Colorado delegates visit Decision Theater
More than 100 Colorado leaders recently visited ASU’s Decision Theater. During their visit to the immersive visualization center, they were able to see how the Decision Theater is used to explore a wide variety of public policy-related issues, such as the environment, public health, urban growth and education.
The trip, which was organized by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is the latest in annual visits to U.S. cities where Denver-area leaders learn about best practices and innovations while sharing their own success stories with hosts. Chamber officials say the 18-year-old program, dubbed the Leadership Exchange, is very successful as a vehicle for idea dissemination among cities.
The delegation included Colorado’s governor, Denver’s mayor, the former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, numerous chief executive officers, university presidents and other prominent leaders. During their visit to the Phoenix metropolitan area, they heard from state, city and local leaders from across the government and business spectrum. Delegates had several excursion options that allowed them to visit facilities or hear presentations in which they had a particular interest. The Decision Theater played host to two separate groups of delegates over a two-day period.
Jonathan Fink, the Julie Ann Wrigley Director of the Global Institute of Sustainability, and Deirdre Hahn, the Decision Theater’s interim director, served as hosts for the group. They shared how ASU is practicing and promoting sustainability, and using innovative visualization tools as part of the process.
“I think it was fabulous,” said Colorado Gov. Bob Ritter after his visit to the Decision Theater. “We in Colorado struggle with many of the same kinds of issues, and we could very much take advantage of this kind of modeling and this kind of forward planning.”
Maureen McDonald, the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation’s executive director, added that she selected the Decision Theater as an excursion site because of how the university is using it to interact with the community.
John Skinner, john.skinner@asu.edu
(480) 965-4098
Decision Theater
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