Andrade Keynote Address Press Release: IBE 2017 conference:

Press Release  — for immediate release

Institute for Biological Engineering 2017 Annual Conference

Salt Palace and Downtown Marriott, Salt Lake City, Utah 

Mar. 30 – April 1, 2017

Biological Engineers Urged to confront Ignorance, BS, and Lies

Biological engineers are being urged to combat ignorance, BS, and outright lies at their annual meeting this week in Salt Lake City. The 17th annual conference is at the downtown Marriott Hotel and Salt Palace Convention Center Thursday through Saturday, April 1.

One of the keynote speakers is Joseph Andrade, a University of Utah Distinguished Professor of Engineering, and a 2012 candidate for Utah’s District 2 US Congress seat. He lost that election to Representative Chris Stewart.

Andrade, retired from biological engineering research and teaching, is now a novelist. He self-published and released State Change – a chemical and political fantasy last year, well before the 2016 elections.

“A group of aging activists selects well known political ideologues and subjects them to clandestine (and illegal) revelation engineering,” he explains, ‘including Utah’s Congressional delegation.” He smiles.

His keynote talk builds upon the novel and upon his earlier Congressional run – to empower biological engineers to get more involved in science education, in politics, and in running for public office. He suggests his colleagues use social media to confront ignorance, BS, and lies.

The talk is in Ballroom A, Salt Palace Convention Center, 11:15 am this Saturday, April 1. Here are the slides from the talk:

Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan, Aug., 2016

Reviewed by D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer

Midwest Book Review (Aug., 2016)

 

State Change – A Chemical Fantasy

Joe Andrade

Andrade Self-Publishing

978-1-4951-9851-9

Price: $0.00 (Free) – only available online. Bound book copies available from author, for free, to qualified reviewers and libraries.

Website: www.statechange.us

 

Novels typically do not contain manifestos – but State Change incorporates both. In a future world gone mad (a world akin to our own), the very boundaries of social and political process are tested as humanity’s trials and errors demand that traditional leadership be rebuilt and replaced.

 

But how do rulers and leaders evolve beyond preset assumptions which are contributing to the fall of mankind? Replacements take time and are likely to arrive contaminated by the same perceptions as their predecessors. There’s only one quick solution: change the mindsets of existing world leaders through chemistry. This approach is not only in the public interest. It’s in the interest of humanity’s survival.

 

This is the basic concept of this quasi-novel, in a nutshell. It’s time to sit back and enjoy the ride through the process (and ultimately, the call to action) that blends the forms of a novel and a social statement in State Change.

 

In the opening act, the state of the nation is deteriorating, the planet is falling apart, and change must happen if humanity is to survive. “The Challenge” opens with the narrator’s introduction to political interests and the basic foundations of the concept of “State Change”, which are built and explored throughout the events that transpire.

 

How can revolutions be engineered? How do belief systems evolve, and how do social and political circles support them? What are the failings of education and awareness when faced with entrenched dogma and blind ideologies?

 

Even though the word ‘fantasy’ is in this book’s subtitle, readers shouldn’t expect work of traditional fantasy or entertainment here. State Change is about how real change occurs at its most fundamental levels, the barriers to realization and effective evolution, and the efforts of individuals to transcend the juggernaut of political ineffectiveness. As such, it’s a serious work that blends ideology with a dose of fiction that revolves around Utah protagonists and their daring attempts to not just change, but transform the world into something better.

 

State Change is no light production. It demands a higher level of thought, political and social interest from its readers, and not a little acceptance of some radical ideas about chemistry’s applications in the name of lasting solutions that belays the usual intention of a novel to entertain in some manner.

 

There’s a solid coverage of history along the way, analysis of political process, and the growing conviction of a myriad of characters who envision a new world evolving from the virtual end of civilization as we know it. As chapters rush through a mix of familiar-sounding modern dilemmas and futuristic concerns, they come steeped in much research and explanation and thus require slow reading and time for contemplation as they present a satisfying blend of complex activist and scientific concerns with characters concerned about changing the world in the best possible way.

 

There is no competitor to State Change. It stands in a class by itself (one perhaps occupied by Huxley, Vonnegut, and other authors of classics on social change) in presenting a different kind of futuristic possibility that rises from the ashes of the Koch Brothers and other political special interests familiar in today’s world.

 

Discriminating fiction readers with a penchant for more than entertainment will relish its approach, diversity, and complex observations on the processes and challenges of mental enhancement.

 

Reading Between the Lines – Creatively

Jay, Bill, and I were at the Roasting Company – a pleasant first of July day. We had agreed to each review some stories in the local and national papers.

 

“You go first,” I said to Bill.

“My big news is, of course, the Dalai Lama in Salt Lake City.”

“You’ve known him for some time, haven’t you?”

“For some 20 years. He talked at the Huntsman Center on campus. You could have heard a pin drop,” Bill said, smiling. “He promoted positivity, among other things.”

“And he’s threatening to not appoint a successor?” Jay asked.

“Yes and no,” Bill answered. “He’s dealing with the crazy Chinese government, who insist on ‘approving’ any new Dalai Lama. He also said some interesting things about reincarnation – or not.”

 

“You go next, Jay,” I said.

“I’ll do the Mike Lee – Donald Trump games.”

“You mean ‘loathsome Lee’, according to his new demo opponent, Misty Snow?” Bill asked.

“Loathsome isn’t a new descriptor for Mike,” Jay countered. “Mike and wife Sharon are on the GOP Rules Committee and are going to the convention.”

“So?” I asked.

“So, he’s said he sees no need to change the rules – he’ll be a good boy even though Trump insulted his ‘best friend’ Cruz.”

“So?” Bill asked. “Why so good?”

“Hey, read between the lines,” Jay smiled. “Trump’s a bit too liberal for the base – for the Cruz, Lee tea party – Freedom Caucus crowd, right?”

“Right!” Bill said. “So Lee could be VP – and bring all the hard right ideologues with him.”

“Bingo,” Jay said.

“Did you see the piece about Romney saying his family is encouraging him to run?”

“Oh, yes. A sacrificial Independent run, so Trump-averse Utah Republicans don’t have to vote for Hillary.”

“Another Rubio. I say 10,000 times I won’t run. ..Oops, maybe I better – for the good of the state, the country, the party.”

“They’re all hypocrites. Or is it the revelation syndrome? Anyway, your turn,” Jay said, looking at me.

 

“I’ll do local. The U carbon divestment campaign.”

“Yea – the President said no divestment, so they can get continuing support from … the fossil fuel industry,” Bill read from the Salt Lake Tribune.

“At least they’re honest about their motives,” Jay added. “Nothing about leadership, education, morals, values.”

“Bingo,” I said. “But he did say climate change is one of the most pressing and difficult issues of our time.”

“And implied that his leaderless U can’t do anything about it?” Bill said.

“Where have all the cojones gone?” Jay smiled.

“They’re not in the U Administration,” I said. “They squandered a unique opportunity – the Faculty Senate handed them two very reasonable, serious, well researched recommendations – which they largely ignored. What a cop out.”

“Welcome to Utah,” Jay smiled.