City of Raleigh conference to spotlight initiatives in Triangle’s ‘smart cities’ movement

RALEIGH – The City of Raleigh is holding a summit to spotlight the latest initiatives, projects, trends and research happening within the local “smart cities” movement.

Leaders from industry, nonprofits, local government and universities will participate in talks and panels exploring all things “smart” in the Triangle, covering 5G, drone technology, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, transportation and mobility, and digital inclusion.

The Triangle Smart Cities Summit takes place on October 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center. RIoT and NC State University are co-presenters.

This year marks the third annual iteration of the summit, pointing to the continued interest and activity in making the Triangle more engaged with emerging smart and connected technologies.

Smart Cities Summit recap: Tweets from on the scene

Organizers are expecting a turnout of around 500 people.

City of Raleigh Smart City Coordinator Noah Otto says that through the event, the city aims to spark discussion about how the Triangle can leverage next-generation technologies to accelerate the future of the region.

“This gathering spotlights initiatives and projects that are underway or are being planned to make the Triangle smarter and more connected,” Otto adds. “We seek to create conversation and connections in the smart cities space in the Triangle and beyond.”

Cary’s ‘smart city’ work could one day save taxpayers money

5G wireless could help NC make leap from smart phones to smart cities

Tom Snyder: Cities discuss ‘smart,’ what’s next for smart city tech & partnerships

The program starts with a talk from Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane, RIoT Executive Director Tom Snyder, NC State Associate Vice Chancellor Dennis Kekas and City of Raleigh Assistant Community City Manager Marchell Adams David.

Here’s a rundown of the talks and panels on the day’s agenda:

Wilson Greenlight General Manager Will Aycock will present a talk on digital inclusion and its role in economic development. (More coverage: Read WRAL TechWire’s Q&A with Aycock.)
Mansour Raad, big data expert at ESRI, will deliver a presentation on the global perspective of smart cities and maps.
Town of Cary Chief Information Officer Nicole Raimundo will discuss the state of technological growth in the Triangle as a region. (More coverage: Read WRAL’s reporting on the smart cities movement in Cary.)
Town of Cary Smart City Program Manager Terry Yates will moderate a panel on aerial experimentation and wireless research, featuring Wireless Research Center Founder and CEO Gerald Hayes, NC DOT UAS Program Engineer Darshan Divakaran, NC State Associate Professor Ismail Guvenc and US IGNITE Communications Director Mari Silbey.
AT&T North Carolina President Trey Rabon and Spectrum Smart City Solutions Senior Director Patricia Zullo will present a talk on connectivity.
WSP USA Consultant Virginia Lingham will moderate a panel titled “Innovation from Everywhere,” featuring City of Raleigh Digital Inclusion Program Director Linda Jones, AT&T Senior Technology Director Craig Walton and NC A&T Associate Professor Ali Karimoddini.
Curt Savoie, director of IDC’s Global Smart Cities Strategies program, will present a talk on smart city implementation and strategy.
Town of Morrisville Council Member Steve Rao will moderate a panel on digital infrastructure with Building Clarity Account Executive Rob Morrow, ABB Smart Grid Distribution Automation Program Manager Howard Self, Crown Castle Government Affairs Manager Ann Brooks and Town of Chapel Hill CIO Scott Clark.
RIoT Director of Growth and Communications Sarah Glova will moderate a panel on stormwater partnerships with Green Stream COO Karen Lindquist, Cisco IoT Architect Seth Price, Wake County Environmental Services Director Joseph Threadcraft and City of Raleigh GIS and Emerging Technology Manager James Alberque.