Q4 Conference schedule
Hey everybody!
I wanted to do a quick update on my conference schedule for the end of this year. I have both a writer conference and a technology conference coming up so I hope to see you at one of them or both of them.
Let’s get our writing on!
NCTE
At the end of November I’ll be at NCTE in Baltimore. This will be my first time at the NCTE conference and I’m really looking forward to connecting with some other writers.
If you have any advice for a first time NCTE attendee, please leave it in the comments below. I’m going for the writing not the teaching aspects. Although, while I’m there I’ll be curious to find out how teachers are approaching their STEM curriculum with a liberal arts mindset. Why? Because this is a topic that I always like to talk about.
I’m hoping to be able to share some of my first novel while I’m at NCTE. We will have to see where I end up in the second draft process.
So high tech!
ASAE Tech
In December, I’ll be presenting at the ASAE Technology Exploration Conference in Washington, DC about Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and how associations can leverage this technology to improve operations. This will be a technology focused conversation and hit on topics ranging from implementation to licensing pitfalls.
I’ve proposed a similar topic for the ASAE national conference in Las Vegas but haven’t heard approval yet.
This topic is about using automation in a thoughtful and strategic manner. Having a strong automation strategy will allow you to get the most return on investment and maximize cultural buy-in.
If you’re not familiar with RPA, here are some links to get you started.
scary red keyboard
Women in CyberSecurity
My friend Laura at MOXIE Promotions is putting on a great event with Microsoft focusing on Women in Cybersecurity. I’m looking forward to connecting with a lot of my Baltimore peers at this event and would encourage people who are looking to start their tech careers to come out. Events like this are an excellent place to meet mentors and build your network.
Remember, building your network is a critical component to building the career you want or maybe just figuring out what that possible career could be. Make time for networking. Do it with the focus on helping other people and building a better community. You will be surprised how many people want to help you when they see you helping others.
Imagination
STEAM Career Day
The one I’m looking forward to the most is the STEAM career day at my son’s school. Why? I love meeting with other technologist and writers and discussing the world of technology but what I’m really passionate about is sparking imagination. There is no place better to spark imagination than an elementary school where minds are open, ready to create, primed by the impossible and not limited by the known. In this visit I’ll be talking to the kids about automation, mixed reality and artificial intelligence. My goal will be to get the students thinking about what could be and how technology can enable them, as humans, to do whatever they can imagine.
These events are sparks of imagination for me as well. I find so much inspiration in talking to people who are ready to change the world and hungry to learn. We lose some of that as we grow up. Maybe we get too focused on grades, money and status to remember the joy of play, imagination and fun. So this last one is the one I will get the most out of.
If you are thinking about what you can do to help your community, look towards your library or schools. Help there. Building up minds that are hungry to learn and make sure your mind is open to learn in the process.