We asked a few college staff members in Croatia what are the expectations of future generations, the challenges they will face and what they think of when they hear the term NextGen Society.

Associate Professor at FER, Ph. D. Željka Car shared with us how she imagines future society - A society that actively engages with people with disabilities and the elderly with the help of new technologies. It eliminates the barriers they have when using information and communication systems. A society where there is no uncritical use of technology, but rather it serves the man - sensors, voice commands, smart vehicles.

Along with all the changes that are happening, Assistant Professor at PMF Split, Ph. D. Viljemka Bučević Popović expects them to positively influence pharmaceutical industry.

New technologies that enable the simple analysis of DNA and other biological molecules are leading to the development of personalized medicine - methods of treatment tailored to the genes and other specifics of the patient. Pharmaceuticals will follow this concept, and the use of other modern technologies is also very likely. For example, the use of nanorobots for precise drug delivery at the target position in the body and the increasing use of artificial intelligence in pharmaceutical research.

Apart from some everyday routine jobs that are made easier by using technology, Assistant Professor at PMF Split, Ph. D. Mladen Hraste shared with us his vision of changes in the sport we can expect in the future.

Sport, under the influence of technology, is a very dynamic process. Technology helps the training process by enhancing athlete's abilities, skills and knowledge. The influence of the technology helps the athlete both in the IT and energy sense. By observing the entire anthropological status of athletes, technology will be able to improve and develop athletes' functional and psychomotor skills, technical-tactical knowledge, morphological status the most, while the psycho-social qualities will be influenced the least (and they are fundamental to the sport).

Even though we do everything we can to make our lives as comfortable as possible, younger generations will still have to face certain challenges, and Assistant Professor at FER, Ph. D. Ana Sović Kržić pointed out some of them:

Diseases, because people want to live long and as comfortable as possible. Traveling the universe, because Earth is too small for us and we have already seen everything. Clean water, because there is less and less of it. Advanced personalized teaching, because everyone of us learns in a different way, and the amount of available information is growing. Brain, because we still do not know how it works. Renewable energy sources, because today everything runs on electricity. Internet security, because soon all devices will be connected to the Internet.

It is up to you to show if you are ready to make the future better and how constructive and innovative you’re at it. Be the part of this year's STEM Games because you are the NextGen Society!