Date(s) - 28 Mar 2012

For February’s event we are happy to be collaborating with alumnae from Wellesley College. In fact, we’ve adapted one of their programmes to our China-specific context.

We will be presenting a panel of four fabulous professional women, drawn from both the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds. Two are Wellesley alumnae and two are our very own Viva  members. Professional mishaps, cross-cultural blunders, risks that backfired; it seems we’re in for some entertaining yet enlightening experience-sharing. We think some of their tales will echo with your own experiences in China, so come join us as we tap into the wealth of experience and resilience of the Viva community.

Viva speakers: Gail Heck-Sweeney, GM Agilent Technologies & Sarah Peel, Director or Music Programs at LaFaFa Education International

Wellesley alumnae: Shannon Van Sant, Contributing Correspondent at France 24 and one other speaker to be confirmed

My Favourite Failure was a semi-annual programme at Wellesley College. The school invited campus administrators, professors and sometimes senior students to speak on a panel about a time that they failed either miserably or spectacularly, and reasons how the catastrophe turned into success or a learning opportunity. After sharing the story and its aftermath, the we opened up discussion to the audience for Q&A. The purpose of such a panel was to reassure students, especially First-Years at Wellesley, that failure, whether it was a poor test grade, public pratfall, fizzled relationship or anything else was not the end of the world. In fact, it strove to reinforce the notion that the phoenix of success most often rises from the ashes of abject failure.

Where - Westin Chaoyang, Beijing

China is recognized as a world leader in its energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.  Its success in reducing sulfur dioxide pollution is also well-known.  Yet we also see lots of problems and challenges around us.  How has China progressed, and what still needs to be done?  What is new in the current Five Year Plan?  These are some of the questions that Deborah Seligsohn will address at our March meeting.

Registration for this event is open to the public. RMB 250 for non-members, RMB 180 for members. If you want to become a member, please visit the membership page on our website. 

BIO

Deborah Seligsohn serves as Principal Advisor to World Resources Institute’s climate and energy program on issues in China. A regular blogger, she researches and writes on a variety of issues connected on both China and international climate policy.

Prior to joining WRI, she served for over 20 years in the U.S. State Department, where she worked on energy and environment issues in China, India, Nepal and New Zealand. Her most recent position was as Environment, Science, Technology and Health Counselor on Beijing. She has a master’s degree from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy, and her BA is from Harvard University in East Asian Studies. She speaks fluent Chinese and some Hindi.