspectives: the least developed countries, where globalization has yet to ease poverty; the planning ministries in industrial countries, where globalization is a tool and a prophesy that does not deliver the goods; and the U.S. corporate world, "where glittering opportunities of globalization seem to be older only than the paper on which they were recorded first."

Ben-Dak, who holds a Ph.D. in mathematical sociology, conflict resolution, and management from the University of Michigan, has financially engineered and established successful technology and science businesses in some 60 countries. Since 1984, he has owned the Tri-Alpha Group of Corporations, a high-end business strategy planning and services consortium. Until recently, he was executive vice president and chief scientist of Xybernaut, a pioneering wearable computers company in Fairfax, Va. He has also been vice-chair of research for the AstroView Management Team.

In six years of working with the U.N., Ben-Dak was principal advisor of science and technology for the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), founder and director of the U.N. Global Technology Group and principal advisor for strategic policy and management for UNDP.

He also has extensive academic, administrative, and licensing experience in institutions such as Oslo, Haifa and Sao Paulo Universities; the Israeli Air Force; and Korea's KAIST/KIST. He is a path-setter in project and program design; impact analyses, nurturing, and design of industrial systems; patent fencing; and regional science. For the past two years, he has been involved in international defense and counterterrorism as a consultant in the U.S., India, and Japan. Additionally, he serves on the boards of several innovative technology and industry corporations and advises investment banks in several countries.

A fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is a member of the advisory board for VITAL (Virginia Israel Tech Alliance), a business development initiative of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, Virginia Israel Advisory board, and other investor/business organizations, which helps Israeli companies with new technology expand into the U.S. market. He also chaired the committee that went to Israel to select companies to come to the U.S. last fall for a business development summit.

Ben-Dak's visit to Virginia Tech is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and co-sponsored by the Pamplin College of Business, the Science and Technology Studies Program, and the Corporate Research Center.

For additional information on Ben Dak's talk, call Gail Williams at 231-6123.