Scholars, reporters gather to discuss innovation journalism

More than 50 speakers and panelists from Europe and the United States will gather April 4-6 on campus to discuss the role of innovation journalism in society and to propose best practices in the field.

The Stanford Center for Innovations in Learning (SCIL) and the Swedish Innovation Journalism Initiative are jointly organizing the second annual conference, which is co-sponsored by Stanford's Graduate Program in Journalism and the Finnish Innovation Journalism Initiative. The conference in the Oak Lounge of Tresidder Union is free and open to practicing professionals and academics, but registration is required.

According to David Nordfors, conference co-chairman and senior research scholar at SCIL, innovation is the largest driver of economic growth and has become a key word in modern society. Despite this, he said, it is rarely defined as a separate news beat.

Researchers, lecturers and students will be given priority seating during the conference's first two days focusing on "Practicing Innovation Journalism" on April 4 and "Publishing Innovation Journalism" on April 5. On April 6, "The Role of Journalism in Innovation Systems" will be discussed, with priority attendance given to public policy professionals and experts.

Patrick Kenealy, chief executive officer of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading technology media company, will deliver the conference's keynote address at 9:50 a.m. on April 4.

Other speakers and panelists include:

Communication Professor Theodore L. Glasser, director of the Graduate Program in Journalism;

Professor Richard Zare, the Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor in Natural Science and former chair of the National Science Board;

Amy Bernstein, executive editor, Business 2.0;

Per Eriksson, director general of VINNOVA, the Swedish government agency for innovation systems;

Marc Ferranti, executive news editor, IDG News Service, United States;

Ken Howe, business editor, San Francisco Chronicle;

Dan Maydan, president emeritus, Applied Materials;

Jeffrey Mervis, deputy news editor, Science;

Tony Perkins, founder and editor, AlwaysOn Network; founder of Red Herring.

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