Office of the Spokesperson
The U.S. Department of State hosted the Symposium on Accelerating Science, Technology, and Circular Innovation in Southeast Asia in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 5-7. The U.S.-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership (USASCP), Arizona State University, and Rochester Institute of Technology jointly developed this event, which focused on three primary themes: smart sustainable cities; cooperation in science, technology, and innovation; and circular economy and entrepreneurship. Circular economy approaches promote sustainable consumption and production of resources, including through greater rates of reuse, repair, and recycling to reduce e-waste and increase resource efficiencies across sectors and industries. This event brought together public and private sector actors across multiple disciplines.
Throughout the symposium, USASCP hosted a series of presentations that highlighted projects across a range of sectors, including Smart Sustainable Mobility, Integrated Urban Services, Green Buildings Innovation, and the Business Innovation Fund. A Circular Economy Seminar highlighted the work of the USASCP, ASEAN Secretariat, and the Government of Japan to advance circularity initiatives, in support of the ASEAN Circular Economy Framework of 2021. Participants discussed establishing mutually reinforcing, multi-sectoral collaborations with an initial focus on e-waste. Participants also presented their work and networked with other leaders in urban innovation.
Arizona State University hosted the U.S.-ASEAN Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation pitch competition, workshops, and poster presentations, which culminated in the disbursement of $100,000 worth of awards supporting business ventures and research proposals advancing science and technology across ASEAN member states. Finally, the Rochester Institute of Technology hosted a workshop and presented its newly developed curriculum on circular economy entrepreneurship, providing entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools they need to develop sustainable and environmentally conscious goals into their business models. This integrated event with public and private sector partners emphasized the U.S. commitment to advancing science, technology, and innovation across the ASEAN region.
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