Girls In Tech

Co-founded by Dr. Anita Borg and Dr. Telle Whitney in 1994 and inspired by the legacy of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, the Institute’s Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) Of Women In Computing Conference is designed to bring the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. It is the largest technical conference for women in computing and results in collaborative proposals, networking and mentoring for junior women and increased visibility for the contributions of women in computing. Conference presenters are leaders in their respective fields, representing industry, academia and government. Top researchers present their work while special sessions focus on the role of women in today’s technology fields.

This conference offers a wide range of sessions, tracks, workshops and keynote speakers. Come check it out This year theme: Are we there yet?” at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland October 3-6, 2012.

For a start check out this cool keynotes, sessions and workshops:

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012 |9 am- keynote speakers and plenary sessions for Technology in Government

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012 | 
Session 5: Time: 3:15 –4:15 EST
 Location: BCC:327-329 How to Optimize Your Job Search

Moderator: Carolyn Strobel (Anita Borg Institute) | Panelists: Dawn Carter (NetApp Inc), Stephenie Harp (CA Technologies), Ivo Lukas (Girls in Tech & 24Notion), Kendra Arimoto (Facebook)

Abstract:  Whether you are looking for your first job or thinking about a career change, come to this session to learn how to optimize your search.  This group of recruiters and hiring managers will discuss the activities involved in a job hunt including: how to engage your network in your job search; searching for jobs online, and what to do when you attend a job fair.  The panel will also discuss what they are looking for when they meet a potential candidate.

Speakers: Ivo Lukas, Kendra Arimoto , Dawn Carter, Stephenie Harp, Carolyn Strobel

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4TH | 11:30 AM – 3:15 PM EST | Twitter: #ghc12 #TEL Technology Entrepreneurs Lab

Women entrepreneurs have taken a virtualization company public, invented the ZipCar, built cleantech solutions, and released smartphone apps. What is your big idea? What will the Lab deliver?
The Tech Entrepreneurs Lab @ GHC is designed to get you and your big idea to the next level.

TECH ENTREPRENEUR LAB ACTIVITIES:

11:30 am – 12:30 pm (BCC:Ballroom I): ”In conversation with …. Robin Chase, Sandy Jen, Asmau Ahmed and Elisa Camahort Page“

Abstract:This session will highlight the different personal journeys that our guests underwent to become technology entrepreneurs.

12:30 PM – 2:00 PM (BCC:Hall D Lunchtime Table Topics Area): “Ask the Experts ..”

Abstract:This session will offer the opportunity to talk with mentors over lunch casually and candidly, including Entrepreneur Attorneys, Venture Capitalists, Successful Entrepreneurs

2:00 PM – 3:15 PM (BCC:Ballroom I): Tech Entrepreneurs Lab

Abstract: This hands-on workshop will allow you to experience the “Ideation”, “Pitch” or “Networking” phase

Check out daily schedule here.  Registration is now closed, as it’s a sold out conference. So, follow me @MsSonicFlare for conference updates this week. #GHC12

Tags: 24notion, ABI, baltimore, career, entrepreneurs, facebook, GHC12, girls in tech, girls in tech mentorship, gitm, Ivo Lukas, jobs, technology, women in computing, women tech
Posted in All Chapters, All Chapters, Events, Girls In Tech, GIT Mentorship | No Comments »

Gamification is changing the way people share their information in everything from dating to fitness, energy use and now — jobs. But what is Gamification? It’s when techniques usually used in games, like instant feedback and rewards, are given in a non-game environment. For example, a company like Opower can give you instant feedback on how your energy use compares to your neighbor’s by breaking down basic utility data and analyzing it. If you find out you are spending $50 more on heating every month than the Jones’ next door you are probably going to want to take some steps to curb that bill as soon as possible.

Identifed.com also works this way, encouraging young people to share their professional information for instant feedback (that’s the gaming part). As you add in work and school information, you get points that tell you how in-demand you are compared to what employers are looking for right now. You can also see how you are doing compared to your connections. Apart from scoring, Identified lets the Facebook Generation (you connect to Identified through Facebook) take control of their online professional profiles and it’s catching on fast with millennials.

The infographic below shows that games have always been fun and addictive, and now they are being used in new ways that have some pretty interesting applications for consumers.

Tags: facebook, gamification, Generation Y, Identified.com, jobs, professional network
Posted in Girls In Tech, San Francisco, Silicon Valley | No Comments »

It’s hard to believe that less than a decade ago “twitter” was just a word used to describe the sound from a bird. “Thefacebook” was a website project created by a Harvard sophomore.  We all know what happened next.  Twitter, now with more than 200 million global users and Facebook, a social media giant with more than 800 million global addicts… er… users are at the heart of the social commerce boom.

What exactly is social commerce?  Social commerce is the fusion of two of the decade’s biggest digital trends – “social media” and “e-commerce”.   According to Moontoast, a Boston-based distributor of social commerce solutions, today’s brands have a lot to gain with this new way of purchasing and selling products and services.  In its e-book, “The Social Commerce Opportunity: How Brands Can Take Advantage of the Next Evolution Commerce”, brands who supplement their social media strategy with social commerce will not only “increase revenue, but also increase community growth”.

If you’re a business, off the bat you should ensure you have an online presence.  Furthermore, if you’re looking to rapidly increase brand recognition, best believe that social media must be a component of your marketing arsenal.  Moontoast’s e-book touts some very compelling stats by Nielsen and Gartner illustrating how much time Americans spend on the Web and how much companies are expected to generate in revenue from the Web via social presence and mobile applications, respectively.

“The Social Commerce Opportunity” e-book outlines the following opportunities unique to social:

• Brands can reach engaged audiences than ever before.
• Brands can present offers better than ever before through a digital “word of mouth” phenomenon presented by social.
• Social drives adoption through confidence via repetition, user experience and trusted payment methods.

Building on this, it’s also important to note that today’s savvy, digital consumers also use the Web as a resource for savings.  In its Times & Trends Special Report, “The Downturn Shopper:  Buckled in for a Wild and Crazy Ride”, market research firm, SymphonyIRI, reported that the Web is rapidly becoming an integral component of what it calls the downturn shopper’s money saving strategies, pointing to a steady rise in shoppers using the Internet to research products and gather coupons.

The lesson here is this: social media is here and it’s here to stay.  People are spending lots of time on Web and even more on social media.  Many are already relying on social media to learn about products and deals, and it won’t be long before social media becomes the driving force for a majority of online purchases.  The folks at Moontoast say it best, “Social Commerce will not only help brands monetize social media efforts, but it will fit in seamlessly with social media strategies and offer new ways to reward people through exciting offers and a better user experience.”  Get with it.  Get social.

Tags: branding, e-commerce, facebook, Gartner, Moontoast, nielsen, Pamela Njissang, Social Commerce, social media, SymphonyIRI, twitter, word of mouth marketing
Posted in All Chapters | 2 Comments »

Which high-tech company do Americans feel has the brightest future: Apple, Facebook or Google?  According to Poll Position,  new polling data  finds that Apple tops Google and Facebook at 44 percent.

In a scientific national opinion poll, Apple won more votes than Google and Facebook, combined. Forty-four percent said Apple, 26% Google, 10% Facebook and 21% expressed no opinion.  More than half the young people, in the 18-29 year old category selected Apple as the high-tech company with the brightest future with 55.2% compared to Google’s 16.8% and Facebook’s 15.2%.

If you are interested in seeing a breakdown of survey participants by age, race, gender, and political affiliation, you may look in crosstabs for this poll at: http://media.pollposition.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/Poll-Position-crosstabs-hi-tech-companies.pdf.

Poll Position’s scientific survey of 1,066 registered voters, nationwide, was conducted October 30 of this year.  It  would be interesting to see how this poll would skew if given strictly the Bay Area/Silicon Valley population?  Or Austin, LA, New York, Boston or the UK, for that matter — Would we see Google, perhaps, pulling closer to the lead?
What do you think?  Which high-tech company do you feel has the brightest future?  You can vote in Poll Position’s online companion poll and comment at: http://pollposition.com/2011/11/01/apple-tops-google-facebook/.  [The online companion poll in which you can vote provides unscientific results, meaning it’s a tally of participating Poll Position users, not a nationally representative sampling.]

Learn more about Poll Position’s polling methodology at: http://pollposition.com/2011/09/26/our-polling-methodology/

Tags: apple, facebook, Google, high-tech, poll
Posted in All Chapters, Girls In Tech | No Comments »

Grace Hopper celebration of Women in Computing  will take place in Portland this year November 9-12, 2011. The conferences designed to bring the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. Keynote speakers line up would be Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and the honorable Shirley Ann Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

4 days of conference with special sessions focus on the role of women in today’s technology fields, including computer science, information technology, research and engineering.

Check out daily schedule here.  Registration is now closed, as it’s a sold out conference. So, follow me @MsSonicFlare for conference updates this week.

Tags: 24notion, Computing, executive leaders, facebook, girls in technology, gitpdx, grace hopper, ivo, Ivo Lukas, mssonicflare, technology, women in computing, women in technology
Posted in All Chapters, GIT Mentorship, Portland | No Comments »

Applications for Facebook graduate fellowships for academic year 2012-2013 is now open. The deadline for fellowship applications is December 16th, 2011.

Facebook is also excited to announce that they’ll be doubling the number of awards they give out this year. These fellowships support exceptional Ph.D. students in a wide range of academic topics.

This year, they are also increasing focus in “systems” areas (Compilers, Databases, Distributed Computing, Fault Tolerance, and Networking). These areas represent a substantial portion of challenges they face, and they want the Fellowship Program to reflect this. At the same time, Facebook wants to continue to award fellowships in the other disciplines like Internet Economics, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Social Computing. Doubling the program allows them to do both.

They have simplified the application process as well. For the recommendation letters, they only require a 2-3 short paragraphs summarizing the quality of research contributions as well as comparing the applicant with his/her peers. A detailed description of the research is unnecessary.

Details: https://www.facebook.com/fellowships

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, facebook, Facebook Fellowship Program, girls in tech, internships, Silicon Valley, women in tech
Posted in All Chapters, Silicon Valley | No Comments »

According to Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, Sheryl Sanberg, “Women are not making it to the top of any profession anywhere in the world.”   Many would beg to differ with this statement; but perhaps women NEED statements such as this to give them a wake up call. I myself could have  used a wake up call (or a light smack on the back of the head) much earlier in life:

As an eight-grader at an inner city school, I was presented with an opportunity that could change my life: I had passed the second stage of The Wight Foundation’s program and if I passed the final stage,  I would be going to boarding school.  For many kids my age this wasn’t something pined over but as a young woman with African parents who prized education, I knew the value of this big break.  But leave it to me to completely bomb my final interview.   My mother and I walked into an office room which seated seven board members of the foundation (mind you I’ve never been interviewed and was dressed in basketball shorts and a t-shirt). Over the course of half an hour I was grilled and prodded–or at least that’s what it felt like at the time.  Most importantly, I was unprepared and failed to sell myself.  This incident was the first of many run situations where I would be given the challenge of stepping up, selling myself, and showing why I deserved a chance.

Don't be afraid. Sit at the table.

Fast-forward to the spring semester of my second year at Case Western Reserve University (some boarding school kids went to lower ranked  schools so I feel good about where I ended up); in a meeting with a  career counselor I realized that although I’d thrown myself into public  speaking, and conducted one on ones with professors, and held leadership  positions in various campus organizations, I still undersold myself.

My resume was generic–nothing stood out.  After this meeting and  mock-interviews with my boyfriend, I thought myself ready for my big  interview with Progressive Insurance Company.  I just kept telling myself, “You need to be independent this summer. You need to do something different.  You’ve got to show everyone that you’re just as awesome as the next person–maybe even better.” This attitude prompted me to apply for over three dozen positions.  I didn’t limit myself. I just had to have faith in my abilities (no matter what my GPA said).

I believe that as females we get used to selling ourselves short–due to cultural norms or personal experiences that have stunted our farsightedness  or because ‘we’re just used to it’.  I firmly agree with Mrs. Sanberg when she says, “Sit at the table.”  If you don’t know the standard, how will you know to go above and beyond; if you don’t know what’s being said at the table, how will you prepare for an opportunity that could change your life?  Always keep your hand up.  Always have questions.  Always show up.

Tags: facebook, Sheryl Sanberg, ted, Women in Corporate America
Posted in All Chapters, All Chapters | 6 Comments »

Please join Girls-In-Tech for an evening of fabulous wine, keynote speakers,
and networking with the Bay Area’s top employers.
This event is an outstanding opportunity to connect with some of the Bay Area’s most accomplished leaders,
recruiters, and job seekers.

Register Now: http://gitajob2011.eventbrite.com/

Together, we’ll eat, drink and empower each other professionally and personally – providing an exclusive opportunity to join job seekers with outstanding employers, and learn insights from our keynote speakers about the job market today.

Companies attending the event will have access to the Girls-in-Tech membership and all resumes from event participants.

This event will sell-out and space is limited to the first 200 registrants. Early Bird registration is available for both job seekers and companies for a short time period. Once GIT publishes the finalized list of employer-attendees, prices WILL go up! Please note, without advanced tickets your resume will not be distributed to employers in advance of this event.

Speakers:
Rebecca Meissner, BranchOut

Rebecca Meissner is the Director of Enterprise Products at BranchOut, the largest professional networking application on Facebook.  In this role, Rebecca leads the product, design, and development teams building all BranchOut’s corporate offerings.  Prior to BranchOut, Rebecca worked as a Product Manager for Disney Interactive Media Group, an HR Business Partner for Playdom, and as a recruiter for a number of VCs, private equity firms, and large investment banking groups in San Francisco.  She has degrees from both Boston University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Olivia Watkins, Twitter

Olivia Watkins is a Technical Sourcer for Engineering at Twitter.

More Speakers TBA!! Stay Tuned!

Sponsors:
CloudCard – Share business cards from phone to phone.

Use our apps to share your card directly, peer to peer, from phone to phone. You can even share your card with multiple people at the same time if they have our app installed. Or, send your cards directly via email. Only person in the room with Cardcloud on your phone? Send your card directly to (multiple) email(s). Recipients receive a beautiful card with your logo, contact information and social networking profiles. They can store the card directly on their phone thanks to Cardcloud’s vCard support.

Featuring Guidebook App:

Guidebook is the best and simplest way to create a mobile guide – Going mobile has never been this easy! Guidebook allows attendees to access your event’s entire schedule right from their mobile device. Plus, they’ll never miss a session, panel or activity with our easy-to-use mobile alerts. Guidebook, located in Palo Alto on California Avenue, is looking to add talented mobile developers to our team!

Special Thanks to Founders Den for hosting our event!

Founders Den is a shared office space and private club for experienced entrepreneurs and their friends. Founders Den’s unique approach combines a selectively curated startup community with a focus on experienced entrepreneurs and graduates of accelerator programs. Space at Founders Den is offered on an invite-only basis to startups referred through the networks of the Founders Den community. Founders Den also provides a home base for experienced entrepreneurs who are between projects.

May 24th, 2011
Founder’s Den http://www.foundersden.com
665 3rd, Suite 150
San Francisco, CA 94107
6:00-9:00 PM

Tags: branchout, event, facebook, founders den, Job, mixer, networking, recruiter, twitter
Posted in Events, Girls In Tech, San Francisco, santa cruz, Silicon Valley | No Comments »

If you aren’t a Michigander, it might surprise you to learn that we’re working hard to become known as a hub for entrepreneurs and technology, digital and art enthusiasts. From Quicken Loans Founder & Chairman Dan Gilbert committing to turning a portion of downtown Detroit into a center of software and high-tech innovation, to five-day events like Art X Detroit that present newly commissioned works from local artists, the creative revolution that has quickly gained ground over the past several years is both infectious and long overdue.

The Girls in Tech Detroit chapter wants to educate our GIT counterparts around the world about how our region is contributing to the development of the technology and digital spaces, so we’d like to start by introducing you to the FutureMidwest Conference (disclosure – I’m part of the communications team), taking place April 28-29 in Detroit.

FutureMidwest is the Midwest’s largest digital business conference. Initiated in 2009, the two-day conference is designed for executive management and decision makers from corporate, small and midsized businesses, entrepreneurs, brand managers, marketing, communication professionals, students and professionals in the digital/technology spheres. Presenters offer advice on implementing digital strategies to engage audiences and boost company profitability. FutureMidwest focuses on the impact of technology in five areas: integrated marketing, user experience, mobile, business intelligence/analytics and regional growth.

In two conference sessions, led by digital and marketing professionals, participants will learn about emerging business technology trends and ways to incorporate digital strategies into their marketing and business operations. A third session will be devoted to networking with professionals from the startup community, venture capital firms and other industries.

One new element added to the FutureMidwest Conference this year is Funded By Night, a one-day competition to fund technology startups that will compete to win a $100,000 convertible note from two metro Detroit local venture capital firms.

Not the typical conference you would expect to take place in Detroit, right?

While the conference program differs each year, you can check out the following presentations from 2010 presenters Joe Jaffe and Ken Burbary to get a sense of what you can expect.

I welcome you to check out the FutureMidwest Conference website, Facebook page and Twitter stream to learn more about this technology and digital conference. Feel free to ping me directly on Twitter with questions.

What technology events or movements are happening in your neighborhoods that you want the GIT community to know about?

Photo credit

Tags: Art X Detroit, business, creativity, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, digital, entrepreneurs, facebook, Funded By Night, FutureMidwest Conference, Girls in Tech Detroit, innovation, Joe Jaffe, Ken Burbary, Michigan, Quicken Loans, technology, twitter
Posted in Detroit, Events | No Comments »

Girls in Tech San Francisco chapter Managing Director, Laura Slezinger was party to an exciting launch at Web 2.0 this week. Slezinger, and Girls in Tech are early adapters and on the forefront of new technology and tools. Girls in Tech San Francisco launched its new Facebook Page to be part of a beta testing round prior to the launch of Roost’s Social Marketing Platform. Slezinger, along with Star Varga of Vega Star Productions, and Restaurant owner Joe Hargrave of Tacolicious answered questions on a panel conducted by Chris Brubaker, VP of Marketing for Roost.

Press Release Follows:

ROOST REDUCES TIME SINK AND STRESS CAUSED BY SOCIAL MEDIA WITH NEW SOCIAL MARKETING PLATFORM FOR SMB

Free Social Marketing Tool for Individual Professionals and Small Businesses

First of its Kind Product, Solves the Biggest Headaches: What to Post and When

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – WEB 2.0 EXPO – March 29, 2011 – Roost (www.roost.com, @roost), a technology company committed to helping small business go social, announced its new social marketing platform for Facebook and Twitter at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco today. The Roost freemium productivity tool helps businesses who rely heavily on word of mouth and referrals tap into the power of the social Web more efficiently and more effectively.

Roost solves the nagging problem all business owners face when thinking about social marketing, “what do I post and when do I post it?” To alleviate the stress and time-sink often caused by social media, Roost developed the Campaign Creator which helps professionals plan their social marketing activities in 20 minutes per week. With the Campaign Creator, a user can set the duration and content types (post, link, quote, etc.) for each campaign. Roost automatically provides customized recommendations on post type and frequency to match the length of the campaign and to deliver a variety of content for higher audience engagement.

In addition, Roost’s suggested content feature, a first in this category, solves the problem of what to post with direct access to articles, blogs, quotes and other original content. With the suggested content feature, Roost users can easily queue up content on a daily or weekly basis by accessing a dynamic library of content related to the user’s specific occupational sector and interests. Campaign Creator is also designed to build relationships and attract more business with The Roost Bar. When friends, fans or followers view a shared link, a small, branded bar appears above the article and allows audiences to immediately “like” the user’s Facebook Page.

“Roost Campaigns are critical to disseminating strategic content in an efficient and timely manner to our various Facebook Pages, Groups, and Twitter accounts,” said Laura Slezinger, Managing Director, San Francisco Girls in Tech. “And Roost Circles allows us to connect to our dozens of national and international chapters without having to coordinate manually for each post.”

Unlike existing publishing tools for social networks, Roost is inherently social. Roost Circles, announced today in Beta mode, is a way for SMBs and individual pros to band together with their closest business associates, and by request, share each other’s posts, providing branding and engagement opportunities across each other’s networks. Whether the circle includes employees, favorite customers or vendors, the technology capitalizes on the economically relevant concept that rising tides lift all boats.

“Roost was built for the restaurant, CPA or Realtor, who doesn’t want to spend 10 hours per week on online marketing. They know they need to be on Facebook and Twitter, but they aren’t sure what to do or how to start,” said Alex Chang, CEO of Roost. “Roost is a product for real people who have little to no time, aren’t fully up to speed on all the nuances of social marketing and live and die by referral business. And best of all, it’s free.”

To create real social marketing campaigns, stay top of mind with your existing customers, find new customers and grow your social network for free, sign up at www.roost.com.

Tags: facebook, laura slezinger, roost, roost marketing, San Francisco, Terra Khachooni, web 2.0 expo
Posted in Girls In Tech | No Comments »