Software for Humanity is a thought-provoking and immersive event that brings together software engineers, developers, technologists, and industry leaders to explore the intersection of technology, humanity, and sustainability. This event aims to foster knowledge sharing, collaboration, and awareness of critical topics such as open-source APIs, performance engineering, sustainable IT practices, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the tech industry.

This year’s theme, “There’s IT in ‘humanity’ but is there humanity in IT?”, promises a thought-provoking and immersive experience that unites software engineers, developers, and technologists. We aim to explore the intersection of technology, humanity, and sustainability, serving as a supportive community for tech leaders, practitioners, and enthusiasts by sharing knowledge about the newest trends and technologies in IT. Our event will be recorded but not live streamed.

Register

August 14, 2024   |  12:30 PM ET – 4:30 PM ET

🥪LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED 🍽️
MathWorks  1 Apple Hill Drive  Natick, MA 01760-2098

Networking and Interactive Activities: From 12:39 PM to 1:00 PM and throughout the event, participants will have opportunities to network with like-minded professionals, exchange ideas, and collaborate on potential projects. Interactive activities, such as panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and hands-on workshops, will encourage active engagement and knowledge sharing.

Featured Sessions

• 12:30 PM Lunch
• 12:55 PM INTRODUCTION
• 1:00 PM Session 1: Dorothea Bozicolona-Volpe – “DEIB: How Organizations Create Belonging to Attract & Retain Top Talent”
• 1:30 PM BREAK
• 1:35 PM Session 2:Thomas Halinski (Broadcom) – “DEI, Open Source Software, APIs, and Databases”
• 2:05 PM BREAK
• 2:10 PM Session 3:Jayavidhi Kumar (Mathworks) – “Unveiling the Many Facets of Accessibility: Actions that Make a Difference”
• 2:40 PM EXTENDED BREAK
• 2:55 PM Session 4: Elisabeth Stahl (IBM) – “Choosing a “Good” AI Use Case”
• 3:25 PM BREAK
• 3:30 PM Session 5: Dave McAllister – “The Subtle Art of Misleading with Statistics”
• 4:00 PM BREAK
• 4:05 PM Session: 6: Nicole Nwakalor (Broadcom) – “The Power of Diverse Teams: Beyond Diversity to Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging”
• 4:35 PM Concluding Remarks

Join us at Software for Humanity and be part of the movement to shape a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative future for the software industry!

 

DEIB: How Organizations Create Belonging to Attract & Retain Top Talent

1:00 PM

It has never been more essential to build a supportive and inclusive workplace culture. Build an inclusive culture and improve team engagement.

Create an environment where your employees feel seen and heard with impactful programs. Develop a culture of inclusivity with learning and development that works to attract and retain loyal employees!

Dorothéa Bozicolona-Volpe, Principal and Founder, Social Espionage

Dorothéa Bozicolona-Volpe is a strategic digital marketing executive, who is fluent in four languages and specializes in developing business through digital, influencer and social media marketing for the world’s most memorable brands. Bozicolona-Volpe teaches marketers and business leaders how to increase value and develop strong relationships between brands and fans. The four business areas she focuses on are ecommerce, employer and personal branding, enterprise social networking, and marketing strategies. She has appeared as a social media strategy expert on CBS and CNN. She is an avid skateboarder who tweets to relax; she can be found on Twitter and Instagram @socialespionage.

DEI, Open Source Software, APIs, and Databases

1:35 PM

People of vastly different backgrounds, nationalities, orientations, and identities create open-source software, hardware, and standards. This is an excellent example of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Studies reveal that diversity in participation produces better outcomes and more robust technologies.

The use of Open Source software and APIs helps users and administrators of databases gain significant value in analyzing the functionality and performance of their specific database products. This is also an excellent avenue to help modernize the Mainframe.

The establishment of a connection to a database via a REST API (with optional Open Source ZOWE features) and combining it with an Open Source time-series database coupled with a dashboard visualization package, create an “Embrace Open”. This Embrace Open enables users to view system and/or performance data, enables users to implement and automate warnings and recommendations to avoid system risks, and provides flexibility to leverage modern, user-friendly tooling to improve the user experience.

In this presentation, we’ll take a look at implementation techniques to satisfy a performance monitoring use case, using open-source tools to visualize performance metrics produced by an API. Our example will be based on the Zowe API for an IDMS database, but these techniques are general and can be applied to any database product (e.g. Db2/IMS/Datacom) that reveals performance metrics through a REST API.

Tom Halinski, Principal, Client Services Consultant at Broadcom

Thomas Halinski has been a Mainframe Value Manager, a Technical Services Consultant and an Assistant Project Manager for Broadcom, Inc. for the past several years. He supports the Sales Team for the Mainframe Software Division’s primary solutions and plays a key role in promoting and deploying open source tools for the modernization of the mainframe arena. For the prior 40+ years, he has been a Business Application Consultant for various industries performing Enterprise Application Design, program design, development, andcoding. He specializes in MVS performance tuning, with an emphasis in Db2. He has written several papers, has presented them internationally and has published in the IDUG Solutions Journal. He has held the Subject Area Chair – z/Series position for the Computer Management Group’s (CMG) National Conference for 7 years and was also an Assistant Project Manager for SHARE – EWCP for 5 years.

Unveiling the Many Facets of Accessibility: Actions that Make a Difference

2:10 PM

In a world where digital interaction is essential, many users still face significant barriers due to inaccessible content. At MathWorks, we view digital accessibility not just as a requirement but as a commitment to inclusivity and innovation.

Join us for a talk on “Unveiling the Many Facets of Accessibility: Actions that Make a Difference” as we delve into the diverse aspects of accessibility and their real-world impact. Engage in interactive activities designed to highlight the everyday challenges faced by users with diverse abilities.

Walk away with actionable strategies to seamlessly integrate accessibility into your daily workflows and ensure your digital content and interactions are more inclusive and impactful for all users.

Participants would benefit by having: Laptop and MathWorks account to access MATLAB Online

Jayavidhi Kumar, Web Accessibility Engineer, MathWorks

Jayavidhi Kumar (She/Her) is a Web Accessibility Engineer at MathWorks, specializing in human-centered computing and accessibility. She holds a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Florida and has over three years of experience as a software engineer and frontend developer, including a tenure at Wells Fargo.

Jayavidhi is skilled in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Java, Python, and Node.js. She focuses on creating inclusive and accessible web applications. At Wells Fargo, she led projects enhancing digital banking services and improving accessibility compliance.

Outside of work, Jayavidhi enjoys photography and exploring the outdoors. She is eager to connect with others about opportunities in software development and accessibility.

Choosing a “Good” AI Use Case

2:55 PM

What is a “good” AI use case? Will it have value for your organization as well as for the world? In this session discover how organizations are using AI to achieve “success” and discuss a proven methodology for choosing your own best AI use case.

Elisabeth Stahl, Board Member, IBM Systems and Technology Group

Elisabeth Stahl is a Distinguished Engineer in the IBM Systems Worldwide Client Centers and has been working in IT Infrastructure for over 30 years. Her current focus is on Blockchain, Hybrid Cloud, Security, and Cognitive technologies. She is a member of the IBM Academy of Technology Leadership Team, IEEE Senior Member, and is on the Board of Directors of Computer Measurement Group and The Music Settlement. Elisabeth holds a BA in Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from New York University.

 

The Subtle Art of Misleading with Statistics

3:30 PM

“Lies, damned lies and statistics.” While true, only statistics allow easily allows you to lie to yourself..

Let’s explore how statistics can sometimes trick us into believing something that’s not true. This isn’t always done intentionally; we mislead ourselves without realizing it. We’ll look at how focusing solely on recent events, choosing specific data to look at, and making assumptions about the size of a group can lead us to the wrong conclusions. We’ll show examples of how graphs and numbers can be used in misleading ways. The presentation aims to teach you how to look at statistics more critically, understand their limits, and avoid fooling yourself with numbers.

Dave McAllister, Sr OSS Technologist, NGINX

Currently providing technical OSS insights for NGINX, Dave talks about the advantages of microservices and orchestration in solving distributed systems challenges, especially with open source. Dave has been a champion for open systems and open source from the early days of Linux to today’s world of clouds and containers. He often speaks on topics associated with emerging software architectures and practices, observability, and how open-source innovations power today’s world.

The Power of Diverse Teams: Beyond Diversity to Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

4:05 PM

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the importance of diverse teams cannot be overstated. However, the true power of diversity is unlocked only when organizations move beyond mere representation to foster environments of equity, inclusion, and belonging (EIB). This presentation will challenge individuals and industry leaders to not solely focus on employing diverse teams but to ensure that these individuals thrive through equitable practices, inclusive cultures, and a genuine sense of belonging.

Nicole Nwakalor, Client Services Consultant, Mainframe Software Division, Broadcom

Nicole Nwakalor is a technology professional with expertise in mainframe database systems and data management. Transitioning from a background in civil engineering to mainframe technology, Nicole has held diverse roles in fintech, consulting, engineering, and non-profit sectors. She also holds an MBA in Information Systems. Nicole has demonstrated leadership in managing mainframe database systems, supporting cross-functional projects, and fostering knowledge sharing within organizations.

In 2021, Nicole was honored as a Rising Star by IBMz TechChannel. She is deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and served on the boards of two Employee Resource Groups at Charles Schwab. Nicole actively promoted collaboration, talent recognition, and community engagement in these roles. She’s passionate about mentoring and inspiring the next generation, evident in her participation in industry panel discussions and dedication to cultivating excellence in all her endeavors. Her journey highlights the importance of nurturing diverse talent to ensure the continued vitality of the technology sector.