April 26, 2012

William McDonough, Innovation for a Future of Abundance

William McDonough is an internationally renowned designer and one of the primary proponents and shapers of what he and his partners call "The Next Industrial Revolution." Time Magazine recognized him in 1999 as a "Hero for the Planet," stating that "his utopianism is grounded in a unified philosophy that-in demonstrable and practical ways-is changing the design of the world." Time Magazine again recognized Mr. McDonough and Michael Braungart as "Heroes of the Environment" in October 2007. In 1996, Mr. McDonough received the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, the nation's highest environmental honor; and in 2003 earned the U.S. EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award. In 2004 he received the National Design Award for exemplary achievement in the field of environmental design.

Mr. McDonough is the founding principal of William McDonough + Partners, an internationally recognized design firm practicing ecologically, socially, and economically intelligent architecture and planning in the U.S. and abroad. He is also principal of MBDC, a product and systems development firm assisting prominent client companies in designing profitable and environmentally intelligent solutions. Mr. McDonough is a Venture Partner at VantagePoint Venture Partners in San Bruno, California. Mr. McDonough is Consulting Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University. As of January 2010 Mr. McDonough transitioned from U.S. Chairman and member of the Board of Councilors of the China-U.S. Center for Sustainable Development, a position he has held since 2001, to Chairman Emeritus of the U.S. Board of Councilors.

Mr. McDonough's leadership in sustainable development is recognized widely, both in the U.S. and internationally, and he has written and lectured extensively on his design philosophy and practice. Mr. McDonough and Michael Braungart co-authored Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, published in 2002 by North Point Press.

Sullenger Dialogue with Bill McDonough

Sponsored by the UM-Flint Innovation Incubator

Thursday, April 26, 2012
10:00 a.m.
Harding Mott University Center Michigan Rooms
Booksigning immediately follows

The Barnes and Noble University Bookstore will have copies of Mr. McDonough’s books for sale before and after the event.