Ross Smith, FRSA Modern Workplace Engineering - Supportability Ross is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and blogger. Author of The Practical Guide to Defect Prevention and holds seven patents. He is currently a Ph.D. Scholar, part of University College Dublin's SmartLab program, researching the impact of AI, robotics, and automation on worker displacement. He has worked at Microsoft for over 28 years and is a member of the Leadership Council for the Anita Borg Institute, co-chair for Grace Hopper Organizational Transformation track. He is a co-leader of ABI Local in Seattle, and part of the gender partner LT and ”male ally” panel discussions at the IEEE Women in Technology and National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT) Summit and TechCrunch. Work with iUrbanTeen and Native Americans at Microsoft. He is a member of the board of Spreeha, working to break the cycle of poverty. Developed 42projects to promote cultural change, develop organizational trust and improve the lives of the managed. To help develop the next generation’s interest in STEAM (STEM+Arts), he works with Skype in the Classroom program and events like iUrbanTeen day at Microsoft. He was invited to the White House for discussion on women in STEM. Keynote speaker for the ARTBA’s Transovation 2014-2016. The work of his teams has been mentioned in Forbes, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, PSFK, the American Journal of Play, Harvard Business Review, and the London School of Business. He has presented at SXSW, MIT Solve, Grace Hopper, Serious Play, Games for Change, and several other large conferences. His academic research papers are published on ResearchGate. He is a blogger for SHRM has worked on Skype Translator. He is an avid reader and loves to travel.
Today is Pi Day as well as Albert Einstein’s birthday. As you may know, the number π is a mathematical constant, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, commonly approximated as 3.14159. If we round up, it’s 3.1416 or 3/14/16 – today!!
This is a day to think about math and science and the future of work. To change the world will require future generations to anchor their learning in science and math.
December 5th – 11th is Computer Science Education Week, held each year during the week of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper’s birthday (December 9th, 1906)
In mid-October, 15,000 people gathered in Houston for the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC).
iUrban Teen and the White House Celebration of My Brother’s Keeper Anniversary
“I'm so proud of iUrban Teen and other ‘career accelerators’ for underrepresented youth. We're guiding the next talent pipeline and developing great citizens. What an honor to be at the White House for the third time!" – Deena Pierott, iUrban Teen founder and White House Champion of Change for Technology Inclusion
Happy Dr. Seuss Day
March 2nd 2016
It’s a rarity in life to be able to gather with others who share a common cause, and be inspired for almost every minute of every day together. To do so with 12,000 people over 3 days is unheard of. Except when it comes to the Anita Borg Institute’s Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. – Yogi Berra
How to become the best? It’s something that has crossed the mind of virtually everyone. From self-help books to motivational speakers, an entire industry has flourished for centuries.
Inner City and Native American Teens and Technology
A pause to reflect on linguistics and digital communications
April 23rd is English Language Day at the United Nations. It’s also the birthday of William Shakespeare. In 2010, the Department of Public Information established a day to celebrate for each of the six official languages.
Paul Grice (1913-1988) was a British Philosopher of Language and published work on the nature of meaning and developed a theory of implicature – the meaning implied in what is uttered.
Tacit Knowledge Helps to Differentiate the Brightest Organizations
We can know more than we can tell - Michael Polanyi
The rise of the internet, advances in mobile technologies, online communications and collaboration tools have revolutionized the way we work, who we work with, and the way we serve our customers.
The Magic of Technology meets the Shortage of Qualified Workers
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that “between 2012 and 2022, 1.3 million jobs will need to be filled - from new jobs and replacement needs - for computer occupations and information systems managers.”
Insights and Inspiration from the 2014 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Technology
“It takes a great man to be a good listener” – Calvin Coolidge
We begin the New Year with strong motivation to build on our experiences and set out to rid ourselves of the shortcomings of the past. We aspire with greatness to set goals and romanticize our dreams for the coming 12 months. So often, we focus on overcoming our weaknesses or eliminating our bad habits – quit smoking, eat healthier, drink less, exercise more. We cherish dreams of greatness for the year ahead, hoping to be not only better, but to attain perfection by ridding ourselves of everything we do poorly.
“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013
Last week, the human race lost one of its greatest leaders of all time. Almost every country around the world flew their flags at half-mast in remembrance of Nelson Mandela.
Kindness, real kindness, fosters trust. Kindness is not about saying the right things or being polite, it is about showing through your actions genuine caring and respect. – Lori Ada Kilty
November 13th is World Kindness Day, recognized around the world as a day for people to be kind. In 1998, the World Kindness Movement initiated this day of celebration to encourage everyone to make a little extra effort to be kind to one another.
In their new book, 'For the Win': How Gamification Can Transform Your Business, Kevin Werbach and Dan Hunter take a closer look at games and work. Next Official Blogger blogger Ross Smith got a few minutes with author Kevin Werbach for a few questions:
What is your background?
The Talent Management Alliance held its first Multi-Gen Summit in mid-October in Atlanta to discuss workplace challenges being creating by a changing workforce. Baby Boomers are retiring; Gen Y and Millenials are entering the workforce with new skills and at a pace slower than boomers are leaving, the GenX leadership style and “sandwich managers”, as well as the unique aspects of a multigenerational workforce.
