NIST to Host Three Nobel Laureates for "Bridges - Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace"

In late January and early February of 2015, NIST International School will be visited by three noted academics as part of the 5th ASEAN event series Bridges - Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace. Facilitated by the International Peace Foundation, the series aims to support "scientific projects and institutions dealing with research into conflict prevention and strategies for the solution of conflicts, as well as with promoting peace activities, understanding and social exchange between peoples, their cultures and traditions". NIST has been a partner with the foundation for several years, having previously welcomed well-known figures such as Oliver Stone, Jesse Jackson and Jackie Chan.

As a top IB World School, NIST strongly emphasizes intercultural dialogue, service learning and conflict resolution. The Bridges series aligns closely with the school's vision, mission and values, and through it students are able to gain unique perspectives into the ways into differing disciplines can be shifted to positively impact the human condition. Each of the three visiting Nobel laureates possesses a unique background and expertise that offer insights into these methods.

Science: Humanity's universal bridge, featuring Professor Brian Schmidt

On Monday, 19 January Professor Brian Schmidt, the 2011 Nobel Laureate in Physics, will address NIST's students on the topic Science: Humanity's universal bridge. A member of Australian National University's Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Professor Schmidt worked with other scientists in the groundbreaking discovery of the accelerating universe in 1998. His use of supernovae as cosmological probes in demonstrating this earned him the Nobel Prize. 

In his speech Professor Schmidt will discuss the role of science through the ages in shaping our current society, reflecting on the good and the bad its knowledge has brought. While science's impact in our daily lives is higher now than ever before, to cope with future challenges the world will need to further improve how it works together. It is through continual advances in our knowledge that we can hope to have the billions of the world's inhabitants live in peace and prosperity into the future.

The global struggle against infectious disease, featuring Professor Bruce A. Beutler

Professor Bruce A. Beutler, the 2011 Nobel Laureate in Medicine, will visit the school on Monday, 2 February. As the Director of the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Prof. Beutler's scientific discoveries have led to therapies and preventative measures to combat infections and cancer. His Nobel Prize-winning work delved into the ways in which our immune systems activate in response to infection.

The global struggle against infectious disease addresses the impact of microbes on human life and evolution. For most of recorded history, microbial infection has led all other causes of death and has influenced human development, including the development of our immune systems. With the advent of modern medicine and health measures, our lives were dramatically changed. Prof. Beutler will delve into the future of medicine and how we can continue to fight the impact of infectious diseases.

Global equity and security, featuring Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei

The final laureate, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, will speak at NIST on Monday, 9 February. Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 1997 to 2009, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 "for his efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way". In addition to his work with the IAEA, Dr. ElBaradei has led a distinguished career as a diplomat, international civil servant and scholar. 

It is his experience in these areas that drives his work with the International Peace Foundation. A long-time advocate of nuclear non-proliferation, Dr. ElBaradei is an advocate of tolerance, humanity and freedom. These principles ensure that all individuals possess basic human rights and are able to pursue individual happiness. He focuses in particular on the ways in which nuclear power can be used to positively impact our lives.