Keynote Speakers 

   
Dr. Ming-Huei Chen, Chung Hsing University, Taiwan

Ming-Huei Chen is an associate professor at the Graduate Institute of Technology & Innovation Management, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan. Dr. Chen teaches graduate level and EMBA Creativity and Innovation Management courses, and lectures creative problem-solving methods in company’s training programs. She completed her PhD from the Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK, in 2001, a MBA and a MSc (Business Education) from Southern New Hampshire University in the United States in 1992; and a bachelor of Business Education in Taiwan in 1990.

Dr. Casimer DeCusatis, IBM Distinguished Engineer and Technical Executive

Dr. Casimer is an IBM Master Inventor with over 70 patents, and co-leader of the 2007 IBM Academy of Technology study “Innovation Ecosystems”.  He is the recipient of several industry awards, including the IEEE Kiyo Tomiyasu Award, the EDN Innovator of the Year Award, the Mensa Research Foundation Copper Black Award for Creative Achievement, and the IEEE/HKN Outstanding Young Electrical Engineer award (including a citation from the President of the United States and an American flag flown in his honor over the U.S. Capitol).  He is co-author of more than 100 technical papers, book chapters, and encyclopedia articles, and editor of the Handbook of Fiber Optic Data Communication (now in its 3rd edition).  Dr. DeCusatis received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ( Troy, N.Y.) in 1988 and 1990, respectively, and the B.S. degree magna cum laude in the Engineering Science Honors Program from the Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA) in 1986.        

Miriam Kelley, Vice-President Product Design, Fisher-Price (subsidiary of Mattel, Inc.)

Miriam has been at Fisher-Price since 1984, starting her career as an Industrial Designer and is currently heading up a variety of Product Design groups at Fisher-Price.  She is responsible for directing many creative people to conceptualize and create engaging, interactive toys and other products for children 1-6 years and beyond.  Her groups produce award-winning products that include Smart Cycle, a unique combination of physical exercise and learning; Digital Art Studio, an interactive arts and crafts studio for the computer; and many Little People playsets and DVDs. Miriam has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Massachusetts College of Art (Boston, MA) and a Certificate in Creative Studies from Buffalo State College

 
Professor Todd Lubart, University of Paris, France

Todd Lubart is Professor of Psychology at the Université Paris Descartes, and Member of the Institut Universiatire de France. He received his PhD from Yale University and was an invited professor at the Paris School of Management (ESCP). His research focuses on creativity, its identification and development in children and adults, the role of emotions, the creative process and intercultural issues. Todd Lubart is author or co-author of numerous scientific reports on creativity, including the books Defying the crowd : Cultivating creativity in a culture of conformity (NY: Free Press, 1995), Psychologie de la créativité (The psychology of creativity, Paris: Colin, 2003), andEnfants exceptionnels (Exceptionnel Children, Bréal, 2006). 
                                                             

Professor Michael Mumford, University of Oklahoma, USA

Dr. Mumford was awarded his Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Psychometrics from the University of Georgia. During his career, he has worked in both academic and industry settings, obtaining grants and contracts to fund over 40 applied research projects for private corporations, federal government agencies and various branches of the military. Dr. Mumford has worked as a Senior Research Fellow at The American Institutes for Research (AIR) where he obtained, directed, and managed .5 to 1.5 million-dollar research projects. He has authored over 100 articles and book chapters in the areas of biodata, leadership, creativity and problem solving, and integrity and is on the editorial boards for three major journals. Dr. Mumford holds the position of fellow in two divisions of the American Psychological Association and is also a fellow in the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology and in the American Psychological Society. Dr. Mumford is also currently the George Lynn Cross Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Oklahoma where he is Director of the Center for Applied Social Research.

 
Professor Tudor Rickards, University of Manchester, England

Professor Rickards has been associated with the School since 1972 and has published widely on innovation and creativity. He works closely with various international organisations in the development of innovative skills. He has won international awards for his teaching and educational work in his specialist areas, and was Alex Osborn visiting professor at the State University of New York, Buffalo in 1987-88. In 1999 his twelfth book, Creativity and the Management of Change, was published by Gower Press. Professor Rickards is founder and director of The European Association for Creativity and Innovation. He co-edits the journal Creativity and Innovation Management. Before joining the School, Tudor Rickards was a visiting instructor and then assistant professor at the New York Medical College and a manager at Unilever. His earlier background was as a technical, research and new products manager.