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Kate Starbird on Crisis Informatics
by Nicola Dell 05 Nov '12

05 Nov '12

This Tuesday at Change, Kate Starbird will talk about her work on Crisis Informatics. Sociologists of disaster have long recognized that people will converge onto the scene of a disaster, often attempting to provide assistance to those affected or those responding. ICT and social media are now enabling a kind of digital convergence in the wake of crisis events. For example, hundreds of thousands of people around the world turned to Twitter in the wake of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. That event precipitated and marked a turn towards digital volunteerism and recognition of the potential of social media-enabled collective action during crisis events. In this presentation, I will describe how members of the remote crowd "work" during crises and other mass disruption events—as remote operators, emergent response organizations, and increasingly as volunteers in virtual volunteer organizations. Building on previous empirical work in this space, I will then highlight design possibilities for supporting and leveraging this work, and identify challenges of and opportunities for connecting this new crowd capacity with formal response efforts. Kate Starbird is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington. Dr. Starbird’s research, which is situated within the fields of HCI and CSCW, examines interaction and collaboration as enabled, supported, and structured by social media and other online tools. She investigates both large-scale and small group online interaction within the context of crises and other mass disruption events, studying how digital volunteers and other members of the connected crowd work to filter and shape the information space. As part of this research, she co-created and developed the infrastructure to support the "Tweak the Tweet" project, an innovation for using Twitter more effectively as a channel for reporting actionable information during crisis. Dr. Starbird received her BS in Computer Science from Stanford University in 1997 and her PhD in Technology, Media and Society from the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado in 2012. She received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship for her PhD work. What: Kate Starbird on Crisis Informatics When: Tuesday, November 6th at 12 noon Where: The Allen Center, room CSE 203

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Call for Practitioners - ACM DEV 2013
by Bill Thies 04 Nov '12

04 Nov '12

CALL FOR PRACTITIONERS: ENABLING COLLABORATIONS Submissions due November 15 ACM Symposium on Computing for Development (DEV 2013) January 11-12, 2013 Bangalore, India http://dev2013.org/ The ACM Symposium on Computing for Development (DEV 2013) invites organizations working in low-income communities in India to describe their work to an international audience of technology researchers. The DEV conference, now in its third year, aims to advance the state-of-the-art in developing appropriate technologies for low-income regions around the world. Researchers at the conference have broad technical expertise, spanning artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, networking, systems, speech and language processing, computer security, data mining, and computer vision. They seek to apply this expertise to diverse problems in development, spanning health, education, agriculture, financial services, and governance. In 2013, DEV is coming to Bangalore, India. A special focus of this meeting is to connect leading NGOs, social entrepreneurs, and government initiatives in India with an international group of technology researchers. We hope that this interaction will lead to several long-term collaborations. To this end, we are seeking: * Organizations working in any domain of socio-economic development, including health, education, finance, and other areas, and especially those seeking to utilize innovative technology * Non-profit organizations * Social entrepreneurs * Government offices and officials We invite representatives of these organizations to engage in an interactive session with researchers at the conference. Each organization will be invited to: * Present a poster during a dedicated session at the conference * Give a very brief (1-minute) talk, advertising their poster * Attend a full day of the conference for free To be considered for the session, please send the following to acmdev2013(a)gmail.com: * Name of your organization * Names and email addresses of presenters * Brief description (3-4 sentences) describing the work that you do and (optionally) any collaborations you are seeking to form. This information will be distributed to conference attendees. Submissions will be reviewed prior to inclusion in the conference program. The DEADLINE for all submissions is NOVEMBER 15, 2012. Please address any inquiries to the conference chairs, who are available at acmdev2013(a)gmail.com: - Aaditeshwar Seth, IIT Delhi - Richard Anderson, University of Washington - Amit Nanavati, IBM Research India - Bill Thies, Microsoft Research India

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OLPC experiment is showing "encouraging" results
by Yaw Anokwa 04 Nov '12

04 Nov '12

Turns out Ethiopian children can teach themselves -- all they need is tablets dropped off in a village. "Earlier this year, OLPC workers dropped off closed boxes containing the tablets, taped shut, with no instruction. “I thought the kids would play with the boxes. Within four minutes, one kid not only opened the box, found the on-off switch … powered it up. Within five days, they were using 47 apps per child, per day. Within two weeks, they were singing ABC songs in the village, and within five months, they had hacked Android,” Negroponte said." Source: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/506466/given-tablets-but-no-teachers-e…

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research group for Winter 2013
by Beth Kolko 02 Nov '12

02 Nov '12

I wanted to share this announcement with the Change community. Directed Research groups in HCDE are variable credit, research-based activities. Students enroll for either HCDE 496 (undergraduate students) or HCDE 596 (graduate students). You'll need to get an add code from me, so if you're interested, please send email as directed below. Thanks. Best, Beth Understanding Health in Diverse Communities: The Role of Cooking, Food Choices, and Traditional Recipes South King County is one of the most diverse regions in the country, but its residents have some of the lowest health outcomes in the county, including high rates of diabetes. Effective interventions for promoting diabetes management or prevention must be culturally appropriate and grounded in understanding what specific challenges these communities face. This quarter, we will do some readings, identify communities, and go out to the field to investigate attitudes and health behaviors specifically surrounding food. We’ll go to the places where people shop and learn how people cook or provide food for their families. We’ll also explore cross-generational and cross-cultural issues related to food. This work is tied to a larger project in HCDE and CSE that is working to create community-generated videos about healthy behaviors and diabetes management. The work of this research group will be able to inform that larger project. Students interested in learning more about ethnographic methods and qualitative research are encouraged to join. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to Robert Racadio (racadio(a)uw.edu) and Beth Kolko (bkolko(a)uw.edu) with a brief statement describing your interest in the research group and any experience you have in conducting field research. Beth Kolko Professor Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering University of Washington Box 352315 Sieg 423 Seattle, WA 98195 206.685.3809 Faculty Associate, Berkman Center for Internet & Society Harvard University

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Smart-phone based Dengue early warning system
by Umar Saif 01 Nov '12

01 Nov '12

Dear Friends - MIT Technology Review has an published article on our smart-phone based early epidemic detection system used to coordinate the Dengue prevention efforts by government of Punjab this year. Our system used hundreds of android phones, logged 38,867 prevention activities by several government of punjab departments (notably Department of Health and City district government) over a period of 5 months, accurately tracked both Aedes larvea clusters and confirmed patients and generated early warnings on outbreaks: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/506276/pakistan-uses-smartphone-data-t… We are also making (most of) our data and prediction system public: http://denguetrackingcedar.herokuapp.com/public This may be a little slow given the amount of data it has to fetch and the load on our servers after making the system public. The tab "early epidemic detection system" will take you to our statistical prediction system, dragging the slider at the bottom will show you early warnings generated by our system (Sept-Oct'12). Regards, -- Umar Saif | http://people.csail.mit.edu/umar

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Fwd: [dub] HCDE 521, October 31 - Kate Starbird
by Gaetano Borriello 29 Oct '12

29 Oct '12

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jan H. Spyridakis <jansp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Mon, Oct 29, 2012 at 10:36 AM Subject: [dub] HCDE 521, October 31 - Kate Starbird To: Hello, Please come and hear HCDE Assistant Professor Kate Starbird present at the HCDE Autumn Seminar Series (HCDE 521) Wednesday, October 31 from 5:00 to 5:50 p.m. in Mary Gates Hall 241 at the University of Washington. Details of her talk are listed below. More information about the HCDE 521 seminar series is available online: http://hcde.uw.edu/521. Seminar Title: Crowds, Crisis and Convergence: Unpacking "Crowdsourcing" in the Context of Disaster Abstract: The potential of connected crowds to solve complex problems (that neither individuals nor computers can solve alone) has been the focus of considerable research in recent years across disciplines and certainly within the HCDE field. Though there are several perspectives for approaching crowd work, “crowdsourcing” has become a popular, umbrella term for the phenomenon. In this talk, I will work unpack the crowdsourcing term within the context of disaster. In our hyper-connected world, large-scale disaster events are acting as catalysts for mass “convergence” online, which functions both to generate massive volumes of information and to organize that information. Pulling from multiple studies of crowd work during crisis events, I will describe how the crowd attempts to solve complex problems and address gaps in response efforts through digital volunteerism and other productive crowd work. I will then use these empirical findings to demonstrate the diversity of crowd work and to expose what a focus on “crowdsourcing” obscures. Hope to see you there! Jan Spyridakis Jan Spyridakis Professor and Chair Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering University of Washington Box 352315 Seattle, WA 98195 206-685-1557 (fax 206-543-8858) http://www.hcde.uw.edu/jansp _______________________________________________ dub mailing list dub(a)dub.washington.edu http://dub.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/dub

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Trevor Perrier: Dispatches from the digital divide
by Nicola Dell 29 Oct '12

29 Oct '12

This Tuesday at Change, Trevor Perrier from UW CSE brings dispatches from the digital divide. We all know the digital divide is rapidly disappearing and the world is more connected then it ever has been before. While it is true that tweets have been sent from the top of Mount Everest<http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2385062,00.asp> and the ISS <http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/jan/HQ_M10-012_ISS_Web.html>, as Kurtis Heimerl talked about 3 weeks ago there are locations much closer to sea level where finding a 3G or wireless connection is difficult, or even impossible. However, in those places where the global network is beginning to penetrate it is brining change and providing new opportunities. In this talk we learn just how ubiquitous digital technology is at both the trailing and leading edge of the digital wavefront in Africa. Trevor Perrier is a new grad student at UW working with Change and ICTD under Richard Anderson. From July 2008 - October 2011 he was a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa. He lived 42km from the Swaziland boarder in Emjindini and worked at an Educational Resource Center assisting teachers at local schools in math and science. After spending three months back home Trevor, needing something to do until grad school started, joined Peace Corps Response. Sent to Liberia he lived in a rural village 25km from Ivory Coast and taught math and science in the local school for six months. Now back from four years working at the grass routs level, Trevor is excited to approach development from a different perspective as part of UW. What: Trevor Perrier: Dispatches from the digital divide When: Tuesday, October 30th at 12 noon Where: The Allen Center, room CSE 203

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NetSquared connecting technologists and nonprofits - forward to change mailing list?
by Nicola Dell 28 Oct '12

28 Oct '12

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Natalie Linnell <linnell(a)cs.washington.edu> Date: Sun, Oct 28, 2012 at 9:21 PM Subject: NetSquared connecting technologists and nonprofits - forward to change mailing list? To: nixdell(a)cs.washington.edu Hi Nicki, A good friend of mine works with NetSquared, which connects programmers with time to donate, with nonprofits who need technical help. Would you mind forwarding the following to the change mailing list? Thanks! Natalie My friend Michael is helping organize the Greattle Seattle NetSquared series for 2013. NetSquared <http://netsquared.org/local> is a monthly series of volunteer-organized meetups that brings together folks in technology and the social sector who want to work on projects for the common good. They are sponsored by a nonprofit in SF called Techsoup<http://techsoup.org/> . NetSquared groups in various cities in the US hold social mixers, presentations, workshops, mentorships, and other similar events, based on the interests of the community. Check out the webpages for Vancouver<http://www.meetup.com/Vancouver-social-media-nonprofits-social-change/> , Portland <http://www.meetup.com/netsquared-13/> and the events held in Seattle (Eastside) <http://www.meetup.com/Greater-Seattle-NetSquared/> until Jun 2012 for more information on the types of events that are held. Michael has his hands pretty full as a lead in Sierra Club's national online organizing team so he'd love to have someone help him with organizing events for NetSquared. He's looking for co-organizers as well as interns! Please feel free to reach out to me at sameer(a)digital-progress.org and I'd love to make a connection!

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Students win $100K for 3-D printer to turn waste plastic into composting toilets, rainwater harvesting systems
by Gaetano Borriello 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

http://www.washington.edu/news/2012/10/25/students-win-100k-for-3-d-printer… A University of Washington team this week claimed top prize in the first 3D4D Challenge, an international contest to use 3-D printing for social benefit in the developing world. The three undergraduates won $100,000 to form a company that will work with partners in Oaxaca, Mexico, to build machines that can transform waste plastic into composting toilets and pieces for rainwater harvesting systems........

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November Salon from GlobalWA // Gather
by Nicola Dell 25 Oct '12

25 Oct '12

** Having trouble viewing this email? View as a web page<https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/viewEmailAsPage.do?databaseId=GlobalWashingt…>. **** **** *Strength in What Remains*** *Deo Niyizonkiza and Village Health Works** * *an intimate salon and conversation with Village Health Works founder and star of a New York Times best seller *** * * Co-presented by Fremont Abbey Arts Center<http://tracking.etapestry.com/t/25370791/650772071/55119479/0/>and Pangea <http://tracking.etapestry.com/t/25370791/650772071/55119482/0/>**** **** *When:* Thursday, November 1, 4:00pm to 6:00pm *Where: *Fremont Abbey Arts Center**** 4272 Fremont Ave N, Seattle *Ticket price:* $30**** A reception with beverages and light hors doeuvres will follow the talk.**** *Register here<http://tracking.etapestry.com/t/25370791/650772071/55108602/0/> ***** **** Deogratias Niyizonkiza is the co-founder and director of Village Health Works, a non-profit organization that takes a comprehensive approach to health and development in Burundi, one of the world's poorest countries.**** **** Deo's extraordinary story is the subject of Tracy Kidder's best seller, *Strength in What Remains* . Deo grew up in rural Burundi under military dictatorships, and was a medical school student at the country's only university when an ethnic civl war tore his world apart. He narrowly escaped with his life only to land in New York City with just $200 and no English. After months of delivering groceries and nights sleeping in Central Park, he met a nun who facilitated introductions to generous benefactors. Deo eventually graduated from Columbia University and went on to Harvard's School of Public Health and Dartmouth Medical School.**** **** With encouragement from Paul Farmer, Deo returned to Burundi in 2006. He rallied the southern Burundi community of Kigutu and established Village Health Works. With land donated by the community and an army of committed volunteers, the clinic opened in December 2007. VHW has served over 60,000 people, runs programs in healthcare, education, and agriculture, and is now planning a new center devoted to women’s health. It is unique in being entirely community-driven.**** **** A frequent lecturer on global health, Deo is the recipient of multiple awards including the 2011 International Medal Award of St. John’s University and the 2010 Women Refugee Commission’s Voices of Courage Award. **** **** During Q&A, Deo will be joined by VHW co-founder and Health Programs Director, Dr. Dziwe Ntaba. Dziwe is Clinical Instructor in Emergency Medicine at Columbia University and Associate Physician in the Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.**** **** *Please visit GlobalWA's website at www.globalwa.org* **** Would you like to forward this email to a friend? Click here<https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/forwardToFriend.do?databaseId=GlobalWashingt…>. **** Share This Email: [image: Facebook]<https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/shareLink.do?dbName=GlobalWashington&jobRef=…>[image: Twitter]<https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/shareLink.do?dbName=GlobalWashington&jobRef=…>[image: Digg]<https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/shareLink.do?dbName=GlobalWashington&jobRef=…>[image: Myspace]<https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/shareLink.do?dbName=GlobalWashington&jobRef=…>[image: Linked In]<https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/shareLink.do?dbName=GlobalWashington&jobRef=…>[image: Delicious]<https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/shareLink.do?dbName=GlobalWashington&jobRef=…> **** Remove my name from all future email correspondence <https://bos.etapestry.com/prod/optOut.do?databaseId=GlobalWashington&jobRef…> **** **** *Address postal inquiries to:***** Global Washington**** 500 Union St. Ste. 801**** Seattle, WA 98101 **** *Powered By***** [image: eTapestry]<https://www.blackbaud.com/fundraising-crm/etapestry-donor-management.aspx> [image: Delivra] <http://www.delivra.com>**** ****

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