Program Schedule: Friday, October 3 - Session 9
SESSION CANCELLED: Venture Capital in the ‘Periphery:’ The New Argonauts, Global Search, and Local Institution Building
Location: Torreys Peak I – II
Invited Technical Speaker: THIS SESSION HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Anna Lee Saxenian, Dean and Professor in the School of Information and Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley
The emergence of centers of technology entrepreneurship and innovation outside, but closely connected to, the advanced core of the world economy, is one of the most striking features of contemporary capitalism. This talk explores the growing role of global, or external, search networks (that firms and other actors rely on to locate collaborators who can solve part of a problem they face, or require part of a solution they may be able provide) in these economic transformations. Networks of first-generation immigrant professionals from U.S. technology industries–whose members are referred to here as the new Argonauts, an allusion to the ancient Greek Jason and the Argonauts who searched for the Golden Fleece–are naturally occurring search networks. They are ideally positioned to search beyond local routines and identify opportunities in their home countries for complementary “peripheral” participation in the global economy. By collaborating with their domestic counterparts, the new Argonauts have contributed to the development of institutions, like venture capital, that support entrepreneurial experimentation in locations ranging from Taiwan and Israel to China and India. Venture capital is an exemplary search network: it is organized to search systematically for, and foster the development of, entrepreneurs and firms that can collaborate in the co-design of new products and services. This suggests that the most significant contributions of the Argonauts to their home countries are not direct transfers of technology or knowledge, but their participation in external search and domestic institutional reform.
OurCS: Opportunities for Undergraduate Research in Computer Science: A Conference for Undergraduate Women
Location: Quandary Peak I - II
Panelists: Carol Frieze (Carnegie Mellon University), Desney Tan (Microsoft Research), Elizabeth Bales (University of California, San Diego), Alissa Briggs (Carnegie Mellon University), Sarah Loos (Indiana University), Princess Trillo (University of Texas at El Paso)
The OurCS panel will discuss objectives and outcomes of this first-of-its-kind research focused conference for undergraduate women in computer science, developed through the collaboration of Carnegie Mellon and Microsoft Research. Students will discuss their overall experiences and join their team leader from MSR to present one of the research projects. We will present survey data and discuss the role of graduates, and keynote speakers, in providing advice on graduate school.
We Build a Better Researcher
Presenters: Lisa M Marvel (US ARL), Nancy Amato (Texas A&M University), Karen Bloch (DuPont Company), Joanne McGrath Cohoon (University of Virginia), Lori L. Pollock (University of Delaware)
Effective mentoring is challenging but the benefits can be rewarding to the mentor, the mentee, their employer and society. Unfortunately, researchers and their managers do not typically invest resources in developing mentoring skills. This panel will use role-playing to demonstrate how to handle critical mentoring situations and engage the audience. Consequently, we hope to support mentors and encourage researchers and supervisors to invest the time and effort in mentoring effectively.
The Imposter Panel
Location: Crestone Peak II-IV
Presenters: Kori Inkpen (Microsoft Research), Maria Klawe (Harvey Mudd College), Mary Czerwinski (Microsoft Research), Tiffani Williams (Texas A&M University) Moderator: Tessa Lau (IBM Almaden Research Center)
Five seemingly successful women all share the same secret which they will reveal on stage at Grace Hopper 2008. They are imposters. Despite numerous recognitions and being considered leaders in their respective fields they live in fear that their deception will be discovered. That someday everyone will realize that they have been faking it, and aren’t as good as everyone thinks. What will happen when the charade ends?
What’s a Supercomputer Good For Anyways?
Location: Torreys Peak III
Presenter: Ruth Poole (IBM)
Competition is fierce to build the world’s fastest supercomputer, but what are researchers really doing with all that computational power, and what’s driving the need for bigger and faster supercomputers? This presentation gives an overview of the current state of the art in supercomputer technology and a peek into the future. Key areas of research and industry needs are also presented.
Intellectual Property & Patents Empowering Innovation
Presenter: Andrea Dick (ThinkFire Services)
Innovation is essential for devising the improvements required to make the world a better place. Research institutions, universities, emerging companies, and governments are some of the entities responsible for the creation of innovations. Several forms of intellectual property, in particular patents, protect the interests of these entities. This session will educate the attendee about the patent process, benefits of patent ownership and other information about the importance of patents.
Changing the World through Technological Innovation
Location: Torreys Peak IV
Presenter: Joann Ordille (Avaya Labs Research)
Whether you work in a government or industrial research lab, or academia, it is very satisfying when your research has a positive, enduring impact on the world. One way this can occur is through the transfer of your technology into products and services. This session includes an overview of the technology transfer process, based on such works as “Crossing the Chasm” and the “Innovator’s Dilemma,” and ample time for discussion.
Communicating Within Virtual Teams
Presenter: Presenter: Carlena M Harris (IBM)
Many organizations have tapped into the use of virtual teams, which has caused a shift in team environments. The workshop covers one of the critical areas that team leaders and team members need to be attentive to for them to be successful despite their virtual team environments. The topic is how to use the right communication tools in virtual team environments to assist virtual teams in reaching their project goals.
ACM Membership Gender Study
Location: Crestone Peak I
Panelists:Paula Gabbert (Furman University), Wendy Hall (ACM), Lillian Israel (ACM), Lucy Sanders (NCWIT), Telle Whitney (Anita Borg Institute), Tracy Camp (Colorado School of Mines)
The objective of this panel is to present the qualitative and quantitative results of a gender study undertaken by ACM of its membership base. In addition, the results of the study will be used to foster discussion about how the services of ACM and other organizations interested in supporting women in computing can better meet the needs of women in computing.
Change Agent Awards Panel – sponsored by Google
Location: Quandary Peak III
Panelists: To be Announced at the Conference
The Anita Borg Change Agent Awards celebrate the accomplishments of technical women from emerging countries. These awards are designed to recognize up-and-coming leaders that impact or advance women’s participation in technology, while also internationally expanding the reach of the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference. This panel made up of the 3 amazing award winners who will talk about their work and how they are using technology across the globe.