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Into the Fall
I was surprised to look at the calendar and find that we are now halfway through September. Time seems nonlinear sometimes like that. At Virginia Tech the fall semester is now in full-steam-ahead mode. The security class I’m teaching as well as the economics in science, technology, and society class I’m taking are both keeping me quite busy.
In addition to my Virginia Tech work I’ve also been working on creating content to help add clarity to the complex technologies and issues we find ourselves wrangling with in today’s world. I’ve been trying to create public-facing content via a number of channels. Here’s an update since my last TechnoSlipstream newsletter:
TechnoSlipstream Podcast
In Episode 29 we focus on the issues with the software engineering people, practices, and technologies currently used to create flawed machine learning and artificial intelligence systems.
Given the temptations around each one of us in the world and the decisions we need to make in our lives about what paths to take regarding future events it might at least be worthwhile to try to get a better understanding of risk, and so in episode 30 I wanted to do a deep dive on exactly that–the history of and just what do we mean by risk.
“Public interest technology” is a growing field made up of those interested in developing technologies that serve the public good, such as those for the government and non-profits.
And I’m currently working on Episodes 32 and 33, which will be a two-part series on the history of Silicon Valley. If you’d like to be sure you catch those episodes, if you go to the TechnoSlipstream Podcast website you can find links to subscribe via the podcast service of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, Amazon Music, Overcast, and Google Podcasts).
Pseudodragon Newsletter
As I mentioned in the last newsletter, the Pseudodragon Newsletter is focusing on longform essays, think pieces, and curated news and information summaries regarding topics related to public interest technologies, ethical tech, responsible innovation, responsible tech, responsible AI, trust and safety, digital citizenship, and tech for good.
If these topics are of interest, please subscribe.
YouTube
And I even made a short YouTube video. I was really testing out a new camera and microphone, but thought maybe by forcing myself to announce life (non-work) goals in public in the video, that might help me do better at keeping up with pursuing those, rather than just focusing on work. Some people call it “work-life” balance, some people call it “living a good life”, but I just know it is too easy for me to focus just on work, at the expense of health and other life goals. So this YouTube video (and hopefully future videos?) will help remind me the importance of actual balance. Are these of interest? Anyway, here’s the video link:
By the way, I thought the video and audio quality of my new mobile rig seemed OK?
Creating More Content
With the above podcasts, newsletters, and YouTube video, I’ve finally reached my trifecta goal of producing text, audio, and video content related to technology, society, and living a good life. I’ve been working hard to understand these different media, with lots of tests and experiments with different gear setups, formats, and editing tools. And time–all this reading, research, recording, editing, writing, more editing, and other production tasks takes time–sorry if I fall behind sometimes! But I’d love to continue creating more content, especially if this content is of interest to you. If it is, or if you’d just like to support my efforts in creating public-facing, freely accessible work, you can sign up on my Patreon page, or find out more information here:
Until Next Time
That’s all for now. I hope you are doing well. And thank you for being you.
Kendall
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About
Just joining us? Or maybe you’ve forgotten why you signed up? I’m Kendall Giles, a writer, researcher, and drinker of much coffee. Currently I work at Virginia Tech in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering in Falls Church, Virginia. I also teach in the Master of Information Technology Program, teach in the ECE Master of Engineering Program, and am a PhD student in the Department of Science, Technology, and Society in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. I write and speak at the intersection of science, technology, and society, including the TechnoSlipstream podcast and the Pseudodragon Newsletter.