Get the insiders’ guide to innovation

Joint media release from National Library and VUW

Department of Internal Affairs – Te Tari Taiwhenua
Media Release
13 June 2014
Get the insiders’ guide to innovation

Some of Wellington’s most creative minds explore the link between creativity and innovation at the National Library’s latest Leading Edge event on Wednesday 18 June.

Hosted by Professor Grant Guilford, Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington, the lecture will feature presentations from Victoria University experts in literature, design and science, including:

• Damien Wilkins, award winning writer and director of Victoria’s renowned creative writing programme at the International Institute of Modern Letters
• Professor Simon Fraser, Associate Dean (Research) at Victoria’s Faculty of Architecture and Design and former Assistant Design Director at the Porsche Design Studio in Europe
• Professor Kate McGrath, Professor of Chemistry and Director of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology.

Professor Guilford says world-class universities, such as Victoria, are a natural breeding ground for creativity and play a pivotal role in fostering and strengthening how that translates into innovation.

“True creativity requires freedom and independence of thought and that is something we guard fiercely at Victoria.

“Universities are also responsible for translating those ideas into deep innovation which comes from research that enters unchartered territory, is broad, unpredictable and not shackled by short time frames.

“We also see it as our responsibility to prepare graduates who are able to think critically, creatively and independently and drive and communicate their ideas. We view our staff and students as modern day explorers who are expanding the frontiers of human knowledge.”

Professor Guilford says the diverse line-up of speakers at the lecture will provide compelling insights into how creativity fuels innovation in a variety of disciplines and initiatives.

Event: Panel presentation on Creating Worlds: writing, design, science—an insider's guide to innovation
Place: Ground Floor, National Library, Molesworth Street, Wellington
Time: 5:30pm Wednesday 18 June

The event is free but could you please RSVP with Creating Worlds in the subject line to keith.thorsen@dia.govt.nz.

Leading Edge is a public programme running daily (8.30am – 5.00pm, Monday to Saturday) at the National Library. It looks beyond science and technology at how innovation can happen anywhere and touch all aspects of our lives.

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