Latest news with #PaulGAllenSchool
Geek Wire
2 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
‘Purpose over profit': Seattle tech leader urges UW CSE grads to create a better future for everyone
Trish Millines Dziko delivers her commencement speech to the graduating class at the University of Washington's Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering last weekend. (UW Photo / Matt Hagen) When she left her career in the tech industry to start the Seattle-based Technology Access Foundation, executive director Trish Millines Dziko did so with the intention of lifting up and providing greater opportunity to traditionally underserved students. In a commencement speech to the 2025 graduating class of the University of Washington's Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, Millines Dziko urged the future entrepreneurs and tech workers to reflect upon the haves and have nots, the economic disparity in the U.S., and what the grads will do to combat society's most pressing problems. 'I believe you all instinctively know the world doesn't need more billionaires who just continue to build wealth,' Millines Dziko said. 'Our country, our world, needs more builders, more healers, more people who care enough to fix what's broken.' 'You can use your critical thinking, problem solving, ideation, creation and leadership skills to build solutions to some of the most pressing problems like homelessness, generational poverty, public education, the environment and healthcare,' Trish Millines Dziko said. (UW Photo / Matt Hagen) A former Microsoft program manager and senior diversity administrator, Millines Dziko has served for nearly 29 years as head of TAF, which offers an equity-driven STEM education program focused on critical thinking and project-based learning. In her speech (below), Millines Dziko told graduates that millions of people possess the same skills they do, and millions more will follow. Prioritizing relationships and building social capital will be a key to future success, especially if the students demonstrate the ability to be capable, reliable, honest, empathetic, and accountable in those relationships. 'I want you to understand that true impact doesn't come from what you accumulate, but from what you contribute,' she said. 'I hope you pursue purpose over profit, and let your values lead your vision.' Watch the speech (starting at 5:15 mark) and read the transcript in full: 'Over the last nearly seven decades of my life, the United States has been pushing the envelope on technology and engineering and for the most part leading the world. However, with the evolution of technology came the devolution of how we as humans carry ourselves – I'm speaking of how we view each other's value, and how we communicate. While we've developed some of the most amazing technologies and patted ourselves on the back for creating them, we seemed to ignore two pivotal outcomes that have changed us as a society: The gaps between the haves and the have nots has widened. And we no longer know how to effectively communicate face to face, with empathy and understanding. The top 10% of households control 60-70% of the nation's wealth, while the top 1% alone hold approximately 30-35%. And conversely, the bottom 50% of households hold less than 5% of the total wealth. And when I think about that, what that says to me is at least half of our citizens in this country are three bad months away from being homeless, and the trend doesn't seem to be changing for the better. When I look at our communication, we are so busy using technology as a proxy for engagement that we no longer listen — and I mean really listen to each other. Now obviously technology and our pursuit of it is not the sole cause of the ills of our society, but it's a major contributor. And when I look back, I believe that we could have and should have done better. We either didn't know to take the time to reflect, or we just didn't think it was important enough. So here we are. Graduates, you've studied through some interesting and challenging times, and you've seen firsthand the impact of our economic disparities. You see it every day just walking down the Ave or walking in the community around this university. With all the wealth we have in this nation, we could be better, but it seems we don't have the collective will. But I believe you all instinctively know the world doesn't need more billionaires who just continue to build wealth. Our country, our world, needs more builders, more healers, more people who care enough to fix what's broken. You can use your critical thinking, problem solving, ideation, creation and leadership skills to build solutions to some of the most pressing problems like homelessness, generational poverty, public education, the environment and healthcare. In the words of the late great writer, James Baldwin, 'Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.' Now to be clear, no matter what avenue you pursue, you must put in some serious work. As someone who has managed people and built and led three companies, I can confidently tell you that your technical skills are only going to take you but so far. There are literally millions of people with the same skills you have today, and there will be millions more to follow. All that hard work you put in to getting good grades and to be seen by prospective employers is just the beginning. Whether you pursue entrepreneurship or decide to work in a corporation, you need to prioritize relationships if you're going to grow. In other words, build social capital. You can use technology, engineering and social capital as the vehicle to creating a better future for everyone. I'm not talking about transactional relationships. I'm talking about relationships where there is a mutual benefit. Relationships where you are capable, reliable, honest, empathetic, and accountable: Show you are capable and knowledgeable in your field. Build trust by demonstrating your ability to handle situations and deliver results. and knowledgeable in your field. Build trust by demonstrating your ability to handle situations and deliver results. Prove your reliability by being consistent and dependable in your actions and words. Keep promises, follow through on commitments, and be trustworthy. by being consistent and dependable in your actions and words. Keep promises, follow through on commitments, and be trustworthy. Be truthful and transparent in your dealings. This includes being upfront about your capabilities, mistakes, and intentions. in your dealings. This includes being upfront about your capabilities, mistakes, and intentions. Show empathy by understanding and sharing the feelings of others. Connect with people on a deeper level and build stronger relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. by understanding and sharing the feelings of others. Connect with people on a deeper level and build stronger relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. Be accountable by taking responsibility for your actions, both successes and failures. Show that you have integrity and are willing to learn from mistakes. As my friend Bill Spruill says, consider social capital like your credit score. You can't buy much with a sub-600 score, but when you raise it up through positive actions and interactions, you can get the things you need to build your future. But one late payment, or in the case of social capital, one damaged relationship, you likely will have to start over because bad actions spread faster than the good ones do. Personally, I have found that keeping healthy, working and growing social capital is easy if you take the time to know who you really are and stay true to your authentic self no matter what environment you find yourself in. Graduates, I want you to understand that true impact doesn't come from what you accumulate, but from what you contribute. I hope you pursue purpose over profit, and let your values lead your vision. Please, please create solutions that lift people up and improve communities. Because in the end, changing the world isn't about being remembered — it's about doing things worth remembering. Congratulations, Class of 2025. Go out and build a life that matters. Thank you.' — Trish Millines Dziko
Geek Wire
29-05-2025
- Business
- Geek Wire
AI after work: UW's Allen School to offer new graduate certificate in modern AI methods
The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. (Allen School Photo) The need to quickly adapt to advances in artificial intelligence and its impact on the way we work and learn has reached the University of Washington's Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, where a new program will cater toward working professionals and others seeking more AI experience. Starting this fall, the Allen School will offer a stackable Graduate Certificate in Modern AI Methods, a part-time evening program aimed at a growing number of professionals across a wide range of industries who need to understand, leverage and integrate AI and machine learning as part of their work. The program, announced this week in an Allen School blog post, is comprised of four courses taught by Allen School instructors with deep expertise in the field of AI, addressing topics such as deep learning, computer vision and natural language processing and their applications. The series culminates in a final, project-based course that invites students to put what they've learned into practice. University of Washington instructor Taylor Kessler Faulkner. (UW Photo) Instructor Taylor Kessler Faulkner told GeekWire that given the prevalence of AI tools available today, many people could benefit in their careers from knowing how modern AI methods work and how to use them correctly and fairly. 'Gaining the background knowledge needed to demystify AI can be a real differentiating factor at a time when most people are only consumers of AI tools,' Kessler Faulkner said. Unlike many other programs of this type, the Allen School says this graduate certificate will be delivered in person on the UW's main Seattle campus, to provide students with multiple benefits beyond the course content. 'The Allen School has many world experts in AI, from natural language processing to computer vision, robotics, and more,' Kessler Faulkner said. 'We consider this an opportunity to share our expertise and ensure that these skills are accessible to people without a computing degree. We are trying to reach people who have enough programming, statistics, and math background to get straight to modern AI without having an undergraduate degree in computing.' For those with ambitions of earning a master's degree, the stackable certificate in Modern AI Methods can be applied toward either of two stacked master's degree programs currently offered at the UW: the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering, and the Master's of Engineering in Multidisciplinary Engineering. More stackable degree options may be added in future. Kessler Faulkner said students will learn how modern AI functions, how to work with large amounts of data, and when different kinds of AI are appropriate to use. 'There are AI skills, and then there is an understanding of the way that AI models work,' she said. 'In this certificate, we go a step beyond teaching students how to use modern AI tools, teaching them about the algorithms behind the tools and their limitations. The foundational nature of such knowledge can help students be productive today, but also more easily learn about new technologies as they evolve going forward.' The deadline to apply to be part of the inaugural fall cohort is Aug. 1. Courses are designed to be taken sequentially over 12 months, starting in September. Course content will be available only to students enrolled in the program.
