Over the last 12 months, The Austin Forum on Science, Technology and Society has showcased a series of distinguished leaders speaking on a myriad of diverse topics. The topics have ranged from energy research to new healthcare technologies for the aging to big science, but they have one thing in common--they focus on the confluence of science, technology and society in the 21st century.

The monthly presentation and discussion series, which is free and open to the public, has averaged more than 150 attendees per month. Nobel Laureate Dr. Steven Weinberg spoke at the most recent event on October 5 and drew more than 350 participants--the largest audience yet. Dr. Weinberg's research on elementary particles and cosmology has been honored with numerous prizes and awards, including the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 and the National Medal of Science in 1991.

The event features a networking reception and a lecture or panel discussion with questions from the attendees, all held in the foyer and 300-seat amphitheater located at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center.

Brock Kyle, owner of Kyle Media, an online publishing and consulting company, said he attends the event for new knowledge and networking. "The Austin Forum provides a unique opportunity in downtown Austin to learn from diverse speakers who cover a wide range of science and technology topics, and it allows like-minded people to meet in a fun, relaxed environment."

The speaker series is made possible by several sponsors: AMD, Dell, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, Austin Chamber of Commerce, and The University of Texas Cockrell School of Engineering. The Texas Advanced Computing Center at The University of Texas at Austin is the coordinating organization for the event.

"IBM has been pleased to help sponsor The Austin Forum," said Sandy Dochen, Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs, IBM Austin. "The events help you explore new thinking in an enjoyable way. The Austin Forum underscores IBM's focus on a 'Smarter Planet' and underscores TACC's vital support for research and society."

"We are proud of the continued growth of The Austin Forum and the participation of the Austin community," said Jay Boisseau, director of the Texas Advanced Computing Center. "The Austin Forum is meeting its goal of informing the public about big issues, and we hope to generate even more discussion, in person and online, in the next year."

The event coordinators issued a survey* to measure progress at this one-year milestone. The following is a summary of the survey results:

• 74% of respondents have attended the Forum between 1-4 times, and 16% have attended more than six times.
• 90% of respondents said this event provides value to their personal and professional lives.
• 85% of respondents said this event ranks as "Excellent" or "Better than Average."
• 97% of respondents would recommend this event to a friend or colleague.

In 2011, topics for The Austin Forum will include alternative energies, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education, the convergence of art and science, and policy areas such as technology, R&D, and economic development at state and national levels.

The Austin Forum occurs on the first Tuesday of every month unless otherwise noted at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on The University of Texas at Austin main campus. You can find us on FaceBook and Twitter (AustinForum). Learn more: http://www.austinforum.org/

*A survey of eight questions was administered via Zoomerang. A total of 63 people responded to the survey which represents 42% of our average number of attendees.