PAUL POLAK is founder of the Colorado based non-profit, International Development Enterprises (IDE).  IDE is dedicated to developing practical solutions to attack poverty at its very roots.  Polak began his work practicing psychiatry in Colorado, and has spent the past 25 years applying the skills he learned helping homeless veterans and mentally ill patients, working with thousands of farmers in countries worldwide, including Cambodia, India, Ethiopia and Myanmar, to develop, design and produce low cost, income generating products, such as the treadle pump, and the small farm drip irrigation system.

Paul and IDE have won numerous awards and grants, including a $14 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2006); the Ernst & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" award in the social responsibility category (2004); and Paul was named one of the Scientific American "Top 50" for his leadership in agriculture policy in 2003.

During his visit at the College of Arts and Sciences, September 24, Paul visited numerous classes, participated in a panel discussion "Serving the Other 90%: Practical Ways to Help the Very Poor" with Stephen Coffey, owner of Thousand Hills Coffee; and Suffolk faculty members Sushil Bhatia and Gertrude Hewapathirana.  In addition, he participated in the Ford Hall Forum event, " Out of Poverty: What Works When Traditional Approaches Fail," with Jasmine Waddell, Oxfam America.