BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Austin Technology Council - ECPv6.11.0.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Austin Technology Council REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20190310T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20191103T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20200308T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20201101T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20210314T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20211107T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20220313T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20221106T070000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220922T191500 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220922T203000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220916T185609Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220916T191153Z UID:10002064-1663874100-1663878600@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Discussion of "Stories\, Dice\, and Rocks That Think: How Humans Learned to See the Future and Shape It" DESCRIPTION:In this month’s book discussion\, we are excited to have author (and entrepreneur\, futurist\, speaker\, and past Austin Forum presenter and podcast interviewee!) Byron Reese lead a discussion of his new book: Stories\, Dice\, and Rock That Think: How Humans Learned to See the Future and Shape It.” Byron is a fantastic author on technology and humanity topics\, and this is a great chance for interactive discussion about a wide range of topics aligned with the Austin Forum mission. You do not have to read the book to attend\, but we strongly encourage it! \nREGISTER NOW URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/discussion-of-stories-dice-and-rocks-that-think-how-humans-learned-to-see-the-future-and-shape-it/ LOCATION:Online via zoom\, TX\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/storiesdicefinalgraphic-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220913T181500 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220913T200000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220901T220004Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220901T220108Z UID:10001736-1663092900-1663099200@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Space: How Rockets\, Satellites\, and Telescopes Are Enhancing Our World and Helping to Understand the Universe DESCRIPTION:Space has captivated our imaginations since the dawn of humankind. Our gaze\, enhanced by evolving technologies\, has increased our understanding of the cosmos but also our world and our place in the Universe. Through increasingly capable telescopes and a better understanding of this data\, we have greatly expanded human knowledge and appreciation of our world and universe\, and our thirst for knowledge is continuously rewarded as new technologies help us see further and clearer. We have sent rockets beyond the Earth for decades\, to sense probes throughout our Solar System and beyond\, and to blanket our own world in satellites—and it’s in this latter area that we have dramatically expanded our understanding of Earth and our practical capabilities on it. Global broadcasting and communications enabled by rocket-launched satellites are so pervasive that we take them for granted. We use satellite-based mapping and GPS every day\, and everyone can get to most anywhere now with only a smartphone in hand. Satellite-based imaging of the Earth has greatly aided weather forecasting and climate science\, environment science\, national and international security\, education\, and more. And most recently\, the technologies of rockets\, satellites\, and telescopes have given us the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and provided us with breathtaking\, inspiring views of the Universe—even as technologies like the Starlink satellite network enable far more people here on Earth to access information quickly (including those great JWST images!). In fact\, the rate of annual rocket launches and the number of operational satellites have become amazing and transformative\, for our planet and society\, and the future is even more amazing. We have so many satellites in orbit now that the risks of congestion and collision are no longer insignificant. \nJoin us for this unique Austin Forum conversational event with three experts in space technologies and astronomy: Tom Markusic of Firefly Aerospace\, Moriba Jah of Privateer\, and Micaela Bagley of UT Austin’s Astronomy Department. They will discuss and show images and videos describing the current space industry prospects and challenges\, the latest astronomy insights from JWST\, and how these technologies and our continuous quests for knowledge about space and for transforming our society come together and unite us\, inspire us\, and drive human understanding. \nREGISTER NOW URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/space-how-rockets-satellites-and-telescopes-are-enhancing-our-world-and-helping-to-understand-the-universe/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W. Cesar Chavez Downtown Austin\, Austin\, texas\, 78702\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/space2022-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220818T191500 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220818T203000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220601T145830Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220706T173738Z UID:10002035-1660850100-1660854600@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Discussion of "Termination Shock" DESCRIPTION:The Austin Forum’s July discussion event introduces a science fiction book with very real-world implications: Neal Stephenson’s new climate thriller\, “Termination Shock.” \nJoin Julie Tomlin\, Austin Forum advisory board member and elite sci-fi geek\, for a moderate and thoughtful discussion on how climate action might pit individuals against governments\, or governments against each other. This discussion will focus on the science of climate change and science-fiction\, as well as the implications for technology businesses and policies. \nRegister here.  URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/discussion-of-termination-shock/ LOCATION:Online via zoom\, TX\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/terminationshock-scaled.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220802T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220802T200000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220714T130208Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220714T130208Z UID:10001727-1659463200-1659470400@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:How Biotech\, Health Tech\, and Med Tech are Advancing Healthcare DESCRIPTION:Technology advances play a role in accelerating essentially every part of the healthcare spectrum: from basic life sciences research to translational and clinical research\, to clinical healthcare and hospital best practices\, to individual digital health and population health education. The COVID pandemic has raised general societal awareness of contagion transmissibility\, epidemic tracking\, and vaccine development and delivery\, but all of these health topics and many more are enabled by powerful and pervasive technologies in hands of medical and health researchers and practicers — and increasingly available to individuals as well. \nIn this presentation\, health technologies experts Dr. Nishi Viswanath of UT Dell Medical School and Dr. Scott Collins of BioAustinCTX\, will survey the landscape of health tech\, med-tech and biotech\, explaining the terms and their scope\, the kinds of technologies in use and under development\, and what the landscape is now and the future may hold. \nREGISTER NOW \nWant to win a SXSW 2023 badge? Come with your questions ready! The in-person attendee with the best question for the speaker during our Q&A portion of the event will win a SXSW 2023 badge. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/how-biotech-health-tech-and-med-tech-are-advancing-healthcare/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W. Cesar Chavez Downtown Austin\, Austin\, texas\, 78702\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/healthtech2-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220721T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220721T203000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220706T174658Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220706T174658Z UID:10001724-1658428200-1658435400@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Crossing the Chasm with NFTs DESCRIPTION:Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are everywhere these days\, but how many people actually own one or really understand what they are? According to Geoffrey Moore’s classic book\, Crossing the Chasm\, it is clear that we are still very much in the ‘early adopter’ phase with NFTs. What comes next? Can NFTs cross the chasm? What will they look like if they do? What are the use cases that will drive mass adoption? Join us for an in-person meetup about the technology adoption curve of NFTs\, led by Chris Wilson\, an NFT expert and the founder of R3VOLUTION DIGITAL\, a forthcoming platform for leveraging NFTs to help artists in the music industry make more money. \nThis will be an interactive meetup. Chris will give a short presentation to ‘set the table’ for the discussion that follows. Attendees are encouraged to participate – relating their own experiences with NFTs and contributing their expertise and experience to envisioning the future of these new digital assets. There will be ample time for questions and answers from everyone in attendance\, followed by networking (and of course\, refreshments\, thanks to our generous Austin Forum sponsors listed below). \nAll participants must register for this event via Eventbrite. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/crossing-the-chasm-with-nfts/ CATEGORIES:Community Event ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220630T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220630T203000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220601T144139Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220601T145240Z UID:10002034-1656615600-1656621000@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Discussion of "This is How They Tell Me the World Ends" DESCRIPTION:The 2021 book “This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race\,” by Nicole Perlroth\, is a NY Times Bestseller. Although it is written in non-fiction journalism\, it reads like a modern-day spy thriller with illuminating\, sometimes terrifying\, insights and perspectives that are worthy of discussion\, especially in light of the Ukraine invasion. \nThe conversation surrounding this prize-winning book will explore cyberweapons as a new dimension of human conflict\, addressing the changing landscape and threats of modern warfare. It will be led by Hugh Forrest\, SXSW Chief Programming Officer\, Austin Forum advisory board member and avid book-reader. \nSign up for the online book talk now! \n**Also\, since SXSW will have just opened the PanelPicker for 2023 submissions\, Hugh will share some insights on how to craft the best submissions for SXSW 2023! URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/discussion-of-this-is-how-they-tell-me-the-world-ends/ LOCATION:Online via zoom\, TX\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/thisishowtheytellmetheworldends.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220614T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220614T200000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220524T142417Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220524T142417Z UID:10002029-1655229600-1655236800@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Stabilizing and Decarbonizing the Texas Grid with Computation and Bitcoin DESCRIPTION:Renewable carbon-neutral generation is now the least expensive means to produce electricity in the world. In West Texas alone\, we can produce terawatt-hours of power through wind turbines and solar panels. The question is no longer how do we generate sustainable energy\, but how do we leverage its power efficiently and economically. \nThis question is met with two challenges. One\, the wind does not always blow and the sun does not always shine. When this is the case\, energy costs rise. Two\, even if the sun is shining and the wind is blowing\, the best wind and solar sources are not near population centers and heavy industry. This results in terawatt-hours of inexpensive potential power unused. Computation\, specifically Bitcoin mining\, located in West Texas could address both of these issues as data centers would act as giant batteries and grid stabilizers\, soaking up power during times of excess generation\, and releasing it back out when renewable sources are limited\, thus stabilizing the grid. \nDuring this presentation\, we will cover electrical grid basics and how bitcoin mining can be used as a variable and controllable load to stabilize the grid\, thus making renewable energy generation more profitable and efficient. \nREGISTER NOW URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/stabilizing-and-decarbonizing-the-texas-grid-with-computation-and-bitcoin/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W. Cesar Chavez Downtown Austin\, Austin\, texas\, 78702\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Power-Grid-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220525T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220525T220000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220513T183039Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220513T183059Z UID:10002027-1653505200-1653516000@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Ready Player One screening + Metaverse Q&A with special guests​ DESCRIPTION:The metaverse concept has been articulated and predicted in books starting with Neal Stephenson’s “Snow Crash\,” and as CGI has advanced is has been compellingly visualized in movies\, such as “Ready Player One\,” based on the book of the same name by Austin author Ernest Cline. \nAs part of “Metaverse May\,” we will show the movie “Ready Player One” and follow it with Q&A with real metaverse experts at the Violet Crown Cinema in downtown Austin. \nAfterwards\, we will have post-event networking in the Violet Crown lounge area to talk more about the metaverse and what it means for our entertainment\, work\, collaboration\, education\, and more. This event requires purchasing a ticket for attendance to the movie at this link\, but the Austin Forum will treat to a round of drinks in the post-networking. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/ready-player-one-screening-metaverse-qa-with-special-guests/ LOCATION:Violet Crown Cinema\, 434 W 2nd St\, Austin\, TX\, 78701\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/RPO.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org GEO:30.2657646;-97.7481387 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Violet Crown Cinema 434 W 2nd St Austin TX 78701 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=434 W 2nd St:geo:-97.7481387,30.2657646 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220504T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220504T211500 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220412T013230Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220412T013254Z UID:10001677-1651694400-1651698900@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Book Discussion: "Exponential: How the Next Digital Revolution Will Rewire Life on Earth" DESCRIPTION:Digital technology is ubiquitous and pervasive in our lives and society\, with largely positive impacts on how we live\, work\, learn\, and play. But there are some dangers\, risks and concerns. As with any tool\, we can use combinations of responsible design\, education\, personal behavior\, and policies to mitigate these while maximizing benefit. \nWe’ll unpack these thoughts as they relate to Azheem Azhar’s fascinating book\, “Exponential: How the Next Digital Revolution Will Rewire Life on Earth\,” in this discussion led by Austin Forum advisory board member Mike Ignatowski of AMD. \nJoin us and share your thoughts on how digital technologies are rewiring life on Earth! You do not have to read the book to participate\, but we’d love it if you did! \nSign up now! URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/a-discussion-of-the-book-exponential-how-the-next-digital-revolution-will-rewire-life-on-earth/ LOCATION:Online via zoom\, TX\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/exponential-scaled.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220426T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220426T201500 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220422T000059Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220422T000331Z UID:10001707-1650999600-1651004100@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:An AI Discussion on Fairness\, Responsibility\, Bias\, and Other Ethical Issues DESCRIPTION:AI is changing the world in which we live\, work\, learn and play\, permeating our lives and jobs and our devices and places\, and enabling innovations and discoveries in research and industry. However\, this huge adoption of AI — both for support of human decisions and for completely autonomous decisions — in all aspects of society presents real risks as well as transformative potential. \nIn placing our human trust in such powerful learning and decision-making systems\, there is much to consider to ensure fairness. AI itself isn’t fair or unfair\, but as the human developers\, implementors\, and beneficiaries\, we must understand how to promote fairness in how they are trained and how they operate so that there is no accidental\, unfair bias\, exclusion\, or other negative impact to any person or group of persons. \nJoin us as Tina Lassiter leads a discussion on the ethical implications and considerations of AI. No prior AI expertise is necessary\, as this discussion will focus on the human issues in ensuring fairness in the use of AI\, and everyone is encourage to contribute! \nREGISTER NOW URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/an-ai-discussion-on-fairness-responsibility-bias-and-other-ethical-issues/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/AI-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220420T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220420T213000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220412T011014Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220415T194756Z UID:10002018-1650484800-1650490200@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:AI & Whiskey Chat DESCRIPTION:Why combine AI — the powerful\, transformative technology that is changing almost every aspect of how we live\, work\, learn\, and play — with whiskey? \nWell\, for starters\, there’s a lot to be said about how both need to be used safely and responsibly\, but both are also beloved by the events’ moderators\, Austin Forum Executive Director Jay Boisseau and CognitiveScale CTO Matt Sanchez. \nJoin us at Trifecta\, located on the corner of Nueces and 3rd St. We’ll talk all things AI\, including realities\, perceptions\, risks\, and future potential\, all while enjoying optional whiskey tastings and Topo Chico. \nThis event is open to the public. Seating is limited. \nRSVP Now URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/ai-whiskey-chat/ LOCATION:Trifecta on 3rd\, 360 Nueces St #30\, Austin\, TX\, 78701\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Whiskey2-5-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org GEO:30.2670554;-97.7495877 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Trifecta on 3rd 360 Nueces St #30 Austin TX 78701 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=360 Nueces St #30:geo:-97.7495877,30.2670554 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220406T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220406T200000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220317T033123Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220317T033123Z UID:10002004-1649268000-1649275200@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:AI in 2022: A Look at the Power\, Potential\, and Perils DESCRIPTION:In this talk\, Steve will give an introduction to AI for non-practitioners and then highlight current use cases in computer vision\, natural language processing\, time series forecasting\, anomaly detection\, reinforcement learning\, and recommender systems where AI-based systems are already performing well or offer significant promise to do so in the near future. Some key examples include drug discovery\, robotics\, language understanding\, climate change mitigation\, supply chain optimization\, and pandemic modeling.\n​\nHe will also discuss the significant risks of AI systems related to bias\, fairness\, privacy\, fraud\, cybersecurity\, and misinformation/disinformation and then the current efforts in algorithmic accountability and AI ethics to minimize negative impacts or harms. Steve will share some very recent disinformation research results related to COVID and the Spotify/Joe Rogan controversy.\n​\nThere will be plenty of accessible content for those newer to AI as well as pointers to technical details for those with strong AI backgrounds who want to learn about key recent research developments. \nRegister Here URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/ai-in-2022-a-look-at-the-power-potential-and-perils/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W. Cesar Chavez Downtown Austin\, Austin\, texas\, 78702\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/AI-1-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220324T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220324T203000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220131T182717Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220131T182732Z UID:10001993-1648150200-1648153800@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Exploring Tech & Society Through Sci-Fi: Austin Forum Sci-Fi Book Club DESCRIPTION:We will kick off the Austin Forum Sci-Fi book club with Neil Stephenson’s “Snow Crash\,” a novel that inspired many of the ideas and terms we use in technology today! While “Snow Crash” isn’t a new novel — it was nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1994 — the ideas and lessons about technology influence remain relevant today. \nOur book club focus is on how technology’s influence on society is imagined by creative writers who are extrapolating into possible futures or alternate outcomes — and what this can inform (warn?) us about how we’re allowing technology to influence society today. No spoiler alerts\, but “Snow Crash” is the perfect book to discuss first\, especially coming after our big March presentation event on cybersecurity. Our awesome book club group leader\, Julie Tomlin\, will ensure everyone gets to share their own analysis\, ideas\, concerns\, and more. \nSign up\, read the book\, and join us for a wonderful evening discussion that will surely expand your perspective on technology & society. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/exploring-tech-society-through-sci-fi-austin-forum-sci-fi-book-club/ LOCATION:Online via zoom\, TX\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/snowcrash-scaled.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220217T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220217T194500 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220121T222136Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220121T231819Z UID:10001657-1645122600-1645127100@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:SXSW 2022 Programming Preview with Hugh Forrest DESCRIPTION:SXSW 2022 is finally coming back in-person (and online)\, after two years of absence (2020) and online-only (2021) programming — and oh\, how the work\, culture\, entertainment\, society\, and conferences have changed! \nJoin us for a programming preview of SXSW and plenty of online discussion with the head honcho of SXSW himself. \nLearn how SXSW 2022 will be different\, and better in the new normal from SXSW Chief Programming Officer and longtime Austin Forum support\, Hugh Forrest.  He’ll discuss with Austin Forum Executive Director\, Jay Boisseau\, and the audience how this year’s programming will address the evolving and emerging themes that influence and shape how we work\, learn\, play\, live\, and more. \n  URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/sxsw-2022-programming-preview-with-hugh-forrest/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/sxsw1-scaled.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220201T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220201T194500 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220114T042127Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220114T042127Z UID:10001651-1643738400-1643744700@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:The Present and Future of Gaming DESCRIPTION:Electronic gaming is a huge industry\, larger even than music and film\, and encompasses options and platforms for everyone: From casual games on smartphones\, to visually realistic games on consoles and PCs\, to massive online games and platforms leveraging data centers and clouds. \nIt has inspired tremendous amounts of content on social media and streaming services\, and has spawned E-sports leagues and competitions. And yet\, gaming should not be thought of solely in terms of entertainment. Advances in games and delivery platforms drive technology advances in components and systems that have benefits in other areas of business and life. And\, gaming techniques can be used to enhance education and learning\, human productivity\, skills development and training\, and more. \nLearn from gaming and design experts Patrick Currey (Farbridge) and Erik Summa (Dell Technologies) about the latest trends and technologies in gaming (including those just announced at CES!)\, how the gaming industry and landscape are changing and its influence on business and society.​ URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/the-present-and-future-of-gaming/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/florian-olivo-Mf23RF8xArY-unsplash-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220111T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220111T170000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20220114T040250Z LAST-MODIFIED:20220114T040250Z UID:10001650-1641888000-1641920400@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:How Can Tech Companies Support Social Good? DESCRIPTION:Tech is booming even in the midst of a global pandemic. Many tech companies are achieving better-than-ever revenue and profits\, sending tech stocks soaring. Salaries for tech executives and engineers are rising as well which creates a competitive marketplace for top talent. But this prosperity is not shared by all. In tech\, women and people of color are underrepresented and under compensated. For those not in tech careers/companies pressures on rising costs of living squeeze tight margins even more. These disparities can significantly increase inequities for marginalized communities. \nBut all is not lost. With the proper mindset and tools\, the tech community can both continue to achieve AND contribute to the social good. We are here to share ways that companies and individuals can give back. \nIn this discussion\, moderators (and Austin civic/community leaders) Chelsea Collier and Jessica Sager will share programs and avenues to encourage your next steps. We also welcome the opportunities to add ideas and programs to this discussion. So get ready to get creative and help our community leapfrog the possible! URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/how-can-tech-companies-support-social-good/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/mapbox-LJtfV2Dkp4U-unsplash-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220104T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220104T200000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20211214T132448Z LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T132448Z UID:10001984-1641319200-1641326400@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Tech Trends for 2022 (and Beyond!) DESCRIPTION:Technologies are ubiquitous in our lives: embedded in our homes\, offices\, and vehicles\, and in our schools\, healthcare\, entertainment\, and most other places we go. And yet\, while technologies have become pervasive\, there is no constancy: technology capabilities grow exponentially\, entirely new technology products emerge rapidly\, and the rate of digital transformation in our lives\, companies\, government\, schools\, and more is accelerating. Now\, as we enter 2022\, technologies like cloud computing\, smartphones\, and social media are central to our lives; AI and 5G are maturing and applications are increasing that will change our products\, services\, environments\, and infrastructure; edge computing and blockchain/cryptocurrency/NFT are accelerating rapidly and promise to transform our business\, places\, and commerce; and emerging technologies like metaverse and quantum computing promise radical new capabilities that may utterly revolutionize many aspects of how we live\, work\, and interact. The only constants about technology are accelerating adoption\, innovation\, and transformation\, and thus is it is more important than ever to understand how these technologies will impact and influence lives\, present new opportunities to innovate and compete\, and can nurture our health\, safety\, and property. \nJoin us for this popular annual event as Jay Boisseau\, Executive Director of the Austin Forum on Technology & Society and long-time technology professional and Jay Williams\, technology thought leader and President & CTO for SunVia\, talk with futurist Nancy Giordano\, and Dell Technologies Chief Strategist Matt Baker\, about the technologies—and the applications of them—that will most influence society in 2022 (and beyond)! Join us online or in person to ask questions and meet the experts afterward (if attending in person) for even more discussion!\n​ URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/tech-trends-for-2022-and-beyond/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W. Cesar Chavez Downtown Austin\, Austin\, texas\, 78702\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/techtrends-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20211207T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20211207T194500 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20211116T205318Z LAST-MODIFIED:20211116T205318Z UID:10001646-1638900000-1638906300@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Misinformation & Disinformation: The Problems and Possible Solutions DESCRIPTION:Misinformation and disinformation have been around as long as people have been seeking to create gains and advantages for themselves and their interests. However\, technologies including the web\, smartphones\, and social media platforms have greatly augmented the potential for creating and spreading misinformation and the effectiveness of organized disinformation campaigns. It has become increasingly difficult to determine the accuracy and authenticity of many kinds of information\, making it much easier to spread inaccurate\, inauthentic content accidentally or unintentionally. This can create and exacerbate divisiveness\, inflame passions and promote mistrust\, and even lead to violent behaviors and deaths. How do we fix the technologies we have created to share information\, and how can we use new technologies—coupled with education and with individual\, societal\, and corporate responsibility—to identify\, reduce\, and fight misinformation and disinformation? Can technology even be part of the solution? What should we all learn\, do\, and share to be part of the solution? ​ \n​Join us in-person or on Zoom for this great conversation! URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/misinformation-disinformation-the-problems-and-possible-solutions/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W. Cesar Chavez Downtown Austin\, Austin\, texas\, 78702\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/pexels-negative-space-177557-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20211102T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20211102T194500 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20211020T192537Z LAST-MODIFIED:20211020T192537Z UID:10001638-1635876000-1635882300@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Quantum Computing: Transformational Capability DESCRIPTION:Computing has become pervasive in our lives\, with microprocessors of many types\, scales\, and characteristics powering everything from home devices to high performance computing systems\, from digital sensors to data centers\, from cars to cloud computing services. Persistent exponential advances in microprocessors and semiconductor technologies present more performance at less cost and lower power consumption annually. However\, there are important applications in healthcare\, energy\, environment\, security\, and more for which the annual increases in microprocessors remain woefully insufficient. Researchers\, technology companies\, government agencies\, and others around the world are eager to discover and develop new methods of computing that can offer orders of magnitude greater performance for these societally important applications–and the leading candidate is now quantum computing. \nWhat is quantum computing? Is it ‘real’\, and what makes it promising for these kinds of applications? What are the scientific principles that underpin it? What are the technologies and companies that are most promising now? How will it complement ‘classical’ computing technologies? When will it offer real impact for your company or organization (and your competitors) and what should you start doing to prepare for quantum computing? Our panel of experts–whurley of Strangeworks\, Aparna Prabhakar of IBM\, and Ken Durazzo of Dell Technologies–will answer these questions and more\, including yours! \n​Join us in-person or on Zoom for this great conversation! URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/quantum-computing-transformational-capability/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W Cesar Chavez St\, Austin\, TX\, 78701\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/quantum.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20210302T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20210302T200000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20210223T202124Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210223T202124Z UID:10001903-1614708000-1614715200@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Variants\, Vaccines\, and the Future of "Pandemic Tech" DESCRIPTION:One year ago\, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic and the US declared a national emergency. In a year\, we used technology to sequence the virus\, develop tests\, and create vaccines and treatments in record time and scale. However\, the virus has also evolved — we’re not out of the woods yet. \nIn this presentation\, UT Austin professors Ilya Finkelstein and colleagues will share exactly where the pandemic is in terms of vaccine and therapeutics\, how science and technology have helped create the treatments rapidly (and their role in it!)\, how to understand effectiveness and risks\, what virus variants we are seeing now\, and what the next steps are in using data\, science\, and technology in identifying and addressing SARS-CoV-2 variants and future pandemics. \nSARS-CoV-2 == virus\nCOVID-19 == disease caused by the virus URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/variants-vaccines-and-the-future-of-pandemic-tech/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/image.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200825T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200825T193000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200810T235314Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200810T235314Z UID:10001506-1598378400-1598383800@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Achieving Diversity\, Equity\, and Inclusion in Tech DESCRIPTION:In this special second event on the topic of social justice\, equity\, and diversity (following our event on August 4)\, we will address how and why technology companies can be be drivers of change in social justice\, equity\, and diversity—and why this will be good for their own success (products\, services\, profits\, and more) as well as society. \nTechnology now enables and empowers most companies and organizations\, and most of us as consumers\, learners\, etc.\, fueling growth in the technology sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has further increased our dependence on technology. However\, the concurrent focus on social injustice in the US has shined a light on the lack of diversity and equity in the tech sector andI on the inequitable access to technology (broadband\, computers\, smartphones\, affordable connectivity\, etc.). \nOur panel of experts will show data on these inequities\, then are how tech companies can lead the charge in promoting diversity and equity in the workforce and proving technology accessibility to all people. Please join us and share your own thoughts\, experiences\, and suggestions in the important forum. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/achieving-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-tech-2/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2018-02-15-18_34_58-images-for-social-media-powerpoint.png ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200818T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200818T180000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200724T151652Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200817T183843Z UID:10001826-1597773600-1597773600@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Achieving Diversity\, Equity\, and Inclusion in Tech DESCRIPTION:In this special second event on the topic of social justice\, equity\, and diversity (following our event on August 4)\, we will address how and why technology companies can be be drivers of change in social justice\, equity\, and diversity—and why this will be good for their own success (products\, services\, profits\, and more) as well as society. \nTechnology now enables and empowers most companies and organizations\, and most of us as consumers\, learners\, etc.\, fueling growth in the technology sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has further increased our dependence on technology. However\, the concurrent focus on social injustice in the US has shined a light on the lack of diversity and equity in the tech sector andI on the inequitable access to technology (broadband\, computers\, smartphones\, affordable connectivity\, etc.). \nOur panel of experts will show data on these inequities\, then are how tech companies can lead the charge in promoting diversity and equity in the workforce and proving technology accessibility to all people. Please join us and share your own thoughts\, experiences\, and suggestions in the important forum. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/achieving-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-tech/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/aug-4th-event-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200804T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200804T180000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200724T152034Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200724T152034Z UID:10001828-1596564000-1596564000@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Using Data & Technology to Improve Our Racial Climate DESCRIPTION:Awareness of racial injustice\, discrimination\, and inequities has soared in the US recent months\, motivated by the tragic killing of Black Americans—including George Floyd\, Breonna Taylor\, Ahmaud Arbery\, and many others. This has created a wave of social protests and calls for change\, from reforming police departments to removing symbols of the Confederacy to increased investment in Black businesses and more. \nThere is much work to be done to achieve the goals of the United States of America—that every person is treated as equals and have access to the same opportunities. This is a societal issue\, but can data and technology help us? There are notable examples of technology being used to discriminate and persecute\, in the US and globally\, and of data that clearly shows inequities and injustices \nHow do we use data and analytics to make things better? How do we ensure that technologies use to promote equality and fairness and not to enable injustice and discrimination? \nJoin our distinguished panel of experts as we discuss how data and technologies have been used for injustice and inequality\, but how they can be powerful tools for change\, equity\, and progress. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/using-data-technology-to-improve-our-racial-climate/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/aug-4th-event.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200724T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200724T200000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200724T151917Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200724T151917Z UID:10001827-1595620800-1595620800@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Belldiver 'In the Vapor' Virtual EP Release Show + SIMS Foundation Benefit DESCRIPTION:We are proud to team up with the SIMS Foundation to present a live-streamed show on July 24 celebrating our debut EP “In the Vapor”. Register here and tune in to www.belldiver.com/live at 8PM on the 24th! \nAdmission to this virtual show is free\, but we encourage everyone to make a donation which will go in its entirety to the SIMS Foundation. SIMS provides mental health and substance use recovery services and support for Austin musicians\, music industry professionals\, and their dependent family members. \nTo donate\, click here to link to the event post on our Facebook page and then click “Donate“ towards the bottom. 100% of your donation will go directly to the SIMS Foundation to help out Austin musicians in need! URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/belldiver-in-the-vapor-virtual-ep-release-show-sims-foundation-benefit/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Annotation-2020-07-23-122135.png ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200721T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200721T193000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200629T145535Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200629T145535Z UID:10001812-1595354400-1595359800@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:AI & How It Will Impact Humanity and Society DESCRIPTION:AI is a powerful technology capability that will transform business\, education\, government; it will revolutionize healthcare transportation\, manufacturing\, agriculture\, and virtually all important societal systems. In this Austin Forum event\, we learn what AI is\, why it’s so powerful\, and some of the ways is it being used now–and will change the world tomorrow. In this second part\, we will focus on how AI and humanity intersect by exploring some big questions:\nHow do help companies\, schools\, government\, and consumers make the most of AI?\nHow do we make sure AI systems and applications are fair and inclusive\, not biased and divisive?\nWhat are the risks on the ever-increasing capabilities of AI systems–transportation\, healthcare\, security\, defense\, etc–and the impacts for humans and working? \nWhat are the prospects for general AI\, and what implications does that have for humanity? \nHow can we lead AI in the most positive\, impactful directions\, starting now\, and what role can you\, and Austin\, play in the most positive future of AI?\nJoin us on July 21 for this second part (and catch up on/review the first event https://www.austinforum.org/july72020.html) URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/ai-how-it-will-impact-humanity-and-society/ CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/artificial-intelligence-2_1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200707T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200707T194500 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200615T203605Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200629T151611Z UID:10001809-1594144800-1594151100@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:AI & Why It Will Transform Everything DESCRIPTION:Artificial intelligence (AI) is perhaps the most hyped technology trend in the world right now–and with good reason. The combination of highly capable algorithms\, exponentially increasing amounts of digital data\, and ever-increasing computational power have enabled tremendous successes in the development\, application\, and impact of AI in recent years. \nWe see or experience some of these daily: facial recognition in place of passwords\, conversational AI assistants (e.g. Alexa\, Siri) and chatbots\, detection of fraudulent credit cards charges\, improved recommendations for what to buy or watch next\, and much more. Companies now use AI to improve operational efficiencies\, predict possible maintenance issues\, optimize sales and marketing efforts\, and more. Perhaps most importantly\, AI is now poised to revolutionize healthcare and medicine\, mobility and transportation\, manufacturing and robotics\, finance\, national security\, and many of the fundamental needs of humanity and society. \nBut what is AI? What makes AI so powerful? Why is it so hyped and why is it considered disruptive\, transformative\, and revolutionary? (And is it?) What are the most important applications that of AI today and tomorrow? How is Austin contributing to the advancement of AI? \n​Join us to hear some answers to these questions from Austin AI leaders and experts in Part 1 of this special two-part Austin Forum event\, and stay for an extended Q&A session with breakout groups organized by topic. (Join us again for Part 2 on July 21 to explore additional topics about AI including the ethical implications and societal benefits and risks of AI\, how to augment humanity and promote inclusion with AI\, and more.) URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/ai-austin-and-augmenting-human-potential-part-1/ CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Untitled-design-23.png ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200505T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200505T180000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200504T135048Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200504T135121Z UID:10001793-1588701600-1588701600@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Technologies for Fighting COVID-19 and Other Epidemics DESCRIPTION:The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has had a sudden and tremendous global impact. The resulting disease\, COVID-19\, and the rapid spread (epidemic) has had a profound effect individuals and families\, schools and education\, businesses and operations\, government policies\, and society in general. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic in early March\, and the Center for Disease Control\, and governments worldwide at all scales have declared state of emergency/disaster and instituted policies to attempt to control the pandemic and reduce hospitalization and fatalities (already number over 10\,000). Social distancing\, quarantines\, and lockdowns play key roles in reducing exposure and slowing the spread\, but detecting cases\, predicting the spread\, determine treatments\, and developing vaccines are the realm of medical science—aided by powerful technologies. \nJoin us for this timely event as our experts explain viruses and epidemics in general\, the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 in particular\, and then discuss how technology aid healthcare professionals\, epidemiologists and researchers in detection\, identification\, understanding\, treating\, and eventually preventing this disease—and future diseases. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/technologies-for-fighting-covid-19-and-other-epidemics/ LOCATION:Zoom\, Select a Country: CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/coronavirus-image-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200306T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200306T194500 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200211T191210Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200211T191210Z UID:10001756-1583517600-1583523900@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Technology + Art: Data\, Algorithms\, and Software Enable New Artistic Creativity DESCRIPTION:Technology has always enabled art by providing new tools\, materials\, and expertise that artist then used to advance their visual innovations. The Renaissance is a good example of what can happen when technologists and creatives collaborate. Today a new 21st Renaissance is underway with tech and art uniting to form a new movement dubbed generative art\, with Austin as one of its creative hubs. \nGenerative art uses code\, data\, AI\, AR\, VR\, music\, math\, algorithms\, hardware\, and software to create novel digital media and daring aesthetics that would not otherwise be possible! What’s more these artists are coders\, many with backgrounds in technology. Like good design and beautiful code\, their evocative images and ideas are judged by their clarity and simplicity\, and for their elegant\, original solutions to complex concerns. Their relevant visions allow all of us to appreciate our unique place in history and to imagine the future of technology\, art\, and humanity through fresh eyes. \nCome experience these mesmerizing tech-driven creations as Julia Morton and her guest artists reveal their code\, process\, and inspiration in this special Austin Forum event that will also feature a pop-up generative art gallery. URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/technology-art-data-algorithms-and-software-enable-new-artistic-creativity/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W Cesar Chavez St\, Austin\, TX\, 78701\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Hello-World-English-01-by-Shirley-Steele.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20200204T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20200204T200000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20200115T013835Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200128T182416Z UID:10001754-1580839200-1580846400@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Health Tech: How Technology\, and Austin\, Will Help You Live Longer & Better DESCRIPTION:Human bodies are amazingly capable and resilient\, but there are countless risks and dangers to our health and lifespan. Technology has long been used in the pursuit of health and longevity\, from bandages and thermometers to splints and herbal medicines. In the era of advanced computing technologies and sensors\, nanotechnology and robotics\, and massive data and artificial intelligence\, we are discovering new ways to detect and diagnose illnesses and injuries and to treat them medically and surgically. We are learning new ways to rehabilitate bodies and recover from injuries and illnesses\, and how to prevent many illnesses and conditions from ever occurring. As we enter 2020\, we can credibly picture a not-too-distant future in which precision medicine will end death from disease (if not disease itself)\, that nanotechnology and robotics will enable precision surgery to yield total recovery in nearly 100% of all cases\, and that artificial limbs and organs will replace original ones with equal or greater capabilities and durability. Moreover\, we are uncovering the genetic and epigenetic causes of aging\, and thus we can foresee extending healthy\, high quality lives to well beyond 100 years and to realize our maximum lifespan potential. \nAs one of the leading cities in the world for computing technologies\, academic research\, innovation\, and startups—and now home to the Dell Medical School—Austin is well positioned to become a leader in the creation of health-related technologies. Join us as two leaders in Austin’s health tech ecosystem—Dr. Jordan Amadio\, neurosurgeon and innovator at Ascension and Dell Med\, and Scott Collins PhD\, biotech entrepreneur and co-founder of BioAustin—share the current state and future possibilities for health technologies and for the Austin opportunities in everything from wearables and diagnostics to robotics and rehabilitation technologies. Then\, Dr. Amadio with then discuss into the future of surgery as one example of this technological revolution in healthcare. (Future Austin Forum programming will cover precision medicine\, advanced diagnostics\, and more.) Join us as we learn how our lives will get better and longer—and how you may be able to contribute! URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/health-tech-how-technology-and-austin-will-help-you-live-longer-better/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W Cesar Chavez St\, Austin\, TX\, 78701\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20191203T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20191203T180000 DTSTAMP:20260426T135737 CREATED:20191202T171344Z LAST-MODIFIED:20191202T171344Z UID:10001425-1575396000-1575396000@www.austintechnologycouncil.org SUMMARY:Technology for Social Good: How Tech Professionals & Companies Can Support Social Impact DESCRIPTION:Technology has the potential to positively impact our lives by improving access and connection. Simultaneously\, our rapid\, tech-fueled growth also creates challenges (affordability\, mobility) that disproportionately disadvantage many in our community. Like any modern city\, Austin must address issues of social equity and opportunity while ensuring the city benefits from the advantages technology brings.\n​\nTech sector professionals who are enjoying the success and growth of Austin may not be fully aware of the depth of challenges faced by many Austinites\, or what they can do to help. This event is designed to present tech-related topics that take a different approach to social good. Our goal is to get you to think differently and (ultimately) to get you to act differently. \nFeaturing speakers:\nSamantha Snabes: re:3D\nMeme Styles: Measure Austin\nSteve Wanta: Just\nAllison Hannel: AT&T \nIn this special event\, you will learn from our presenters: \n\nHow to create technology enabled products and services that achieve positive social impact\nHow to leverage your personal tech skills and interests to volunteer and contribute to social good\nHow tech companies and organizations can adopt business models and practices that support social good URL:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/event/technology-for-social-good-how-tech-professionals-companies-can-support-social-impact/ LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 W Cesar Chavez St\, Austin\, TX\, 78701\, United States CATEGORIES:Community Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.austintechnologycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Tech-for-goo.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Austin Forum on Technology &%3B Society":MAILTO:info@austinforum.org END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR