Since 1998, various educational technology organizations have celebrated National Techies Day on October 3. On this day, educators encourage students to consider pursuing careers in technology.
National Techies Day was founded by CNT Networks (Computer Networking Technology) and techies.com to promote tech jobs and allow members of the tech community to celebrate their contributions to the technology sector. Some of the inventions US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine celebrates include the ARPANET, which was the precursor to the Internet.
Although the Internet has existed in various forms since the late 1960s, it gained mainstream popularity years later, thanks to BEYA trailblazers like Mark Dean.
He developed the ISA bus with his partner Dennis Moeller and led a design team that created a one-gigahertz computer processor chip. Dean holds three of the nine patents for personal computers, having co-created the IBM personal computer, which was released in 1981.
The later generations of the Internet became highly profitable. By 1995, the release of Netscape introduced a user-friendly interface that made it easy for the general public to use the Internet without needing to spend hundreds of hours understanding its complexities.
Once the Internet gained popularity, technology companies flourished alongside it, including semiconductor firm Qualcomm, NetApp, and Cisco. In the 1990s, companies like Google and Amazon emerged, surpassing the first and second generations of companies that preceded them.
Over the last 40 years, BEYA has celebrated the work of thousands of people who have played a role in envisioning, designing, and developing to move technology forward.
Marian Croak received a standing ovation at the 2014 BEYA STEM Conference in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Croak was honored in the Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry category. The award was presented by John Donovan, senior executive vice president of AT&T Technology and Network Operations. He remarked at the 2014 BEYA Gala, "As much as Marian has influenced the telecommunications industry, she continues to have an even greater impact in the community."
Donovan highlighted Croak as a tenacious advocate for several STEM-related employee resource groups that provide community and guidance, and she actively works with female high school students pursuing careers in mathematics and science.
BEYA honors inventors, innovators, scientists, engineers, managers, and executives whose careers transcend traditional limits, serving as living proof of the benefits of opening doors to opportunity.
In 2022, Marian Croak was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The citation noted her significant contributions to advancing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies, which convert voice data into digital signals that can be easily transmitted over the Internet, rather than relying on traditional phone lines.
Her work has enhanced the capabilities of audio and video conferencing, making these technologies a practical reality today.
In 1982, Croak began her career at Bell Labs (later AT&T) in the Human Factors Research division, exploring how technology could be harnessed to positively impact people's lives. She later transitioned to network engineering, where she envisioned the potential of digital telecommunications.
Instead of using traditional phone lines for voice communication and a digital method for Internet data, she and her team focused on enabling both to be conducted digitally over the Internet, ensuring reliability and high quality for voice traffic. The widespread adoption of VoIP technology is essential for remote work, conferencing, and personal communications today.
Throughout her career, Croak and her team developed a text-to-donate system for charitable organizations, which gained significant usage following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and raised $130,000.
After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, this technology raised $43 million in donations. In 2014, Croak joined Google, where she led the Research Center for Responsible AI and Human-Centered Technology. She also spearheaded efforts to bring broadband internet access to developing countries in Asia and Africa.
Dr. Croak attended Princeton University for her undergraduate studies and the University of Southern California for her doctorate, where she focused on statistical analysis and social psychology.
With over 200 patents to her name, Croak also works on racial justice initiatives at Google and aims to inspire women and young girls to pursue careers in engineering.
Dr. Croak's contributions have significantly transformed how we integrate communication capabilities into our daily lives. She developed technology that enables TV viewers to interact with reality shows through text message voting.
After Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005, she envisioned an innovative application for this technology: allowing people to donate to charity organizations responding to natural disasters efficiently. This led to the creation of the system that enables donations via text messages, such as sending a text to a designated number to support organizations like the Red Cross.
For instance, following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the American Red Cross raised over $32 million through individual $10 donations from people who texted "Haiti" to 90999.
The State Department, remarked in a Red Cross press release, "This is a great example of rapidly employing modern technology to support a vitally important foreign policy and humanitarian priority."
In recent years, ChatGPT reached its 100 millionth user just two months after its launch, indicating the rapid pace of AI adoption, which is advancing 42 times faster than the Internet did.
Quantum computing, the latest approach to processing information, builds on principles from quantum mechanics. Unlike traditional computers that use bits to represent and process data, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits. These can exist in multiple states due to superposition, allowing for simultaneous operations and enhanced efficiency.
This technology holds immense potential across various fields, including logistics, manufacturing, drug discovery, financial modeling, and cryptography.
Getting into tech doesn't have to be financially burdensome. Community colleges serve as a robust foundation for your aspirations, offering affordability, flexibility, and personalized support.
Some of the top community college systems are located in New Mexico, Connecticut, Maryland, Oregon, Minnesota, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Kansas, Tennessee, Hawaii, Nebraska, New York, Massachusetts, and California.
Explore community colleges in your area that offer STEM programs aligned with your interests and academic goals. Visit their websites, attend open houses, and speak with advisors. If you plan to transfer to a four-year university, tailor your educational plan accordingly.
Take the required prerequisites and ensure your courses align with your target universities' requirements. Engage in STEM-related clubs, internships, and research opportunities at your community college to build your network, gain practical experience, and develop your professional identity.
Tech careers are increasingly focused on XR (Extended Reality), which includes AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), and MR (Mixed Reality). XR is an umbrella term that enables users to interact with digital elements overlaid on the real world or experience fully simulated environments.
By combining a solid educational background with focused learning in XR-specific areas, you can develop the skills needed to thrive in this exciting and rapidly growing field.
To succeed in XR, a strong foundation in computer science, computer engineering, game design, or interactive media is essential. Important skills and knowledge areas include programming, 3D mathematics, physics, and familiarity with platforms like Unity or Unreal Engine. Additionally, courses focused on user experience (UX) design for AR/VR/MR, along with project-based learning and prototyping, are necessary.
Start with the basics, gradually progressing from foundational concepts to more advanced topics. Choose a development platform, such as Unity or Unreal Engine, and work on practical projects to apply your knowledge and build a portfolio. Stay informed about the latest technologies and trends in the ever-evolving XR field.