Date/ Time	Topic	Speaker
14 May 2006 2.30pm- 4.30pm	Macro-economic Performance and Challenges The opening talk in the series provides an overview of Penang’s economic performance, past and present, located within the context of the changing regional and global economy. This aim is to highlight the issues and challenges  Penang faces in moving towards  achieving developed state status.	Ms. Poh Heem Heem Senior Economist at SERI, which provides inputs to the Penang State Government based on independent studies and research. Has worked in the areas of Finance and Economics.
21 May 2006 2.30pm- 4.30pm	How does our Quality of life measure up? In the past 30 years Penang has developed rapidly via industrialization,to become one of Malaysia’s leading states. This talk takes a look at some quality of life indicators to answer the question- has the quality of life of Penangites risen in tandem with economic growth?	Ms. Tan Yin Hooi Economist, Economics Section at SERI; trained in development planning and management; has worked in the areas of Statistics and Socio-economics.
28 May 2006 2.30pm– 4.30pm	Moving into the Era of Penang i-Land 3 years ago a blueprint on Knowledge-Information & Communication Technology (K-ICT) was formulated as a roadmap to chart the strategies and action plan for Penang’s transition to a K-economy, K-society & ‘intelligent’ Land. This talk surveys the work of the K-ICT Council to assess how far we have progressed in moving towards Penang i-Land	Ms. Fatimah Hassan Programme Coordinator, SERI; attached to the Secretariat of Penang K-ICT Council, established to identify strategies & coordinate action plans in these important sectors.
4 Jun 2006 2.30pm- 4.30pm	Healthy living: Environmental vs behavioural Risk Factors Healthy living is often promoted through campaigns to change individual behaviour, e.g. ‘Stop Smoking’ ,’Eat Better’, ‘Exercise More’, But, lifestyle changes may not be enough to ensure our health. This talk invites us to consider the environmental risk factors that must also be taken into consideration for Penangites to live healthier lives.	Dr. Yee Lai Wan   Chief Executive Officer, SERI; an environmental economist who has worked in the areas of environmental health and Environmental Management.
11 Jun 2006 2.30pm- 4.30pm	Education: Meeting Different Needs Penang requires a wide range of institutions,  formal and non-formal, from pre-school to tertiary level, to meet different educational needs of diverse groups in our society. This talk reviews the state of education in Penang against the background of our changing demography and raises some questions on how far we have moved towards the aspiration of Penang as a Centre of Excellence for Education.	Mr. Chua Hang Kuen Programme Coordinator, SERI; involved in research and administrative support for the Penang Educational Consultative Council for which SERI serves as the Executive Secretariat.
18 Jun 2006 2.30pm- 4.30pm	Environmental Bio-indicators of Water Quality Did you know that aquatic insects are excellent indicators of water quality, both in the short-term and long-term? Find out from this talk how such insects are affected by environmental changes and why the death or survival of different species tells us what’s happening to the quality of Penang’s water.	Mr. Baharulnizam b Baharum Programme Coordinator, Environmental Section, SERI; a biologist by training who has worked in the areas of Aquatic Entomology, Environmental Management and Education.
25 Jun 2006 2.30pm- 4.30pm	Our Living Environment  - Public Recreational Spaces Access to public open public recreational space is a measure of the quality of life. But, Penang has less open space than almost all other Malaysian towns and cities. This talk takes a  look at housing development trends in the past few decades to ask how we can meet the demand for public recreational space that is integral to the ideals of living in a “developed” country.	Ms. Aisah bt Abu Bakar Senior Research Analyst, SERI; trained as town planner and a registered environmental consultant with DOE, she has worked in areas of Environmental Assessment Planning and Management.