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Building Bridges for Societal Resilience - Fifth Annual Conference of Romanian American Professionals

TeoStan

Updated: 1 day ago

December 15th and 16th 2023

The Fifth Annual Conference of Romanian American Professionals, themed "Building Bridges for Societal Resilience," took place on December 15-16, 2023. This annual gathering sought to honor the significant contributions of Romanian Americans to American society while fostering connections among professionals from various fields. The conference aimed to highlight the achievements of Romanian American professionals. It featured developments within our interdisciplinary councils focusing on Arts and Culture, Medicine and Public Health, Legal Counseling, Development and Public Policy, STEM and IT, Community Civic Engagement, and Social Entrepreneurship. It sought to strengthen the national diaspora's resilience in responding to crises and promote the projects of excellence implemented in various diaspora hubs through targeted interventions and collaborations.

A diverse array of distinguished speakers and diaspora public figures participated, sharing insights from their respective fields and addressing the evolving needs of the Romanian and Moldovan diaspora. The Federation of Romanian American Organizations (FORA) was highlighted as a successful outcome of the collaborative efforts initiated five years ago to build a cohesive network of community-based organizations. This federation has proven effective in responding to crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

Chief Commissioner Valentin Vătăjelu, the keynote speaker, presented from Bucharest, discussing Romania's path to accession to the US Visa Waiver Program—an initiative that presents a historic opportunity for Romanian and Moldovan professionals to foster partnerships with American institutions.

Teodor Stan, founding president of the IRF, celebrated the journey since the inaugural conference in 2019. Key reflections included:

- The initial proposal for evaluating community-based organizations which has evolved into a robust collective network that enhances the diaspora's ability to respond to challenges effectively.

- The creation of tangible communication and fundraising networks has further solidified trust among diaspora organizations, exemplified by the successful fundraising efforts for Ukrainian refugees.

Building resilience within a national diaspora community:

The conference emphasized the vital role of the academic and professional diaspora role-models and community-based leaders in building societal resilience. Participants were encouraged to join interdisciplinary councils to devise common support strategies for vulnerable populations and to serve as mentors to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the Romanian and Moldovan communities.

Collaborative Future Goals:

As the conference concluded, attendees were called to action to assist in:

- Promoting partnerships between Romanian and Moldovan universities and American institutions, leveraging the potential of the diaspora for knowledge exchange and collaboration.

- Encouraging Romanian professionals to renew their US visas and explore academic engagement opportunities, thereby enhancing the chances of successful visa applications.

The Fifth Annual Conference of Romanian American Professionals successfully reinforced the importance of solidarity, partnership, and community engagement among Romanian and Moldovan professionals. Participants left equipped with actionable insights with regards to the push for Romania’s acceptance within the Visa Waiver Program and a renewed commitment to collaboration that strengthens both communities and their role in the broader host country societal landscape. As we look ahead, the lessons learned, and connections made at this conference will serve as a foundation for future resilience and growth.


Welcoming remarks: Teodor Stan, President and Founder of Immigration Research Forum and 2023-2024 President of the Federation of Romanian American Organizations


Opening Plenary Session Speakers:


Formal Opening Address by H.E. Viorel Ursu, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the United States, Washington, DC;


Remarks by Chief Commissioner Valentin Vătăjelu, State Counsellor in the Romanian Prime Minister’s Chancellery, National Coordinator for Romania’s accession to the US Visa Waiver Program;


Remarks by Ambassador Jim Rosapepe (ret.), Alianta President, Maryland State Senator and board member of the Council of American Ambassadors;


Remarks by Liviu Sebastian Jicman, President Romanian Cultural Institute and President of the European Union National Institutes for Culture;


Remarks by Dorian Branea, Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute (RCI) in New York


Remarks by Honorary Consul of Romania to Connecticut, Immigration Attorney Dana R. Bucin at Murtha Cullina LLP;


Presentation by Blue Heron Foundation’s President Mrs. Stefania Magidson, 21 years of activity in Moldova and Romania


Featured STEM and IT presentation:

Dr. Marius Stan, former Senior Scientist and Leader of Intelligent Materials Design at Argonne National Laboratory; Senior Fellow, University of Chicago and Northwestern University;

"The Role of Computing in Science and Technology"

Dr. Marius Stan is a researcher and author in Chicago. He obtained his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Bucharest and his PhD in chemistry from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Romanian Academy. After moving to the U.S. in 1997, Dr. Stan was a Senior Scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and National Director of Modeling and Simulations at the U.S. Department of Energy, during the Obama administration. He later became the leader of the intelligent materials program at Argonne National Laboratory and Associate Professor at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Dr. Stan uses artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computer simulations to understand and predict the properties of complex systems with applications in energy, electronics, and national security. He has extensively published in scientific literature and holds several patents. Recently, he decided to devote himself to personal projects centered on the use of AI in science, technology, and arts. Dr. Stan gives a series of talks on this topic at international events and is currently writing a book on human and artificial intelligence.

Presentation by Razvan E. Miutescu – Partner Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP | Intellectual Property & Technology – DC Cyber Task Force;


Jackson Howard, Regional Coordinator EURAXESS North America

Transatlantic academic research opportunities for stakeholders in the Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions and the European Research Council


Jace Jasper, US Program Officer, Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange, Brussels- “The Fulbright Schuman Program: Research Opportunities for US and EU Citizens” and transatlantic research opportunities.


Medicine and Public Health Panel Speakers:

Mioara Larion, PhD Principal Investigator, Head of the Cancer Metabolism Research Program at the Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB) of the NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE'S Center for Cancer Research;


Liliana Pinete, MD, MPH public health executive, Chief Operating Officer for the

Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey;


Raluca Negulescu-Balaci, Executive Director of UiPath Foundation, a global non-profit organization that empowers underprivileged children from Romania and India to reach their potential through access to 21st century-oriented education;


Dr. Mihai Adrian Dobra – Comparative US and Romanian public health approaches, Assistant Professor of Urology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest;


Vero Nica, Co-founder & President of VAR Cultural, Bucharest;

 Artivism its best – WaveforME and “Amprenta Sunetului;


Lavinia Carmen Uscătescu, PhD, Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Institute of Living, Hartford CT;

Biomentorhub


STEM and IT Panel:

In Memoriam Prof. Dr. Mircea Fotino, director of the Boulder Lab for high voltage electron microscopy, Univ. of Colorado;


Community Civic Engagement and Social Entrepreneurship Panel Speakers:

Mirela Panaitisor, Secretary of the Federation of Romanian American Organizations (FORA);


Eugenia Popa and Dana Voler, Heritage Organization of Romanians in Minnesota, (HORA-MN)St. Paul's, MN;


Mirela Panaitisor, Vice-President of the Romanul Corp. of CT;


Roxana L. Cazan , Executive Director ARCHER;


Adrian Ozarchievici, RomAmPro - Romanian Business Professionals Association, NY/NJ


 
Humanities, Arts and Culture Panel Speakers:

Creative Producer, Adela Sinclair and Cristina A. Bejan, PhD. Executive Director, “Bucharest Inside the Beltway,” (BiB) founding members of IRF's Romanian American Literary Circle (RALC);

BiB lands in the Big Apple


Simona Sirghie and Sebastian Dorean, Mircea Eliade Cultural Association, Colorado;





Adela Sinclair - Romanian-American poet, translator, and teacher, and a NYFA Grant recipient;


Domnica's reading of Roxana L. Cazan's work- Oklahoma resident poet and translator, is co-editor with Domnica Rădulescu of Voices on the Move: Writing by and about Refugees (2020) and most recently published Tethered to the Unexpected: Poetry About Illness (2022)


Closing remarks: Teodor Stan, President and Founder of Immigration Research Forum, call to action in support of transatlantic scientific diaspora leveraged academic exchange programs and institutional partnerships. Proposed working group and awareness campaign on Visa Waiver accession efforts.



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