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Mars, Incorporated Addresses Role of Collaboration in Science With Expert Panel at Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

July 5, 2012

LINDAU, Germany, July 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

Laureates, 150 of the world’s brightest young researchers and an industry scientist
came together this week for a cross-disciplinary panel discussion hosted by Mars,
Incorporated at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in Germany. The panel focused on how
partnerships can drive scientific discovery.

(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120705/543295 )

Mars hosted the discussion, which featured the views of Continuum Energy Technologies
(CET) – a research company that aims to further understanding of the foundations of
physics, which could lead to the development of environmentally-sound solutions to a range
of issues, such as supply-chain sustainability. The panel included Dudley Herschbach
(Chemistry Nobel Laureate), Chris Nagel (Founding Scientist of CET) and Amanda Peter
Randles (a PhD student from Harvard University).

Harold Schmitz, Chief Science Officer at Mars, introduced the event by outlining the
company’s approach to science and the importance of uncommon collaboration between
academic, government, non-government and industry sectors in tackling global challenges.
Against this background, the panel discussed in-depth the merits and potential
difficulties of an open and collaborative research approach. The discussion built on a
number of themes from the Mars-hosted panel at the 2010 Lindau meeting, which explored
Mars’ collaborative approach to the cacao genome sequencing project. The full findings
from the cacao genome project were released into the public domain in 2010 in order to
accelerate advances in the field for the benefit of cocoa farmers worldwide.

This year’s panelists shared examples from the world of physics to highlight how
cross-sector partnerships can create a platform from which breakthrough scientific
concepts can be appropriately debated, tested and validated in order to accelerate the
development of solutions to many of society’s grand challenges.

The panel discussion – which was moderated by Adam Smith, the Editorial Director of
Nobel Media – was followed by a lively Q&A session with the international audience of
young scientists.

Quotes:

Mars approach to science

Speaking after the panel discussion, Harold Schmitz, Chief Science Officer at Mars,
Incorporated commented: “As one of the world’s leading food companies, Mars sees
cross-sector scientific collaboration as crucial in driving innovation and tackling a wide
range of social, economic and environmental challenges faced by our business and society
as a whole.”

Nobel Laureate Dudley Herschbach on the Mars-hosted panel discussion

“Events such as this offer a unique opportunity for dialogue that not only crosses
sectors and disciplines, but also moves across generations,” said Nobel Laureate Dudley
Herschbach. “By engaging with tomorrow’s leading thinkers, we are equipping ourselves to
deal with the challenges we face – both today, and in the future.”

Mars relationship with Lindau:

Mars entered into its engagement with the Lindau organization in 2007. In 2008, Pamela
Mars, member of the Mars board of directors, was appointed to the Honorary Senate of the
Lindau Foundation in recognition of Mars’ history of scientific achievement. Last year,
Mars hosted a panel discussion at the Lindau meeting on ‘Productive Partnerships’ which
featured the views of Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn and Frank Mars, President of Mars
Symbioscience – the global health and life sciences segment of Mars. In 2010, the
Mars-hosted panel discussion addressed the role of science in society and involved
Laureate Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Howard-Yana Shapiro, Global Staff Officer of Plant
Science and External Research at Mars.

About The Nobel Laureate Meetings at Lindau:

27 Nobel Laureates and more than 580 young scientists from 69 countries will
participate in the 62nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (Physics) from 1 to 6 July 2012. The
topics of this year’s physics meeting include cosmology, particle physics and the
challenges of a sustainable energy supply and climate issues. The Lindau Meetings have
been taking place every year since 1951 in Lindau. They are organized by the Council for
the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings established in 1954 and the Foundation Lindau
Nobelprizewinners Meetings at Lake Constance established in 2000. More than 250 Nobel
Laureates are members of the Founders Assembly.

For more information, please visit http://www.lindau-nobel.org

About Mars, Incorporated:

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen
and established Mars’ roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr.
joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY(R) bar. In 1932,
Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the
philosophy of a “mutuality of benefits” for all stakeholders – this vision serves as the
foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of
more than $30 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food,
Drinks, Symbioscience, and approximately 70,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its
Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its
performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE(R), ROYAL CANIN(R), WHISKAS(R), KITEKAT(R),
BANFIELD(R) Pet Hospital and NUTRO(R); Chocolate – M&M’S(R), SNICKERS(R), DOVE(R),
GALAXY(R), MARS(R), MILKY WAY(R) and TWIX(R); Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT(R), EXTRA(R), ORBIT(R)
and 5(TM) chewing gums, SKITTLES(R) and STARBURST(R) candies, and ALTOIDS(R) AND
LIFESAVERS(R) mints. Food – UNCLE BEN’S(R), DOLMIO(R), EBLY(R), MASTERFOODS(R), SEEDS OF
CHANGE(R) and ROYCO(R); Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS(TM), THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY(TM),
KLIX(R) and FLAVIA(R); Symbioscience – COCOAVIA(TM), WISDOM PANEL(TM) and SERAMIS(R).

For more information, please visit http://www.mars.com. Follow us:
http://facebook.com/mars, http://twitter.com/marsglobal,

http://youtube.com/mars.


    Photo: 

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120705/543295

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated


Source: PR Newswire