Ford Foundation’s Post

A more just tech future requires deep investment in people to make space for visioning and creation, not simply tech solutions. Ten inspiring interdisciplinary activists and researchers from a range of justice movements have just been selected for the Social Science Research Council's #JustTechFellowship, supported by Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Surdna Foundation. Learn about these leaders here: https://lnkd.in/en8enRRp 

Today, I want to highlight our tech partnerships as well as the associations, councils, and committees on which Ivy Tech Community College serves as a member. 1) TechPoint is the industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s digital innovation economy and overall tech ecosystem. The team is focused on working with public, private, and industry partners to expand the tech talent pipeline, enhance resource connectivity for enterprise organizations and startups, and elevate the industry by activating the community and amplifying success stories. 2) The Indiana Technology & Innovation Association is the statewide association of Indiana’s technology-driven companies and partners. They are raising the profile of Indiana’s fastest-growing sector to educate state leaders on the issues that impact current and prospective technology-driven companies and connect technology partners across the state. 3) Led by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Indiana Office of Technology, Indiana State Police, and the Indiana National Guard, the Council is made up of government (local, state, and federal), private-sector, military, research, and academic stakeholders to move Indiana’s cybersecurity to the Next Level collaboratively. 4) Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve this goal, they work to connect female STEM professionals and our community in Indiana. Their members and sponsors represent various STEM fields, including life sciences, accounting, engineering, psychology, statistics, and information technology. 5) Indy Women in Tech is a charitable organization whose mission is to inspire women and girls of all ages to pursue STEM-related employment in Indiana by introducing them to experiences and career opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, as well as provide the necessary financial support, mentoring, training, and education. 6) EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to promote equity and remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. 7) The Artificial Intelligence Incubator Network Initiative is managed by the American Association of Community Colleges with funding from Dell Technologies and Intel Corporation. This 18-month initiative aims to design and build Artificial Intelligence (AI) Incubators nationwide, utilizing the expertise and industry connections of America’s community college system. #ivytech #it #indiana #september #spotlight #partnerships

Just came accross this inspiring article about Margaret Hamilton, the visionary who led the Apollo mission and emerged as the first software engineer! Her story is a testament to the fact that women in computer science are important and equal part of forces of innovation and leadership. Margaret's achievements break stereotypes, proving that women can not only excel but innovate and lead in the tech world!  https://lnkd.in/eengjp46   #wics #womeninstem #stem #innovation #softwareengineering #computerscience #womeninleadership #leadership #ncstate #womenintech #womenincomputerscience

♀ This International Women's Day, #KingCrowStudios is proud to highlight the heroines in STEM whose shoulders we stand upon. Often considered the world's first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace is renowned for her work on mathematician Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. Although this computer was never built, Lovelace recognized that machines had applications beyond mere mathematical calculations. 🙌 We also owe our gratitude to women for paving the way for today's devices. The race for technological supremacy accelerated after World War II and U.S. engineers & programmers rushed to complete confidential assignments in ballistics & computing research. Among these folks were six women—Betty Snyder Holberton, Kathleen McNulty, Jean Jennings Bartik, Ruth Lichterman, Frances Bilas, and Marlyn Wescoff—who created ENIAC, the world's first general-purpose, programmable, all-electronic computer. The most mind-boggling part of all this? They did this all without manuals or programming languages! 🤯 The truth is that without women, we wouldn't be in business. Today's state of computer science and all its marvels—from AI and XR to the thousands of coding languages—only exists because of these trailblazers. 🚀💃 Join us in saluting these tech titans, and tag a woman in tech making waves today! #WomenInSTEM #WomenInTech #IntlWomensDay #GirlsinTech #GirlsInSTEM #WomensHistoryMonth #ExtendedReality #XRSolutions #ImmersiveTech

To everyone working in tech in Europe: are you aware of a European equivalent of this programme? It is a "Fair Tech" fellowship of 100k per year for ethical tech founders in the USA. Please DM me or reply here below if you have suggestions! https://lnkd.in/d3zntmMp #tech #fairtech #Europe #NGI #nextgenerationinternet

Did you know that ... ... The world's first programmer was a woman, Ada Lovelace ... The minimalist design of the Google search homepage was created by a woman, Marissa Mayer ... The first code compiler was created by a woman, Grace Hopper ... The first assembly language was created by a woman, Kathleen Hylda Valerie Booth ... The software that landed Apollo 11 on the Moon was created by a woman, Margaret Elaine Hamilton ... The world's first standards for testing computer systems and their components were introduced by a woman, Grace Hopper On this International Women's Day, let's light up LinkedIn with a tribute to the monumental contribution of women to the development of technology. From Ada Lovelace, who captured the blueprint for modern computing, to the pioneering ENIAC women who laid the digital foundation to transform our world, this journey has been nothing short of revolutionary. 💡 Today, we stand on the shoulders of giants like Ginni Rometty, Sheryl Sandberg, Fei-Fei Li, Reshma Saujani, and Anne Wojcicki, who are leading forces in the tech universe, driving advancements in AI, quantum computing, and beyond🌌. These women, among countless others, have not only been at the forefront of innovation, but have passionately mentored the next wave of technological pioneers. Their legacy is a testament to the strength of women's contributions to the technological landscape💪🏽👩💻. At Innowise, we are very proud of the many talented women in our team who contribute to our success and innovation on a daily basis. Their dedication and experience truly embody the spirit of this day, proving that women in technology play a crucial role in shaping our future🌟. Therefore, let's pledge to support a future in which the technology sector will be as diverse and vibrant as the ideas it brings to life. Celebrating the past, present, and future of women in tech, we are inspired to push boundaries and create an inclusive space for innovation.🥳👩💼👩🔬👩💻 Happy International Women's Day! Here's to the brilliant minds that have shaped, are shaping, and will shape the technology landscape. #InternationalWomensDay #WomenInTech #womeninstem #womeninscience #womeninleadership

🚀 Update from Women Techsters Fellowship Program! 🚀 I'm thrilled to share with you the amazing project we worked on today, guided by our exceptional mentor, Michael Fawole. 🌟 📚 First, let's understand the basics. Stacking refers to the process of locking or staking tokens in a smart contract for a specific period. Users who stake their tokens are rewarded based on the duration of their stake and the number of tokens staked. It's like a savings account where you earn interest on your assets. 💡 So, how does our project leverage stacking and unstacking? Let's dive deeper into the workings and functionalities of our smart contract. 💡 🔒 Staking Tokens: The "stake" function allows users to stake their tokens. Here's how it works: 1️⃣ Users specify the amount of tokens they want to stake. 2️⃣ The contract verifies if the amount is greater than zero and if the user has sufficient balance. 3️⃣ If the conditions are met, the specified amount of tokens is transferred from the user's address to the contract's address. 4️⃣ If the user had previously staked tokens, the contract automatically triggers the "claim" function, rewarding the user for their previous stake. 5️⃣ The contract updates the timestamp for when the user last staked tokens and increases the amount of tokens staked by the user. 🔄 Unstaking Tokens: The "unstake" function enables users to withdraw their staked tokens. Here's how it works: 1️⃣ Users specify the amount of tokens they want to unstake. 2️⃣ The contract verifies if the amount is greater than zero and if the user has previously staked tokens. 3️⃣ The contract updates the timestamp for when the user last staked tokens. 4️⃣ The contract decreases the amount of tokens staked by the user. 5️⃣ The specified amount of tokens is transferred from the contract's address back to the user's address. 💰 Claiming Rewards: The "claim" function allows users to claim rewards for their staked tokens. Here's how it works: 1️⃣ The contract verifies if the user has staked tokens. 2️⃣ It calculates the duration of the tokens staked in seconds. 3️⃣ Based on the number of tokens staked and the duration, rewards are calculated. 4️⃣ The calculated rewards are minted and assigned to the user's address. 5️⃣ The contract updates the timestamp for when the user last claimed rewards. 🌍 Real-Life Applications: Stacking and unstacking have numerous real-life applications. Here are a few examples: 🔹 Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) systems: Users can stake their tokens to participate in block validation and earn rewards. 🔹 Decentralized Finance (DeFi) protocols: Users can stake tokens to provide liquidity and earn fees. 🔹 Governance systems: Users can stake tokens to participate in decision-making processes and earn voting power. 🔹 Tokenized Asset Platforms: Users can stake tokens to access exclusive features or benefits. #womentechters #blockchaindevelopment #tech4dev #womentechstersfellowship #decentralizedfinance

"If people from so many backgrounds are unable to have the mental space to work on technology because they have to constantly fight their environments, then how can we ever get to a technological future that actually serves people? That’s why one of the first things we did at DAIR was to clarify our research philosophy, because how we perform research is just as important as the final product. We landed on these seven principles: community, trust and time, knowledge production, redistribution, accountability, interrogating power, and imagination." Thank you The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) for your leadership. https://lnkd.in/eNyPuJ-n