The ultimate goal of science is to benefit humankind. The advancement of science, however, may not realize this goal if scientists do not clearly identify the real problems of humanity and assume their role of responsibility in society.

History shows that severe depressions always give birth to new industries. A temporary setback can be a precious opportunity for betterment. What lessons can we learn from the global financial crisis and the pressing ecological challenges? It is time to reflect on the current and future challenges for scientific practice and industrial development.

The International Forum on Technology Innovation and Social Responsibility is scheduled from 13:30 to 17:20 on November 13 (Friday), 2009 in the International Conference Hall, Building for Humanities and Social Sciences on the campus of Academia Sinica. The Forum invites three prestigious speakers to deliver plenary lectures. They are Dr. Morris Chang, Chairman and CEO, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Dr. Bruce C. H. Cheng, Chairman and Chief Environmental Officer, Delta Electronics, Inc., and Dr. George M. Whitesides, Woodford L. and A. Flowers University Professor, Harvard University.

This is a wonderful opportunity for you to exchange ideas with leading scientists and entrepreneurs. You are cordially invited. For more information or any questions about the Forum, please visit the website (http://iao.sinica.edu.tw/TISR/index.html). For registration, please fill in the application form (http://db1x.sinica.edu.tw/tisr/registration.php).