The Hilton-University of Houston

The Hilton-University of Houston is managed by the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston. Located on the campus of UH, this hotel is a fifteen minute drive from Hobby Airport, eight minutes to downtown Houston, fifteen minutes to the Texas Medical Center, and fifty minutes to Bush Intercontinental Airport. This is a unique facility – many of the students will be serving you during the event. This is a small facility; accordingly, we have also reserved a block of rooms at Crowne Plaza Houston-Reliant Park, and made shuttle arrangements for the event.

Reservations: Hilton-University of Houston

Crowne Plaza Houston-Reliant Park; formerly: Houston Grand Plaza Hotel

Once the most pristine and celebrated hotel in not just the city, but throughout the entire world, the hotel began undergoing a massive renovation in late 2005 to revitalize this living piece of Houston's history. Re-christened the Houston Grand Plaza Hotel, it is currently being returned to its original grandeur. The elegance of this once splendid hotel is being recaptured and is once again being carried throughout every inch of the corridors and into every room.

A shuttle service will be provided between the Crowne Plaza and the University of Houston campus in the mornings and afternoon.

Reservations: Crowne Plaza Houston-Reliant Park or call (713) 748-3221

Welcome Reception: "Welcome BioProducts Texas Delegates"

We are very fortunate to have the University of Houston family host us at the beautiful Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts.  

The building underwent a major expansion The building has just gone through another renovation, led by Austin-based architectural firm Lake | Flato. This project enhanced the lobby space of the existing School of Theatre, added two new rehearsal spaces, and provided a second story office suite for the Mitchell Center. This beautiful building was renamed the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts in October 2006, honoring Mrs. Mitchell whose long-standing love of the arts has been so evident throughout her life.

The University welcomes all attendees, and hopes you can join us - and enjoy this wonderful building - as well as the company of your fellow delegates.

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts is located on the campus of the University of Houston, and is within walking distance from the Hilton Hotel.

Map and Information, Click Here.

Breakfast/Keynote Speaker: The Honorable James Woolsey

Robert James Woolsey Jr. is a foreign policy specialist and former head of the Central Intelligence Agency. Woolsey has held important positions in both Democratic and Republican administrations. His influence has been felt during the Carter, Reagan, Bush (elder), and Clinton administrations. Woolsey is known for clearly articulating the national security argument in support of alternative energy supplies and a move towards distributed generation.

Sponsored by: Baylor University and Standard Renewable Energy

State of the State: The Honorable Phil Wilson – Texas Secretary of State; and other state elected officials

As the 106th Secretary of State, Phil Wilson is one of six state officials to form the Executive Department of the State of Texas in accordance with the Texas Constitution. He was appointed by Governor Rick Perry and sworn in on July 1, 2007. Previously, Secretary Wilson was responsible for Texas’ economic development and job creation initiatives as Governor Perry’s Deputy Chief of Staff. Wilson also served as the governor’s official designee on the $200 million Emerging Technology Fund and the $185 million Texas Enterprise Fund. Under his leadership, Texas leveraged more than $10 billion in capital investment to create more than 45,000 new jobs.

In addition to the Secretary, attendees will hear from: Dub Taylor, Director - State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) Mark Ellison, Director - Texas Emerging Technology Fund Aaron Demerson, Executive Director – Texas Economic Development & Tourism Sponsored by: Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council

Breakout Session I

Roundtable I: BioChemicals & BioMaterials: "The Pipeline
is Ready!"

Over time, petroleum-based industrial products gradually replaced products derived from biological materials. However, biologically-based products are making a comeback – because of a threefold increase in farm productivity and new technologies. This session will discuss products & possibilities.

Featuring:

• Ed Greene - Johann Haltermann – moderator
• Dr. Eric Herquet - TTU-Center for Biobased Materials
• Mark Sterling - UH - Center for Advanced Materials
• Tiffan Wong, Owner - New Living
• Others tba

Sponsored by: TTU and Johann Haltermann

FILM – Special Presentation: “Nature’s Blueprints” A (very) short film that looks at design-by-nature through the works of an award-winning architect

Roundtable II: Special Presentation
National Bio- & Agro-Defense Facility – “The Texas Opportunity”:

The Department of Homeland Security selected the Texas Research and Technology Foundation as one of its top five locations for the new National Bio and Agro Defense Facility. The proposed facility would research high-consequence biological threats involving zoonotic (i.e., transmitted from animals to humans) and foreign animal diseases. It would allow basic research, diagnostic development, testing and validation; advanced countermeasure development; and training for high-consequence livestock diseases. Attendees will see the FINALIST presentation, and participate in Q&A with the Director.

Featuring: - York Duncan, President - TRTF Sponsored by: Texas Research and Technology Foundation

Lunch/Keynote Speaker: William C. "Bill" Hostetter, Publisher - DISCOVER Magazine

Launched in 1980, DISCOVER delivers entertaining, relevant, and thought-provoking science content that feeds the mind and fuels the imagination. DISCOVER poses essential questions and tackles highly topical, sometimes controversial issues on the cutting edges of science, technology a nd the future. The magazine's mandate is to unlock the mysteries of science in a way that reveals its wonder and captures the imagination of its readers.

Sponsored by: Vinson & Elkins

Breakout Session II

Roundtable I: “Can BioProducts Help the Environment…?” – addressing Air & Water Quality Issues

Air and Water Quality are high-level concerns for the state, particularly in the major metropolitan areas, and in those areas of the state with industrial assets. The roundtable will discuss and debate the numbers, the possible solutions, and the political implications…should be interesting…!

Featuring:

• Bob Avant - USDA Agriculture Air Quality Task Force
• Shelley Whitworth - Houston/Galveston Area Council
• Mike Meroney - Huntsman Corporation
• Helen Hodges - Separation Systems Consultants
• Raul Rivas - South Texas Environmental Institute
  
• Others tba

Sponsored by: HGAC

Roundtable II: "NASA:  Commercial Biotechnology Opportunities in Space " Presenter: Dr. Neal R. Pellis; Senior Scientist, Space Life Sciences Directorate - NASA Johnson Space Center

Dr. Pellis will present space biotechnology background, research successes, and plans for the Station. This overview of the growing biomedical research program will include discussion about NASA partnerships with biotechnology companies in the areas of drug discovery, bioprocessing, robotic technologies for accelerated cell production, and space cellular biotechnology.

ALSO - Learn about: National Space Biomedical Research Institute Earth applications from NSBRI research include new technologies that will allow easier access to health care in rural areas, treatment for diseases such as osteoporosis, improved detection of risk and protection from radiation, and a computer-based, self-help system for managing conflict.

Breakout Session III

Roundtable I: Future Fuels; “Biogasoline, Biohydrogen, Algae…What we Know, What we Don’t Know & Where We’re Going”

Featuring:

• Moderator: Jeff Trucksess/KinderMorgan - Green Earth Fuels, LLC
• Dr. Ken Hall, Jack E. & Frances Brown Chair & Professor, Dept Chemical Engineering - Texas A&M University
• Brian Weeks, Regional Director - Gas Technology Institute
• Dr. David Hazlebeck - General Atomics
• Dr. Ramon Gonzalez - Rice University
• Dr. Eric Taylor - TAMU & Texas Forestry Association
• Others TBA

FILM – Special Presentation: “French Fries to Go” An award-winning short film by Howard Donner. A funny & thought-provoking piece.
Sponsored by: TAMU, Kinder Morgan and Green Earth Fuels, LLC

Roundtable II: Biopharmaceuticals; “Approaching Tomorrow, Today – Why Bio-Based Products Matter in Biotechnology”

Biotechnology products are different from traditional drug products in several important respects. These differences relate not only to their vastly greater size and complexity, but also to the inextricable relationship between such products and the biological processes that are used to make them. Similarly, targeted biotech drugs and plant-based pharmaceuticals are bringing new benefits even as they foment pricing dynamics that are very different from those of traditional drugs. Learn more about this bio-based approach and related manufacuturing.

Featuring: Curt Bilby/Terapio & BioAustin

• Dr. Art Frankel - Scott & White
• J. David Enloe, Jr. - Introgen Therapeutics
• Dr. Ka-Yiu San - Rice University
  
• Others tba

Sponsored by: CenterPoint Energy

"Global Perspectives"
Featuring an international roundtable – Brazil, Israel, Canada, UK, Denmark

• Canada: Michel Huneault – Industrial Materials Institute
• Brazil: Dr. Sillas Silva Filho - Petrobras
• Denmark: Jens Birk – Denmark Trade & Investment
• Israel: Yael Barash – BioPetro Clean
• UK: Sam Shepherd – Eco Solids International

“Where does Texas stand in a Global Economy…Where can Texas ‘win’ in a Bioeconomy…?”
Learn how these countries are creating economy through BIO-BASED PRODUCTS

Special Presentation: “ECOMAGINATION” Moderated & Sponsored by: GE

"Ask the Farmer" Program

Breakfast/Keynote Speaker: 8:30am – 9:00am MORNING KEYNOTE: Ms. Amy Ehlers/BIO

BIO is the world's largest biotechnology organization, providing advocacy, business development and communications services for more than 1,150 members worldwide. Ms. Ehlers will discuss how bioproducts, aka Industrial Biotechnology is revolutionizing the way we can produce energy, chemicals, electricity, hydrogen, and other products. By harnessing nature's unique ability to make biocatalysts, industrial biotech can now be employed to convert previously unusable agricultural waste products to energy and biodegradable products.

Sponsored by: Bayer CropScience

FEATURED GUEST: 9:00am – 9:30am William Orts, Director - USDA Bioproducts Chemical and Engineering Lab – ARS, California

FILM – Special Presentation: “Texas First Ethanol Plant” – a Texas Farm Bureau TV Production

Tom Paben/Director- Texas Farm Bureau

Discussion: "FOOD v. FUEL v. FEED… the so-called ‘Silent Tsunami’ of World Hunger – Real or Alarmist?”
Led by: Dr. David Anderson/TAMU, co-author
This important discussion will be led by representatives of The Agricultural & Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University – they will discuss THE report that is being utilized by the federal government – and has been referenced in various news reports – in policy formation.

“ASK THE FARMER” Panel
Featuring:

Spencer Swayze - CERES, Inc. Mike Doguet - Doguet Rice David Cleavinger, President - National Wheat Growers Dee Vaughn, Past-President - National Corn Growers Dr. Dick Auld - Texas Tech University Walter Nelson - CERES Others TBA Sponsored and Moderated by: CERES, Inc.

CLOSING SESSION/KEYNOTE SPEAKER: The Honorable H.S. “Buddy” Garcia; Chairman - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

Sponsored by:TCEQ and Waste Management, Inc.

LUNCH BREAK
We have organized a couple of “diversions” for you. You are invited to either tour the Green Building project on the UH campus, after which you may want to walk over and enjoy one of Houston’s most notable galleries, The Blaffer Gallery - it is near the tour site; OR… you may want to Catch a Movie! (see below)

Don’t Forget: GREEN CHEMISTRY 101 WORKSHOP begins at 1:30pm

BOX LUNCHES – one of the student groups will be selling box lunches as a fundraiser; these will be available in the registration area. You may take these with you on the tour, or to the movie.

You may also enjoy lunch at Eric’s, Chili’s, Subway, or the Student Union cafeteria.

Tour: “Green” building project on UH campus Sponsored by: University of Houston
FILM – Special Presentation: “How to Save the World” An award-winning short film (103 min); A blueprint for a post-industrial future, this film takes you into the heart of the world's most important renaissance. The outcome of the battle for agricultural control in India may just dictate the future of the earth. Thought-provoking & inspiring.

“GREEN CHEMISTRY 101”
Workshop: We are pleased to offer this interesting program. You will be taken through some of the basics of this bio-based, bioproducts science, and its general applications. Attendees will also enjoy participating in ‘live’ experiments.

Your Professor: Dr. Thomas Wood – Texas A&M University Professor of Chemical Engineering & Biology
Lab Assistants: TAMU Graduate Students
Featured Speaker: David Hester, Director of Business Development - Huntsman Corporation

Sponsored by: Texas A&M University and Huntsman Corporation