Girls In Tech

For the first time ever in the United Arab Emirates, Google will be hosting g|uae on October 19 & 20, the event is free but the registration process is selective. You will need a final confirmation number to attend and I feel so lucky that I was selected.

On the first day of the event October 19th, will focus on using Google developer tools to push the boundaries of web applications. Google engineers and web development leaders will guide the attendees through a full day of in-depth sessions, including hands-on code labs dedicated to cutting edge web and mobile technologies. Though the attendees can attend and choose various sessions from different topics throughout the day.

On the following day October 20th which is I am really excited and I can’t wait that long, is the full Google product demonstrations aimed at tech entrepreneurs, Webmasters, IT Professionals and University Students. There are various sessions that will allow the attendees to focus on their topic of interest. Both introductory and hands-on sessions will be held, but what really excites me is the Women’s Roundtable session, jam pack with 4 very interesting women from Google namely Luisella Mazza – Search Quality Senior Strategist -joined Google in 2005, Noha Salem -Google’s University Outreach Specialist, Nada Faridane- Strategic Partner Manager – Eastern Europe – Middle East at Google, Natalie Villalobos-joined Google in 2009 as a community manager who specializes in project/product development plus 2 awesome ladies, Patricia Estridge and Salma Mohamed.

Google said “Our goal is to help spur innovation and business growth in the UAE and across the region. We want to inspire business to make the most of the web and mobile space! To help spur innovation and business growth in the UAE and across the region to inspire business to make the most of the web and mobile space.

g| uae 2011

They even mentioned “Google is very excited to meet with computer science students, software developers, small businesses and tech entrepreneurs in the UAE. We will be demonstrating Google’s suite of products that are driving innovation in technology and business across the globe, and here in the Middle East.”

They had their first event in Egypt as Google started something useful for the Arab tech and start up ecosystem by hosting events in several Arabian cities branded as gdays, and now for the first time that they will be hosting an event in Dubai is really brilliant I must say, 2 thumbs up for Google and I can’t wait for the event, I’ll see you ladies from Google real soon!!!

Posted in All Chapters, All Chapters, Girls In Tech, GIT Mentorship, GIT U | No Comments »

Guest blog entry written by Briana Myricks, Director, Girls in Tech University

Internships are a great way to get real life career experience in the field you’re interested in. They’re more than just fetching coffee for the big guys and doing all the copying and faxing. Interns are getting a first hand look at what it takes to be an industry professional. While most internships take place in the office of a company, and some are with home based business owners, many interns are finding their way into virtual internships.

Virtual internships allow an intern to telecommute for their position, and perform the tasks virtually anywhere that has an Internet connection. I’ve had over 10 virtual internships in the marketing and public relations field, and I prefer them. Some ask you to be available during set hours, while others just ask that you get the job done and send them a progress report weekly. This could be a gift or a curse, depending on how organized the intern is.

So what tools do you need to succeed as a virtual intern?

-Reliable Internet access: Things happen, and most employers are understanding and realize that, but if you have spotty Internet access at your dorm, you should make sure you set up shop where the Internet is reliable. If a library or other free wifi spot isn’t available, look into a mifi device, where you can make a hotspot wherever you go.

-Professional e-mail address: I quickly changed my e-mail address to my first and middle name after one of my intern supervisors thought my e-mail address at the time, a song lyric, would not be appropriate if I would be contacting people on behalf of your business. Sacrifice your “sexy” e-mail address for a professional one including your name.

-A professional web presence: If you’re looking for virtual internships, chances are your employers are computer savvy. They will be doing some background checking online. If you have questionable pictures on Facebook or have raunchy conversations on Twitter, change your privacy settings or delete them completely. Have a website with your name so when they Google you, your information will come up. Include your resume and portfolio information if possible.

-Available hours: The best way to succeed in a virtual internship is to ensure open communication. Tell your employer when you’ll be available either online or by phone and be available. There may be some things they have to tell you and you want to be sure you’re around for them to get in touch with you.

-A Skype account and webcam: You don’t have to have a virtual internship with a company in your town. You can be on completely opposite coasts and still succeed. A Skype account and a webcam can help by talking to your supervisor “face to face”, which can eliminate a lot of confusion and gain trust on both ends.

-Access to a printer/copier/fax: Just because you do your work online doesn’t mean you won’t need access to physical files. Make sure you have access to a printer/copier/fax in case you have to sign agreements and forms, whether it’s for your employer or on behalf of your employer.

-Calendar or Organizer: An internship is just like a job, meaning you’ll have expectations and deadlines. Stay organized by putting your assignments and due dates in a calendar or organizer. You can do like I do and color code what’s for class and what’s for work. Google Calendar is a great tool, as you can color code, set up reminders, and even “invite” others to your tasks.

You can find great virtual internships on Intern Queen, who is a fellow Girls in Tech member. Be sure to look out for scams and verify details about the company. Do your research and take the internship seriously.

Posted in All Chapters, GIT U, Los Angeles | 1 Comment »

Another year passed for OSCON 2011 with over 3000+ attendees flocking to Portland, Oregon for this year’s theme: From Disruption to Default.

OSCON 2011 events, tracks, sessions and keynotes raised the bar again.

Here are a few highlights of the keynote session and tracks:

-       Microsoft Keynote by Gianugo Rabelino, Sr Director of Open Source Communities is quite great as he talks about the future of community: informed trends: education, repeatable science and experience. See speakers slides

-       Rob Pike: The  expressiveness of Go programming language. Read blog

-       Ariel Waldman: On hacking space exploration. See speaker slides

-       IBM: On building native mobile apps with phone gap. Becky Gibson and Simon MacDonald showed best practices on mobile apps. See speaker slides

-       Gabe Zichermann discussed the importance of Gamification. Check out the slides

Check out full speaker list

Check out full program speaker and slides

Check out keynote and video interviews

Lastly, On Thursday, July 28th, Global Girls in Tech Mentorship Program kicked off their inaugural VIP sessions at Oscon. Fortune 500, academic, tech and entrepreneurs and leaders from all over the world gathered together to participate and support our kick-off meet-up. Thanks so much to everyone who showed up. We couldn’t have done it without your continued help and participation. Interested in participating? Drop me an email; ivo@girlsintech.net  | Follow me @MsSonicFlare

For More info about GIT Mentorship

Watch video live interview with Ivo Lukas- Director of Global Mentorship/Partnership program & MD of Portland Chapter

Join our Local PDX Chapter

(Photo credit:  Pinar Ozger & OSCON)

Tags: 24notion, education, entrepreneurs, girls and technology, girls intech, girlsintech mentorship, girlsintech portland, gitpdx, ivo, Ivo Lukas, Mentorship program, mssonicflare, open source, oregon, OSCON2011, Portland, startups, technology, women in tech, women leadership, women technology
Posted in All Chapters, All Chapters, Events, Girls In Tech, GIT Mentorship, GIT U, Portland | No Comments »

Register now for OSCON 2011, happening July 25-29, 2011, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. For 13 years, OSCON, the O’Reilly Open Source Convention, has put open source to work building the future. OSCON’s program encompasses 20 tracks to explore all things open source. New tracks have been added to OSCON this year, including Citizen Science, Geek Lifestyle, Open Data, Programming, and Emerging Languages, while Healthcare returns for its second year.

OSCON Java and OSCON Data – two new distinct events co-located with OSCON, debuting on July 25-27. OSCON Java combines Java and open source to take on the tech world’s juiciest challenges—in cloud computing, big data, mobile, and more. OSCON Java tracks include Client, Cloud, Craftsmanship, JVM, and Trends. At OSCON Data, learn about the open source technologies for gathering, storing, and analyzing data that make it possible to use new data sources and do new things with existing data. OSCON Data tracks include Analytics and Visualization, Hadoop, NoSQL Databases, Real-Time and Streaming, Relational, and Roulette. Don’t miss all the valuable tutorials, keynotes, hundreds of sessions and events. Girls in Tech readers can use discount code os11git to save 15% on your registration.

Girls in Tech will be at OSCON 2011 as they kick off the inaugural GIT Mentorship Pilot Programs globally (everyone is welcome). Learn more about the mentorship programs(for k-12, colleges/universities, working professionals), get involved and participate,  and how you could help spread the word. If you are attending Oscon 2011, don’t forget to join us on Thursday on July 28th 1-2pm in room #D134.  http://www.oscon.com/oscon2011/public/schedule/detail/21239

For more info contact: ivo@girlsintech.net     |    Follow me @MsSonicFlare

Need a press pass to cover GIT mentorship session? contact : ivo@24notion.tv

Tags: 24notion, colleges, girls in tech, gitpdx, global mentorship, Ivo Lukas, ivolukas, k-12, Leadership, Mentorship program, O'Reilly, open source convention, oregon, OSCON, OSCON2011, Portland, STEM, universities, working professionals
Posted in All Chapters, All Chapters, Events, Girls In Tech, GIT Mentorship, GIT U, Portland | No Comments »

Facebook recently announced a scholarship opportunity related to the  Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. We’re awarding 20 scholarships for female students excelling in computer science. Below are the additional benefits of receiving the Facebook Grace Hopper Scholarship.

Scholarship Details:

• Grace Hopper Conference Registration
• Airfare to Portland, Oregon
• Up to 4 nights accommodation during the conference
• $200 food stipend
• An invitation to a private reception with Sheryl Sandberg and other Facebook employees during the Grace Hopper Conference
• An all-expenses-paid visit to Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, California

The deadline is Friday July 1, 2011. See below for more details.

Blog Announcement: https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150197419588920

Application: https://www.facebook.com/careers/grace_hopper_scholarship

Posted in All Chapters, GIT U | 1 Comment »

The >Play Conference is the annual one-day conference held at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business that explores the most important trends in digital media and makes predictions for the future.  With Wired Editor-in-Chief, Chris Anderson, delivering the keynote address, this year’s event is expected to draw in over 500 industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and students.  And Girls in Tech is giving you the chance to be a part of it.

THE CONTEST
We were lucky enough to get some free tickets to give away to our Girls in Tech readers, so we’re putting on a creative little contest.  All you have to do is write us a poem!  Comment on this blogpost with a haiku about digital media, and we’ll pick three winners at random to win a ticket to the >Play Conference. The deadline to comment is 4:00pm PST on Thursday, October 28th, and we’ll notify the winners shortly thereafter.  Remember, by definition, haikus don’t have to rhyme, but they do have strict syllable guidelines; it’s a three-line poem, comprised of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, respectively.  Here’s an example I put together in 5 seconds flat:
Monetization.
That’s digimedia’s game.
The pressure is on!
Isn’t it just beautiful?  Your haiku doesn’t have to be a masterpiece to win; you’ll be entered into the contest just by posting one in your comment.  With that said, there’s only one entry per person, and you’ll have to handle getting to Berkeley, California on your own (sorry, we can’t pay for airfare or BART fare!). But hey, if you win, you’re guaranteed to learn a ton and meet some incredible influencers at the conference.  Good luck!

>PLAY CONFERENCE
Last year, Karin Xie, Jill Promost, and yours truly had a fantastic time at >Play on the expo floor among starter uppers and student organizations.  This year promises to be even more exciting, with an impressive lineup of panels, a new “rocket pitch” showcase, and much more.
Panel topics will range from Privacy and Digital Identity to Venture Capital Voices on Digital Media Investment to The Changing Face of Social Gaming, and so many more.  See all the panels topics here.
The conference will also take a unique approach to including attendees in the conversation through live-polling, Internet-enabled SMART boards, an idea room for collaboration and reflection, and a master “mission control board” displaying it all in real-time.  Fancy, huh?  But what I find to be the most intriguing addition to this year’s conference is >Play Talks, an intense one-hour session in which visionaries from a range of areas will have a few minutes each to make pitchy predictions on digital media, TED-talk style.

When:
Saturday, October 30th, 2010
9:00am-5:30pm // Conference
5:30pm-7:00pm // Cocktail Reception

Full Agenda here.

Where:
Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley
2220 Piedmont Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94720-1900

Map.

The >Play Conference is always a jam-packed day, full of fascinating and useful conversations about the industry. So if you’re intrigued and can get yourself to the Bay Area in just a few days, leave your haiku in the comments and hopefully I’ll see you there!

Posted in Events, GIT U, San Francisco | 9 Comments »

Nothing is sweeter than the glory of being the only one in your circle of friends to catch a movie before it’s available to the general public. With that said, we really shouldn’t be telling you about this rare opportunity we got our hands on… in fact, you should stop reading and go on with your day…

Awww, we can’t say no to you! One of our strengths at Girls in Tech is sharing the wealth, so here ya go: Columbia Pictures is hosting two FREE screenings of The Social Network at two Bay Area locations. And you’re invited.

What: The Social Network Advanced Screening

When? Thursday, September 23rd @ 7:00pm

Where?

• AMC Theaters: Mercado 20 (Santa Clara, CA) - 3111 Mission College Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95054

• AMC Theaters: Bay Street 16 (Emeryville, CA) - 5614 Shellmound St. Emeryville, CA 94608

How?

To pick up a pass for the event, go to http://gofobo.com/rsvp and enter the code SQZSAL1F for Emeryville, and E63ERAW2 for Santa Clara. Each pass is good for two people, but feel free to use the codes for multiple tickets.

The Social Network details Mark Zuckerberg’s journey in building what starts out as a web-based yearbook at his college and evolves into the globe’s most influential social network.  Breeding a new lifestyle and revolutionizing communication, Zuck then has to deal with the social and legal implications of sustaining a business with over 500 million users.  The film stars Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake, and officially premieres on October 1st.  But you’ve got the chance to see it early, so bring your kids, bring your wife, and bring your husband because they’re inviting everybody out here.

Posted in GIT U, San Francisco, Silicon Valley | No Comments »

The UC Berkeley Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology hosts the Innovator Lecture Series, a weekly, hour-long lecture where Silicon Valley leaders share their experience and pearls of wisdom to engineering and business students.  Tomorrow evening’s lecture will feature Marissa Mayer, who will be discussing her decade’s experience at Google as well as the future of search. Mayer did her undergraduate work in Symbolic Systems and graduate work in Computer Science, both at Stanford University, specializing in artificial intelligence. Today she leads Google’s product management efforts in everything related to search: web search, images, news, books, products, maps, Google Earth, Google Toolbar, Google Desktop, Google Health, GoogleLabs and even more. Not a single Google product is released to the public without her seal of approval.

Browsing through the semester-long list of speakers for the Lecture Series, I noticed one glaring oversight: out of the eleven individuals chosen for this distinguished speaking position, only one is a woman. Does that mean that women constitute only 9% of the powerful tech innovators? My my, that glass ceiling is looking mighty shiny today.

One of our missions at Girls in Tech University is to change these numbers. Young women in college shouldn’t feel discouraged by the ubiquity of men in the industry they wish to call their own. This isn’t a pity party!  We’re quickly starting to see more and more women gain momentum and really rise to leadership positions in which they excel.

The intelligent, motivated ladies passionate about new technologies are out there; with the right resources, a network of serious innovators, and a dash of empowerment, we can exceed our own expectations and change the face of the industry like Mayer has.

*****
Event Details:
A. Richard Newton Distinguished Innovator Lecture Series
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5:00pm
UC Berkeley Bechtel Engineering Center

The WebCast of Mayer’s talk will be available to stream online here after the event.

Posted in GIT U, San Francisco | 1 Comment »

The next event on the GIT U radar is the Berkeley Stanford CleanTech Conference on Smart Grids, coming up this Friday in Menlo Park, CA. This is a great event for Girls in Tech University (GIT U) members at both the GIT SF and Silicon Valley Chapters.

This is the fourth in a continuing series of focused conferences highlighting clean technology solutions to address the planet’s multifaceted energy challenges. This fourth installment is made possible through the Stanford University Energy Crossroads. This conference will provide:

VISION: What is the Smart Grid today? Where is it going?
OPPORTUNITY: How can innovators make the most of Smart Grid opportunities?
EFFECTIVENESS: What policies will enable the Smart Grid? What are the constraints in the system?

EVENT DETAILS:
For more information and registration please visit their website at http://cleantech.stanford.edu
Location: Stanford Research Institute Auditorium International Bldg – Room T
333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Cost: Adults $85, All Students $20
Contact: Deep Sahni 650-305-9345
Website: http://cleantech.stanford.edu/bscc4/
Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=168824359896&ref=ts

Tags: "mandy kakavas", CleanTech, conference, Girls in Tech SF, Girls in Tech Silicon Valley, Girls in Tech University
Posted in GIT U | No Comments »

Melody Akhtari, Jill Primost, and Karin Xie light up the Girls in Tech booth at The >Play Conference.

On Saturday, October 17th, the pink Girls in Tech banner was waving proudly at >Play: The Berkeley Digital Media Conference. The conference is put together by the Haas School of Business MBA students, and brings together professionals and students in the digital media and entertainment space. Tweeters, developers, gamers, and entrepreneurs alike gathered to discuss the ever-important role that digital media today plays in three main milieus: Mobile & Cloud, Media & Entertainment, and Identity & Innovation.
Girls in Tech participated in the expo hall, drawing the attention of  young women in grad school who will soon take the workforce by storm. While women are slowly starting to represent more and more of the workforce, we still only make roughly $.80 for every dollar earned by the opposite sex. One of Girls in Tech’s goals is to educate and empower women so we can be one step closer to equality in the workplace. The gentlemen who stopped by our booth at >Play agree with our mission, and are quite receptive to the idea of having more female representation in the tech arena. Meanwhile, the ladies who were coming across Girls in Tech for the first time were hugely enthusiastic about joining our network.
From the showcase of startups, the informative panels, and the many connections made, the >Play Conference’s was quite a stimulating day. Keeps your eyes peeled for Girls in Tech next year!

Posted in All Chapters, GIT U | 3 Comments »