#Institute of Management Science Jobs 2022

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The Collective Intelligence Institute

History is written by the winners, which is why Luddite is a slur meaning “technophobe” and not a badge of honor meaning, “Person who goes beyond asking what technology does, to asking who it does it for and who it does it to.”

https://locusmag.com/2022/01/cory-doctorow-science-fiction-is-a-luddite-literature/

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/07/full-stack-luddites/#subsidiarity

Luddites weren’t anti-machine activists, they were pro-worker advocates, who believed that the spoils of automation shouldn’t automatically be allocated to the bosses who skimmed the profits from their labor and spent them on machines that put them out of a job. There is no empirical right answer about who should benefit from automation, only social contestation, which includes all the things that desperate people whose access to food, shelter and comfort are threatened might do, such as smashing looms and torching factories.

The question of who should benefit from automation is always urgent, and it’s also always up for grabs. Automation can deepen and reinforce unfair arrangements, or it can upend them. No one came off a mountain with two stone tablets reading “Thy machines shall condemn labor to the scrapheap of the history while capital amasses more wealth and power.” We get to choose.

Capital’s greatest weapon in this battle is inevitabilism, sometimes called “capitalist realism,” summed up with Frederic Jameson’s famous quote “It’s easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism” (often misattributed to Žižek). A simpler formulation can be found in the doctrine of Margaret Thatcher: “There Is No Alternative,” or even Dante’s “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.”

Hope — alternatives — lies in reviving our structural imagination, thinking through other ways of managing our collective future. Last May, Wired published a brilliant article that did just that, by Divya Siddarth, Danielle Allen and E. Glen Weyl:

https://www.wired.com/story/web3-blockchain-decentralization-governance/

That article, “The Web3 Decentralization Debate Is Focused on the Wrong Question,” set forth a taxonomy of decentralization, exploring ways that power could be distributed, checked, and shared. It went beyond blockchains and hyperspeculative, Ponzi-prone “mechanism design,” prompting me to subtitle my analysis “Not all who decentralize are bros”:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/12/crypto-means-cryptography/#p2p-rides-again

That article was just one installment in a long, ongoing project by the authors. Now, Siddarth has teamed up with Saffron Huang to launch the Collective Intelligence project, “an incubator for new governance models for transformative technology.”

https://cip.org/whitepaper

The Collective Intelligence Project’s research focus is “collective intelligence capabilities: decision-making technologies, processes, and institutions that expand a group’s capacity to construct and cooperate towards shared goals.” That is, asking more than how automation works, but who it should work for.

Collective Intelligence institutions include “markets…nation-state democracy…global governance institutions and transnational corporations, standards-setting organizations and judicial courts, the decision structures of universities, startups, and nonprofits.” All of these institutions let two or more people collaborate, which is to say, it lets us do superhuman things — things that transcend the limitations of the lone individual.

Our institutions are failing us. Confidence in democracy is in decline, and democratic states have failed to coordinate to solve urgent crises, like the climate emergency. Markets are also failing us, “flatten[ing] complex values in favor of over-optimizing for cost, profit, or share price.”

Neither traditional voting systems nor speculative markets are up to the task of steering our emerging, transformative technologies — neither machine learning, nor bioengineering, nor labor automation. Hence the mission of CIP: “Humans created our current CI systems to help achieve collective goals. We can remake them.”

The plan to do this is in two phases:

Value elicitation: “ways to develop scalable processes for surfacing and combining group beliefs, goals, values, and preferences.” Think of tools like Pol.is, which Taiwan uses to identify ideas that have the broadest consensus, not just the most active engagement.

Remake technology institutions: “technology development beyond the existing options of non-profit, VC-funded startup, or academic project.” Practically, that’s developing tools and models for “decentralized governance and metagovernance, internet standards-setting,” and consortia.

The founders pose this as a solution to “The Transformative Technology Trilemma” — that is, the supposed need to trade off between participation, progress and safety.

This trilemma usually yields one of three unsatisfactory outcomes:

Capitalist Acceleration: “Sacrificing safety for progress while maintaining basic participation.” Think of private-sector geoengineering, CRISPR experimentation, or deployment of machine learning tools. AKA “bro shit.”

Authoritarian Technocracy: “Sacrificing participation for progress while maintaining basic safety.” Think of the vulnerable world hypothesis weirdos who advocate for universal, total surveillance to prevent “runaway AI,” or, of course, the Chinese technocratic system.

Shared Stagnation: “Sacrificing progress for participation while maintaining basic safety.” A drive for local control above transnational coordination, unwarranted skepticism of useful technologies (AKA “What the Luddites are unfairly accused of”).

The Institute’s goal is to chart a fourth path, which seeks out the best parts of all three outcomes, while leaving behind their flaws. This includes deliberative democracy tools like sortition and assemblies, backed by transparent machine learning tools that help surface broadly held views from within a community, not just the views held by the loudest participants.

This dovetails into creating new tech development institutions to replace the default, venture-backed startup for “societally-consequential, infrastructural projects,” including public benefit companies, focused research organizations, perpetual purpose trusts, co-ops, etc.

It’s a view I find compelling, personally, enough so that I have joined the organization as a volunteer advisor.

This vision resembles the watershed groups in Ruthanna Emrys’s spectacular “Half-Built Garden,” which was one of the most inspiring novels I read last year (a far better source of stfnal inspo than the technocratic fantasies of the “Golden Age”):

https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/26/aislands/#dead-ringers

And it revives the long-dormant, utterly necessary spirit of the Luddites, which you can learn a lot more about in Brian Merchant’s forthcoming, magesterial “Blood In the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech”:

https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/

This week (Feb 8–17), I’ll be in Australia, touring my book Chokepoint Capitalism with my co-author, Rebecca Giblin. We’ll be in Brisbane tomorrow (Feb 8), and then we’re doing a remote event for NZ on Feb 9. Next are Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. I hope to see you!

[Image ID: An old Ace Double paperback. The cover illustration has been replaced with an 18th century illustration depicting a giant Ned Ludd leading an army of Luddites who have just torched a factory. The cover text reads: 'The Luddites. Smashing looms was their tactic, not their goal.']

[female-malice]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Shortly after the New Year, I was fired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory after urging fellow scientists to take action on climate change. At the American Geophysical Union meeting in December, just before speakers took the stage for a plenary session, my fellow climate scientist Peter Kalmus and I unfurled a banner that read “Out of the lab & into the streets.” In the few seconds before the banner was ripped from our hands, we implored our colleagues to use their leverage as scientists to wake the public up to the dying planet.

Soon after this brief action, the A.G.U., an organization with 60,000 members in the earth and space sciences, expelled us from the conference and withdrew the research that we had presented that week from the program. Eventually, it began a professional misconduct inquiry (it’s ongoing).

Then, on Jan. 3, Oak Ridge, the laboratory outside Knoxville where I had worked as an associate scientist for one year, terminated my employment. I am the first earth scientist I know of to be fired for climate activism. I fear I will not be the last.

Oak Ridge said it was forced to fire me because I misused government resources by engaging in a personal activity on a work trip and because I did not adhere to its Code of Business Ethics and Conduct. The code has points on scientific integrity, maintaining the institution’s reputation and using government resources “only as authorized and appropriate and with integrity, responsibility, and care.”

When Dr. Kalmus and I decided to make our statement during the lunch plenary session, I knew that we risked being asked to leave the stage or the conference. But I did not expect that our research would be removed from the program or that I would lose my job. When I began participating in climate actions with other scientists in 2022, senior managers at Oak Ridge asked that I make it clear to the public and the media that I spoke and acted on my own behalf. I followed these guidelines to the best of my ability, including at A.G.U., where Dr. Kalmus, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and I did not mention our institutions in our statements.

The retaliation I faced from the A.G.U. and Oak Ridge ultimately highlights a disappointing reality: that established scientific institutions will not even support scientists interrupting a meeting for the climate. I’m all for decorum, but not when it will cost us the Earth.

I used to be a well-behaved scientist. I stood quietly on melting permafrost in Utqiagvik, Alaska, and measured how much greenhouse gas was released into the atmosphere. I filled spreadsheets and ran simulations about how warming temperatures would increase the carbon emissions from soil.

To do my job, I dissociated the data I was working with from the terrifying future it represented. But in the field, smelling the dense rot of New England hemlock trees that were being eaten by a pest that now survives the warming winters, I felt loss and dread. Only my peers read my articles, which didn’t seem to have any tangible effects. Though I saw firsthand the oncoming catastrophe of climate change, I felt powerless to help.

I did, however, believe that if scientists told the truth about the climate emergency, our scientific institutions would get out the message to policymakers, government officials, the media and the public. But they didn’t — at least not sufficiently — even as carbon emissions continued to rise and the climate continued to warm.

A few years ago, Scientist Rebellion, an international network of scientists concerned about climate change, began a series of strategic acts of nonviolent civil disobedience. After years of waiting in vain for meaningful public action to address climate change, I decided to join them.

For my first action, I chained myself to a White House gate to demand that the Biden administration declare a climate emergency. Since I locked that first chain around my waist, I have been arrested three times in nonviolent actions. My superiors at Oak Ridge warned me to be careful but did not discipline me.

But I was motivated to continue because these scientist-led political campaigns have attracted positive media attention and contributed to major policy wins. At the end of last year, a group of us protested the impact of luxury travel at more than a dozen private airport terminals in 13 countries; within a month of our actions, the Podemos party of Spain submitted a request to the European Commission to take measures to reduce the use of private planes. When scientists take action, people listen.

The scientific community has tried writing dutiful reports for decades, with no reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels to show for it. It is time to try something new. We must work to change the culture of our institutions, be honest about our values, advocate for climate justice and experiment. Great experiments push at the boundaries of knowledge and propriety. They are risky, volatile, blasphemous. But when they work, the world changes.

Scientific institutions should support activism and advocacy, especially by experts. The A.G.U. should do more to publicly support policies informed by its members’ science, such as declaring a climate emergency and ending fossil fuel extraction and subsidies.

I did not make the decision to become an activist lightly; I recognized that my actions would have consequences, and I knew that I could face retaliation. But inaction during this critical time will have far greater consequences.

–

Rose Abramoff is an earth scientist who studies the effect of climate change on natural and managed ecosystems. She is also a climate activist, working with Scientist Rebellion and other groups.

[brightblogger]

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[sarasa-cat]

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/29/magazine/democracy-elections-game.html

The Game Theory of Democracy

Countries where democracy is in trouble share a common pattern, and it’s a worrying one for the United States.

By Amanda Taub

Amanda Taub writes The Interpreter, an explanatory column and newsletter about world events.

Oct. 29, 2024

Adam Przeworski, a political scientist, left his native Poland a few months before the 1968 Prague Spring uprising and found he could not return home. To avoid being arrested as a dissident by the Communist government, he accepted a job abroad at a university in Santiago, Chile — only to watch his adopted country collapse into autocracy a few years later. In 1973, a violent coup installed a military dictatorship, led by Gen. Augusto Pinochet, wiping out Chilean democracy in one brutal stroke. “Nobody expected that it would be as bloody as it was,” Przeworski told me. “Or that it would last for 17 years.”

That shocking turn of events, in a country Przeworski thought he knew well, motivated him to find an answer to a seemingly simple question: Why do some democracies survive while others fall into autocracy? “That really was kind of an event that set my intellectual agenda for 50 years,” Przeworski, now an emeritus professor of politics at New York University, said recently.

For a long time, he and other experts believed that after a country had a few democratic handovers of power in a row and reached a certain level of wealth, then its democracy would be “consolidated” — safe from collapse. Once people could trust that free and fair elections would be held regularly, the theory went, other forms of politics would come to seem too costly and violent to consider.

The past decade has thrown that belief into question. The Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol marked the first time that America failed to peacefully transfer power from one president to the next. Last year, similar scenes played out in Brazil, as supporters of the outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, attacked federal buildings and called for a military coup. In Western Europe, far-right parties with policies and political styles similar to Donald Trump’s have gained in popularity, strengthening the sense that democracy could be vulnerable anywhere — even in places where it has long flourished.

Hungary has stood out as a particularly worrying example. The country was once considered a notable democratic success story. It was one of the first Soviet-bloc countries to transition to democracy, doing so before the Berlin Wall fell, and since then had managed two decades of free elections and peaceful handovers of power. But in 2010, Viktor Orban, the leader of the Fidesz Party, won a parliamentary supermajority and immediately set about using that power to dismantle democratic institutions. He altered the constitution, stacked the judiciary with compliant allies, changed electoral rules to give his party an advantage and cracked down on independent media. In 2022, the European Parliament passed a resolution stating that Hungary had ceased to be a democracy and had become an “electoral autocracy.”

Many Americans worry not only that their own country is vulnerable to democratic erosion but that other seemingly stable nations are also sliding into autocracy. This year, as more than half of the world’s population goes to the polls, election watchers have warned that democracy is “on the ballot” in countries as far-flung and diverse as India, Venezuela, Mexico, Indonesia — and the United States. Przeworski’s questions about which democracies survive, and why, have never felt more salient.

Over decades of research, Przeworski developed a theory that has become part of the bedrock of political science: that democracy is best understood as a game, one in which the players pursue power and resolve conflicts through elections rather than brute force. Democracies thrive when politicians believe they are better off playing by the rules of that game — even when they lose elections — because that’s the way to maximize their self-interest over time.

To create those conditions, Przeworski found, it is crucial for the stakes of power to remain relatively low, so that people don’t fear electoral defeat so much that they seek other methods — such as coups — of reversing it. That means winners of elections need to act with restraint: They can’t “grab too much” and make life miserable for the losers, or foreclose the possibility that future elections would allow the losers to win. “When these conditions are satisfied,” Przeworski told me, “then democracy works.”

But the events of recent years suggest that even “working” democracies can be far more fragile than was once believed. Przeworski, long a voice of optimism, once believed that it would be essentially impossible for a democracy like the United States to collapse. But today, not only does he see real reason for concern about the health of American democracy, he said in a recent interview, he does not see an obvious way to protect it from being weakened further.

The idea of democracy as a game is, of course, a very different model from the one that most people learn in school. Teachers tend to describe democracy as a value in and of itself, a system of government to be supported for moral reasons. But in fact, many experts say, the real value of democracy lies in its ability to resolve disagreements. Every society contains powerful people and groups who are bitterly opposed on important issues, about which they may never agree in substance. But if they can agree that the way to resolve their disagreements is at the ballot box, that’s enough to avoid violence.

Przeworski and others argue that if you understand democracy this way, rather than as a set of institutions or style of politics, it becomes easier to recognize which countries today are stable enough to withstand political turbulence — and which ones are at risk of becoming catastrophically fragile. There is a common pattern linking the countries that are at serious risk of democratic backsliding and those that have already fallen victim to it. And it is a pattern that turns out to have dire implications for the democracy that once seemed to be the most “consolidated” of all: the United States.

The Rules of the Game Become the Game

Over the past half-century, many democracies around the world have become more egalitarian, as women and ethnic and religious minorities won more power and status. The 1960s “rights revolution” in the United States, caste-based affirmative action and gender quotas in India and decades of immigration to Europe, particularly from former colonies, have all ushered in new norms of multiculturalism and religious pluralism. In many places, those changes have helped trigger a realignment: Whereas the main political divide used to be over economic issues, now cultural issues are gaining new prominence.

The realignment has created opportunities for politicians on the far right to win votes and power by catering to voters who are upset or frightened by shifting gender roles, racial and religious diversity and immigration. In Europe, for example, it has fueled the growth of far-right parties who claim that immigrants, particularly those from Muslim countries, are a threat to safety and national identity. In the United States, it gave rise to Donald Trump, and in South America, it led to the elections of right-wing politicians like Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil and Javier Milei in Argentina.

Noting that many of these leaders share a worldview, some observers have tried to equate far-right politics and disrespect for democratic norms, but the relationship between the two is not so simple. Left-wing populists have also eroded democracy, as happened in Venezuela, for example, and may be happening in Mexico today. The key is that some countries are especially vulnerable to political polarization, and clashes over immigration, gender or other culture-war topics are a potent polarizing force. Polarization raises the stakes of politics, giving cover to any politician inclined to flout democratic norms, because almost nothing could persuade members of their party to vote for the other side. That makes it easier for leaders to maintain their popularity even as they dismantle democracy from within.

There was a moment when it seemed like the United Kingdom, where I’ve lived for the last six years, might be heading in that direction. In July 2019, Boris Johnson, who rose to fame as the wisecracking, tousle-haired mayor of London, became prime minister. Johnson took a sharp turn toward right-wing populism during the 2016 Brexit referendum, when he was one of the most prominent faces of the “Vote Leave” campaign. Brexit polarized the country, and within weeks of assuming the premiership, Johnson began to test the limits of his authority. In August, he suspended Parliament to prevent it from opposing his strategy for taking the U.K. out of the European Union. Days later, after 21 moderate members of Johnson’s own Conservative Party voted for an opposition bill that would have put restrictions on the E.U. exit plan, Johnson retaliated by expelling them from the party.

Almost immediately, though, the system pushed back. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, after an emergency session, found the suspension of Parliament unlawful and reversed it. Johnson’s purge didn’t give him any lasting control over his party: A few years later, after a string of scandals, the Conservatives in Parliament rebelled and forced Johnson out of office. And the country did not remain polarized between “leavers” and “remainers.” Because the U.K. has a multiparty system, voters were not forced to make an all-or-nothing choice between left and right. In the most recent election, support for the Conservatives cratered: Some disaffected voters moved to the centrist Liberal Democrats, some to the far-right Reform Party and some to the left-wing Labour Party. Democratic norms, though dented, remained intact.

Politicians are an ambitious bunch, so it’s not difficult to understand why they might be tempted to engage in democratic backsliding to protect their own power. But when such leaders exist in a broader ecosystem that constrains individual ambition, that helps keep the democratic equilibrium in place. Strong institutions like courts, political parties and the media can block and reverse a slide toward autocracy even if movements like far-right populism or ethnic nationalism trigger political realignments.

In the British system, the strongest check on prime ministers’ power comes from within their own parties. Johnson, by forcing out an entire moderate wing, tested the strength of those constraints before the nation’s eyes, but the system was strong enough to resist. “Parties are so important for democracy because they have longer time horizons,” said Dorothy Kronick, a political scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. They exist to win multiple elections over a long period, and so have an incentive to ensure that the democratic game stays in place. In Western Europe, where parliamentary systems grant parties considerable power, the rise of the far right has scrambled longstanding political coalitions, but has not threatened democracy itself.

Democratic erosion happens when political leaders gain enough control over parties and other institutions to neuter their restraining force, but leave them intact enough, at least for a while, to keep the opposition playing by the rules. Unlike coups, which are sudden and obvious, this sort of backsliding is more insidious. Leaders who hollow out democracy from within often do so while claiming to be saving it. Measures that end up weakening checks and balances often come cloaked in the guise of necessary reforms. Would-be autocrats pretend to act democratically while using their power to change the rules in their favor, until eventually it becomes impossible for their opponents to win. “The rules of the game become the game,” said Kim Lane Scheppele, a professor of sociology and international affairs at Princeton University who has studied democratic breakdowns in Eastern Europe.

These leaders tend to run a similar playbook, as outlined in “How to Save a Constitutional Democracy,” by Tom Ginsburg and Aziz Huq, both law professors at the University of Chicago. They use constitutional amendments to grant more power to the executive while retaining a veneer of fidelity to the rule of law. They purge courts and bureaucracies and then pack them with loyalists, restricting the system’s ability to check the executive, while still maintaining enough of its function to bolster his legitimacy. They nominally allow free expression but crack down on independent media, controlling the flow of information while still giving citizens the impression of a free or mostly free press. And they continue to hold elections as a sign of a public mandate to rule — but use gerrymandering and other forms of manipulation to ensure their victory.

The Autocrat’s Playbook

In Hungary, the problem started with a quirk of the constitution. In 1989, its drafters believed that the most serious risk to the nascent democracy was that too many small parties would win seats in Parliament, and that they would be unable to work together to form a government. So the authors created a system that would grant extra seats to the parties that did best in elections, in the hope that boosting their numbers would help avoid deadlock.

For a time, that seemed to be working very well, Scheppele, the Princeton professor, told me. Hungary tended to support around six major parties, and the electoral law smoothed the process by which they governed. But by the early 2000s, two much larger parties had developed — the Socialists on the center left, and Fidesz on the center right. In 2010, support for the Socialists collapsed in the wake of a scandal, and Fidesz, led by Orban, won 53 percent of the vote in the parliamentary election. Hungary’s electoral system boosted that figure to 67 percent of the seats in Parliament — a supermajority that gave Fidesz the numbers to amend the constitution.

Fidesz was not even the most right-wing party on the ballot that year. (Jobbik, a small far-right party, won 16.5 percent of the vote.) But once in office, Orban moved to the right, embracing ethnonationalism as a justification for his actions. His government, he claimed, was an “illiberal democracy,” in which crackdowns on the media and the university system were necessary to protect Hungary against threats from immigration, feminism and George Soros. If Fidesz, as a party, had been a stronger institution, then its other members might have limited Orban’s ability to take advantage of his power. But he had already spent years purging the party of anyone who challenged his agenda. A result was that “Orban was a kind of ready-to-go autocrat by 2010,” said Zsuzsanna Szelenyi, one of the early Fidesz members Orban sidelined.

Orban, armed with the power to wipe out Hungary’s democratic immune system, set about doing so almost immediately. He changed electoral laws multiple times, redrawing district boundaries in order to protect his majority. In more recent years, when that seemed as if it might not be enough, he turned to increasingly baroque methods. In 2014, Hungarians in neighboring countries were granted the right to vote by mail, and the electoral rolls were kept secret — ostensibly to prevent them from running afoul of dual-citizenship laws. In 2022, Hungarians were allowed to choose any district to vote in, enabling the government, which has access to voter databases that the opposition does not, to move its supporters into districts where their votes could prove decisive. Hungary still holds elections regularly, but their ability to provide real accountability has been neutralized.

Hungary’s failure has been particularly extreme. In other places, leaders have been able to avoid or neutralize only some forms of accountability, but they remained checked by others. When would-be autocrats get through only some of the steps of the playbook, the country can pause in a liminal state between democracy and autocracy, ready for an election to tip things in one direction or the other.

India’s election this year seems to have served as at least a partial check on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as his Bharatiya Janata Party failed to win a majority. Modi had cracked down on the free press, undermined the independence of the judiciary and used various strategies to tilt the election in favor of the B.J.P. He will remain prime minister, but now as the head of a coalition government that is expected to curb some of his most extreme tendencies

.

Pavithra Suryanarayan, a political scientist at the London School of Economics who studies democratic institutions, told me she was pleased by how competitive the election turned out to be. She had been worried that Indian voters, seeing that Modi was not playing the game fairly, might decide to just stop playing and stay home. Though the result doesn’t mean Indian democracy is safe, she said, “the fact that people take their vote so seriously, and they used it as an opportunity to express their frustrations, and that there are still thriving, strong parties across India in the Indian state, reinforced faith in at least the electoral aspects of Indian democracy.”

Last year, in Przeworski’s native Poland, voters delivered a more decisive defeat to a government that had spent years dismantling democracy. From 2015 to 2023, the Law and Justice Party, headed by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, a right-wing ideologue who openly modeled himself after Hungary’s Orban, eviscerated the independence of the judiciary and other checks on the government’s power. Most controversial, Law and Justice used the courts to push through a near-total ban on abortions in 2020, prompting the country to erupt in the largest protests since the fall of communism.

But Kaczynski was not able to change Poland’s electoral laws the way that Orban had in Hungary. The drafters of Poland’s 1997 constitution had learned from the struggles of other post-Soviet countries, Scheppele said, which meant that “their election system was much more robust and harder to game than the Hungarian system was.”

Poland’s opposition parties also remained strong, which proved crucial in the general election held in October of last year. Multiple left and center parties set aside their differences and formed a coalition, working together to oust the government and halt its project of creating Hungarian-style “illiberal democracy.” Law and Justice won the most votes of any single party, but the opposition coalition had more than 50 percent between them — enough to form a new government that has promised to put the country back on a democratic path. Yet, “it’s very difficult to restore the democratic status quo,” Przeworski told me.

Reversing backsliding is not just a matter of voting for a particular candidate or ideology. As Poland’s new government has discovered, repairing the damage requires a long series of events and decisions, and many difficult compromises. The coalition has used some of Law and Justice’s illiberal methods to try to reverse its lingering influence — for example, by firing partisan Law and Justice journalists from state media. “In other words, the Polish government has had to use these autocratic powers to restore democracy,” Scheppele said. But what looks like restoring democracy from one angle looks like a further ratcheting up of the stakes of power from another. Time will tell whether that strategy will ultimately restore Poland’s democratic equilibrium, but for now the rules of the game are still the game.

The Strange Case of the United States

The United States seems, at first blush, to bear little resemblance to Hungary, India or Poland. One of the most prosperous countries in the world, it has never been a Soviet satellite state or been ruled by a single-party authoritarian regime. The U.S. Constitution has been in continuous effect since it was ratified in 1788. Ruled by elected leaders for hundreds of years, the U.S. seems like it ought to be the paradigmatic example of a consolidated democracy. So how, after all that time, could the American democratic project be coming apart?

Begin, perhaps, with the fact that the United States was not a full democracy until after the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This and other civil rights laws eventually transformed American politics, leading Republicans and Democrats to polarize around sharply different ideological identities, write Paul Pierson and Eric Schickler, two leading scholars of American politics, in their new book “Partisan Nation.” At the same time, the expansion of the federal government, which included the growing regulatory state as well as federal enforcement of civil and women’s rights, raised the stakes of winning control in national politics. Over the next 60 years, increasingly extreme partisanship warped American politics in ways that created many of the effects of the autocrat’s playbook, paving the way for Trump long before he tried to run the plays.

For structural reasons, Pierson and Schickler write, the effects of that polarization have been especially pronounced for Republicans. Because Republicans don’t need to win in heavily Democratic-leaning states like New York or California in order to control the Senate or the presidency, they have less of an incentive to tack to the center in order to appeal to swing voters. Instead, Republican primary contests have often become battles to move furthest to the right. Right-wing media has become so partisan that it has a similar impact on viewers that government-controlled media does in countries without meaningful press freedom. Extreme politicians and commentators are rewarded with attention, airtime and an improved national profile, while those who advocate moderate policies or bipartisan cooperation can be iced out of media coverage — and perhaps also donors’ and voters’ good graces.

One result is that many of the institutions that keep the democratic game running no longer fully function on the right. The United States still has a free press, but Republican voters primarily get their news from the right-wing ecosystem, where they won’t hear criticism of Republican politicians. Courts still uphold the rule of law, but when judges have been selected and promoted on the basis of their conservative beliefs and partisan loyalty, that inevitably affects how the rule of law is interpreted and implemented. Republican politicians win elections, but the Republican Party is too weak, as an institution, to discipline candidates or politicians who undermine democracy. Sanctions such as presidential impeachment exist on paper, but in practice are now tools for protecting partisan advantage, not democratic norms.

As president, Donald Trump didn’t run the standard playbook of democratic backsliding, because he couldn’t. The U.S. Constitution is effectively impossible to amend; lifetime tenure for federal judges makes it hard to purge and pack the courts; elections are run by hundreds of local-level officials rather than a national agency that can be easily captured; and First Amendment protections make it difficult to muzzle the media.

But because he stepped into a system that was deteriorating before he ever took office, he didn’t have to. “He was capitalizing on more than 20 years of things that have happened before him,” Schickler said. Polarization was already high, checks and balances were already weakened, issue groups were already made up of party loyalists and the media environment was already set up as an echo chamber that praised him and treated any critique as a partisan attack.

Trump’s actions in office, and after leaving it, have pushed America further down the path of democratic backsliding. His refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, in particular, helped make the delegitimation of election results a mainstream position within the Republican Party. A Supreme Court decision arising out of that crisis granted presidents sweeping immunity from criminal prosecution for anything related to their official use of power, making it more likely that Trump or another future leader could act with impunity. In testing the limits on his power, Trump demonstrated just how weak they are, Schickler said. “He showed that in this new context, you can actually get away with something that Richard Nixon could never have dreamed of.”

Przeworski has lived in the United States for decades, and has watched the 2024 presidential campaign warily. For months, the Republican Party and its allies have been laying the groundwork for legal challenges to prevent election officials from certifying a Kamala Harris victory and to contest the legitimacy of a Trump defeat. They are preparing for the rules of the game to become the game, and even if those particular efforts fizzle or fail, the danger will remain.

“I used to do statistical models in which I would calculate the probability that democracy would break down,” Przeworski said. “And my prediction for a country like the United States was that it would occur only once within 1.6 million years.”

But these days, he said dryly, “I’m not optimistic.”

[uem-jaipur]

The Future of Higher Education: Trends in Private Universities in Jaipur

In recent years, private universities in Jaipur have been reshaping the educational landscape with innovative approaches and new trends. As the world of higher education evolves, these institutions are leading the way in offering cutting-edge programs and technologies. Let's explore the current trends and what they mean for students.

Emerging Trends in Private Universities

Private universities in Jaipur are expanding beyond traditional educational models. A significant trend is the rise of higher education courses tailored to emerging industries. For example, universities now offer programs in fields like artificial intelligence, data science, and digital marketing. According to a 2023 report by the Education Commission of India, these courses are designed to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving job market and are increasingly popular among students seeking to enter high-growth sectors.

Additionally, interdisciplinary studies are gaining traction. Students now have the option to blend disciplines, such as combining business management with environmental science. This approach not only broadens their knowledge but also prepares them for diverse career opportunities. Research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers highlights that such cross-disciplinary skills are highly valued in today's workforce.

Adoption of Advanced Technologies

Another trend is the integration of advanced technologies in education. Many private universities in Jaipur are incorporating virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into their curricula. These technologies provide immersive learning experiences, such as virtual field trips and interactive simulations. For instance, a 2022 study by TechEd Innovations found that students using VR for engineering education showed improved comprehension of complex concepts compared to traditional methods.

Online learning platforms are also becoming more prominent. With flexible scheduling and a range of courses, students can now pursue education at their own pace. The 2023 Global Education Technology Report notes that online learning has made higher education courses more accessible, allowing students to balance their studies with work or personal commitments.

Focus on Skill Development and Employability

Private universities in Jaipur are increasingly emphasizing skill development. Many programs now include internships, live projects, and industry collaborations to enhance practical learning. A 2024 survey by the Indian Council of Educational Research indicates that students who engage in hands-on learning experiences are more likely to secure employment soon after graduation.

This focus on employability is reflected in the growing number of specialized training sessions and workshops offered by universities. For example, students might receive additional training in digital marketing or data analytics, directly aligning with industry needs. This practical approach helps students gain relevant skills and improve their job prospects.

Personalized Learning Experiences

Personalized education is another key trend. Private universities are offering tailored learning paths to meet individual student needs. This could involve choosing specific modules or receiving personalized mentorship. A 2023 study by the Learning Personalized Institute found that personalized learning approaches can significantly enhance student engagement and academic success.

Such customization allows students to focus on their strengths and career aspirations. For example, a student interested in digital marketing might receive targeted resources and support in that field. This personalized approach ensures that students get the most out of their education and are better prepared for their chosen careers.

Enhancing Campus Facilities and Infrastructure

The physical infrastructure of universities is also evolving. Modern campuses in Jaipur are being equipped with smart classrooms, research labs, and recreational areas. According to a 2024 report by the Campus Development Foundation, these facilities are designed to create a conducive learning environment and enhance the overall student experience.

Campuses now feature collaborative spaces that encourage teamwork and creativity. This setup is intended to foster skills such as problem-solving and collaboration, which are crucial in today’s interconnected world.

Conclusion

The future of higher education in Jaipur is looking bright with the growth of private universities in Jaipur driving significant change. By focusing on innovative higher education courses, integrating advanced technologies, and emphasizing skill development, these institutions are shaping a new educational landscape. For students, this means more opportunities to gain relevant skills and enjoy a richer learning experience. As these trends continue to evolve, they promise to make higher education more dynamic and tailored to the needs of the modern world.

[amitynoida]

Best Bsc Forestry University In Noida— Course, Perks & More!

Has forest life ever looked fascinating to you? Have you ever wanted to pursue a career in which you get exposure towards forest departments? If your answer is yes, and you want to pursue a career in which you get exposure to zoological parks, nurseries, and agricultural departments, then choosing a forestry degree would be ideal for you.

In this blog post— we will look at the curriculum of BSc in forestry and the perks of pursuing such a degree. But first things first, let's start by understanding the curriculum at one of the best Bsc forestry colleges in India – Amity.

Why Amity Is The Best For BSc Forestry?

Amity University stands as the best Bsc forestry colleges in Delhi NCR, and NIRF has ranked Amity as the No.1 private college in India. Amity is a renowned institution, not just in Noida but in the whole India. Let’s understand how Amity can help you in your Bsc forestry journey.

Curriculum At Amity

A well-rounded BSc forestry program is offered by Amity that covers various subjects which are essential for a successful career in forestry. It includes courses in- forest management, wildlife conservation, soil science, and environmental sustainability. Students also learn about the latest technologies used in forestry which ensures that they are loaded with modern skills and knowledge. Program at Amity is designed to be hands-on, with practical sessions and field trips that provide real-world experience.

Exceptional Faculty

The faculty at Amity comprises experienced professionals and academics who are experts in their fields. They are a lot knowledgeable with real-world experiences; they bring such knowledge to the classroom to ensure that students receive high-quality education and guidance. Tutors here are dedicated to mentor students and to help them achieve their academic and career goals.

Top-Notch Facilities

Amity provides its students with access to the advanced facilities which includes- modern labs, research centers, and libraries. These resources are crucial for students to gain practical experience and to conduct research in various aspects of forestry. Amity's campus is designed to create an environment that fosters learning and innovation.

Perks Of Pursuing A BSc Forestry

There are a plethora of perks when it comes to pursuing a forestry degree. So, here’s a few of many of them:

Diverse Career Opportunities: Graduates with a BSc in Forestry have a plethora of career options available to them. They can work in government forest departments, wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and private environmental organizations.

Internship & Placement Support: If we talk of Amity particularly— it has strong ties with various industries and government organizations, which helps in providing excellent internship and job placement opportunities. In the session of 2022-23, around 15,000+ students got placed at Amity.

Holistic Development: Apart from academic excellence, Amity University focuses on the holistic development of its students. Amity offers various extracurricular activities, clubs, and college societies that help students in developing their leadership skills, teamwork, and a sense of community.

To Summarize!

Picking the best university for Bsc Forestry in India can play a crucial role in shaping your career. Amity shines at the top because of its curriculum, faculty, facilities, and career opportunities. With its comprehensive program, experienced faculty, and strong industry connections, Amity University provides an ideal environment for aspiring forestry professionals. Whether you aim to work in conservation, research, or forest management, a BSc Forestry degree from Amity University will set you on the path to a rewarding and fulfilling career. Apply Now!

Source: https://amity-university-delhincr.blogspot.com/2024/09/best-bsc-forestry-university-in-noida.html

[jcmarchi]

Reimagining the Middle Class in the Age of AI

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/reimagining-the-middle-class-in-the-age-of-ai/

Reimagining the Middle Class in the Age of AI

Imagine a typical evening at home where your family is gathered around the dinner table while a smart home system optimizes the lighting and temperature to save energy. Autonomous vehicles deliver packages outside, and your child uses an AI-powered educational tool for their homework. These scenarios are not from a science fiction novel but reflect the near future. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into our daily lives, reshaping various sectors and offering new possibilities.

As AI advances, it holds the potential to redefine and rejuvenate the middle class. This shift brings exciting opportunities for innovation and growth but also significant challenges that we must understand to ensure a stable and prosperous future for the middle class.

Historical Context

The middle class has long been a key economic stability and social progress driver. During the Industrial Revolution, new technologies created many jobs in manufacturing and services, leading to a new class of skilled workers and small business owners. This was the birth of the middle class as we know it today. The economic boom following World War II further expanded this group driven by increased industrial production, higher wages, and better access to education and homeownership​​.

However, the late 20th century brought significant changes. Globalization led to outsourcing many manufacturing jobs, while technological advancements began to automate routine tasks. The new service-oriented economy created some new middle-class jobs but also caused job polarization, with a growing gap between high-skill, high-pay jobs and low-skill, low-pay jobs, leaving the middle class squeezed​.

The Current State of the Middle Class

Today, the middle class faces many economic challenges, such as wage stagnation, job insecurity, and the loss of middle-class jobs due to automation and globalization. The Pew Research Center reports that the share of adults living in middle-income households has dropped from 61% in 1971 to about 51% in 2023.

In the U.S., manufacturing employment reached 19.5 million jobs in 1979 but fell to about 12.8 million by 2019, a loss of nearly 7 million jobs due to globalization and automation. For instance, the median income of middle-class households in the U.S. rose from about $66,400 in 1970 to $106,100 in 2022, a 60% increase after adjusting for inflation. However, this growth has not kept pace with upper-income households, whose median income grew by 78% in the same period. This larger increase for upper-income households means the economic gap between the middle and upper classes has widened.

AI: A Double-Edged Sword

AI is often described as a double-edged sword because it has the potential to both disrupt and enhance the middle class. On one hand, AI threatens to automate routine tasks, leading to job displacement in various industries. For example, in retail, self-checkout systems and automated inventory management can reduce the need for cashiers and stock clerks. In transportation, autonomous vehicles could replace truck drivers and delivery personnel.

A report by McKinsey Global Institute suggests that up to 30% of the global workforce could be displaced by automation by 2030. Industries such as manufacturing, retail, and administrative services are particularly vulnerable.

On the other hand, AI is creating many new job opportunities, especially in areas like data analysis, machine learning, and cybersecurity. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for data scientists are expected to grow by 35% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for other jobs. This means there will be about 17,700 new data scientist job openings yearly over the next decade, mainly because workers are moving to different jobs or retiring.

Moreover, AI can significantly boost productivity and efficiency, freeing workers to focus on more valuable tasks requiring creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. In healthcare, AI-powered tools help doctors diagnose diseases more accurately and quickly, improving patient outcomes and making healthcare delivery more efficient. Additionally, AI democratizes expertise by making advanced tools and knowledge more accessible, lowering the barriers to entry for many professions.

The New Middle Class: Characteristics and Adaptations

Several key characteristics and adaptations emerge as we reimagine the middle class in the age of AI. First and foremost is the emphasis on skills and education. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is increasingly important, as is soft skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. Lifelong learning becomes essential, as workers must continuously update their skills to keep pace with technological advancements.

For instance, IBM’s New Collar initiative focuses on roles that do not necessarily require a traditional four-year degree but do require specialized skills and training. This approach highlights the importance of vocational training and continuous skill development in maintaining a competitive workforce.

The work environment is also evolving. The rise of remote work and the gig economy requires middle-class workers to be more flexible and adaptable. Traditional 9-to-5 jobs with long-term security are giving way to freelance and contract work, which offer both opportunities and challenges regarding economic stability and benefits.

Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr have enabled millions of people to work as freelancers, providing services ranging from graphic design to software development. This shift allows workers more control over their schedules and work-life balance but also requires them to manage their own benefits and financial planning.

Economic stability is a critical concern for the middle class, especially as traditional benefits like pensions and healthcare are no longer guaranteed. With changes in job security and the nature of employment, the middle class must adapt to a new opportunity.

This shift requires new approaches to financial planning and protection. For instance, the rise of individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) reflects the growing need for individuals to take greater responsibility for managing their financial future. These tools are becoming essential as people explore this evolving economic environment, emphasizing the importance of proactive financial management.

Policy and Societal Implications

Government policies and societal initiatives are important in supporting the middle class during this transition. Governments can implement policies to support retraining and education, ensuring that workers have the skills needed for the jobs of the future.

Several countries have already implemented successful policies and initiatives. For instance, Denmark’s flexicurity model combines labor market flexibility with social security, helping workers transition between jobs more easily. This model includes active labor market policies, such as training and education programs, to support workers in acquiring new skills.

Corporate responsibility is also vital. Companies must invest in employee upskilling and reskilling, ensuring their workforce is prepared for the AI-driven future. For example, AT&T’s Future Ready initiative aims to retrain employees for new technology and digital services roles, investing $1 billion in education and training programs.

Envisioning the Future

Looking ahead, the future of the middle class in the age of AI holds both promise and uncertainty. Technological trends suggest that AI will continue to advance, creating new sectors and job opportunities. Industries such as healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability will likely see significant growth driven by AI innovations.

Potential future scenarios range from optimistic to pessimistic. In an optimistic scenario, AI leads to greater productivity, economic growth, and improved quality of life. AI-powered tools enable doctors to diagnose diseases more accurately, teachers to provide personalized education, and engineers to develop sustainable technologies.

In a pessimistic scenario, if AI development continues unregulated, it could worsen economic inequality and cause significant job losses. Many routine tasks might be automated, leading to widespread unemployment and financial instability. With proper measures, like retraining programs and policies to support displaced workers, many people could easily find new jobs in an AI-driven economy, making the economic divide between those who benefit from AI and those who don’t even wider.

The Bottom Line

The rise of AI offers significant opportunities and serious challenges for the middle class. While AI can generate new job opportunities and boost productivity, it also risks increasing economic inequality and job displacement. Adapting to this new reality requires a strong focus on education, continuous skill development, and proactive financial planning.

Effective government policies and corporate initiatives are essential to support this transition. The future of the middle class in the age of AI is uncertain, but with resilience and adaptability, it can navigate these changes to achieve a stable and prosperous future.

[bigleapblog]

Excel in M.E. in Structural Engineering at SCOE, Navi Mumbai

When it comes to pursuing a career in M.E. in structural engineering, choosing the right college is crucial. At Saraswati College of Engineering (SCOE) in Navi Mumbai, we pride ourselves on being the premier destination for aspiring engineers. As an AICTE Approved, NAAC Accredited With Grade-"A+" institution, SCOE offers unparalleled education and opportunities in the field of civil engineering.

Why SCOE Stands Out

SCOE, established in 2004, has grown to become the best civil engineering college in Mumbai. Our campus is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including spacious classrooms, advanced laboratories, a comprehensive library, and modern sports and recreation centers. These facilities provide students with an environment conducive to learning and personal growth.

Programs and Specializations

At SCOE, we offer a variety of programs designed to cater to the diverse interests of our students. Among these, our course in M.E. in structural engineering is particularly noteworthy. The curriculum is meticulously crafted to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, ensuring that our graduates are well-prepared to excel in their careers.

Our structural engineering program is designed to address the growing demand for skilled engineers in the construction and infrastructure sectors. Students are trained in the latest technologies and methodologies, making them proficient in designing and analyzing structures that are safe, sustainable, and efficient.

What Makes Our  M.E. in Structural Engineering Program Unique?

Comprehensive Curriculum: Our program covers all essential aspects of structural engineering, including materials science, structural analysis, and design, earthquake engineering, and construction management.

Hands-On Learning: We emphasize practical experience through lab sessions, workshops, and field visits. This hands-on approach ensures that students are well-versed in applying their knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Industry Collaborations: SCOE has established strong ties with leading companies in the engineering sector. These collaborations provide students with internship opportunities, industry projects, and exposure to the latest trends and technologies.

Expert Faculty: Our faculty members are seasoned professionals and researchers in the field of structural engineering. Their expertise and guidance help students navigate complex concepts and stay abreast of industry developments.

Admissions and Placements

Getting into SCOE is a dream for many aspiring engineers. Our admission process is straightforward and transparent. For the first-year engineering courses, 80% of the seats are allocated through the DTE CAP Round Admission process, based on MHT-CET scores. We also have an Institute Level Quota that accounts for 20% of the seats.

One of the highlights of SCOE is our impressive placement record. Our dedicated placement cell works tirelessly to secure high-paying jobs for our students. In the academic year 2022-23, the highest on-campus placement offer was a remarkable 22 LPA from Goldman Sachs. The average placement package ranges between 5 to 6 LPA, with many reputable companies like Tata Communications, Hexaware Technologies, and Cisco recruiting our graduates.

Life at SCOE

SCOE is more than just an academic institution; it's a vibrant community where students grow both personally and professionally. Our campus life is enriched with various extracurricular activities, sports events, and cultural programs. These activities foster a sense of camaraderie and provide a well-rounded educational experience.

We believe that a supportive and engaging campus environment is essential for student success. Our recreation center, sports rooms, and canteen are popular spots where students relax and unwind. Additionally, our library is a treasure trove of knowledge, offering a vast collection of books, journals, and digital resources.

Student Success Stories

Many of our alumni have gone on to achieve great success in their careers. They attribute their accomplishments to the solid foundation and guidance they received at SCOE. Here are a few testimonials from our graduates:

"SCOE provided me with the skills and confidence to excel in M.E. in structural engineering. The hands-on experience and industry exposure were invaluable." - Anjali Patil, Class of 2020

"The faculty at SCOE are incredibly knowledgeable and supportive. They played a pivotal role in shaping my career." - Rajesh Kumar, Class of 2018

"The placement opportunities at SCOE are excellent. I secured a job at a leading engineering firm even before graduation." - Sneha Desai, Class of 2021

Why Choose SCOE?

Choosing the right college can make all the difference in your career. Here are a few reasons why SCOE is the best civil engineering college in Mumbai:

Accreditations: As an AICTE Approved, NAAC Accredited With Grade-"A+" institution, we uphold the highest standards of education.

Experienced Faculty: Our faculty members are industry experts and dedicated educators committed to student success.

Comprehensive Support: From academic guidance to career counseling, we provide comprehensive support to our students.

Strong Placement Record: Our impressive placement statistics speak volumes about the quality of education and opportunities at SCOE.

Vibrant Campus Life: A lively and engaging campus environment ensures a well-rounded educational experience.

Join Us at SCOE

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey in M.E. in structural engineering? Join us at SCOE and take the first step towards a fulfilling and successful career. With our top-notch education, exceptional faculty, and robust placement support, we are committed to helping you achieve your dreams.

At SCOE, we don't just educate; we empower. Discover the possibilities and unleash your potential at the best civil engineering college in Mumbai. Apply now and become a part of the SCOE family!

For more information, visit our website or contact our admissions office. We look forward to welcoming you to Saraswati College of Engineering, where your future in M.E. in structural engineering begins.

[orthonathanganol]

Nathanael Warner

Brooklyn, NY, 11205                                        clevonwarner96@outlook.com 929-665-4506                  

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUMMARY:

Laboratory Technician with experience in device testing, food and drug testing and data analysis.

Research Assistant with experience in neuromodulation research & compound synthesis.

Seeking an intermediate position in an academic or industry laboratory.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

EDUCATION:

Bachelor’s of Science, Chemistry, Howard University, 2019

Neuromodulation & Neuroimaging, UCLA, California, 2018

Associates Degree in Environmental Science, Presentation College, 2014

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

EXPERIENCE:

Title: Engineering Technician

Employer: Felix Storch Inc/Summit Appliances | 2022 - 2023

      770 Garrison Street, Bronx, NY 10474

~ Quality Assurance for Home and Medical Appliances

~ Ensured temperature compliance of refrigerators and freezers

~ Created reports on energy usage and efficiency.

~ Created labels for manufacturing and shipping departments.

~ Microsoft Access and Excel used for data and inventory management.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Title: Wearable Safety Technician

Employer: Google | 2020 – 2021

      40 Jessie Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105

<> Safety Testing for Smart Accessories 

<> Tested watch materials for the presence of skin irritants using GC/LC and ICP MS.

<> Created large volumes of artificial sweat, buffer solutions and solvents.

<> Performed lab maintenance tasks including ordering reagents and glassware.

<> Trained in lab’s safety, SOP, GDP and cGMP.

<> Python and Google Workspace used for data and inventory management.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Title: e-Commerce Shopper

Employer: Safeway Supermarket | Winter 2020 

    2020 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Online Order Fulfillment

Completed online grocery orders for Safeway’s Drive Up and Go customers during COVID-19.

Able to work the frontend and backend of food retail environments.

Interacted directly with customers and worked with leadership to correct any problems.

Trained on inventory software for warehouse and retail.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Title: Food & Drugs Sample Technician

Employer: Element Materials Technology | 2019 – 2020

      9240 Santa Fe Springs Rd, Santa Fe Springs, CA, 90670

Heavy Metals Sample Testing

Prepared food and drug samples for heavy metals testing using ICPMS

Dissolved compounds via microwave superheating & acid/base digestions.

Tracked jobs, samples and reagents using 3rd party laboratory information management system.

Trained in lab’s safety, SOP, GDP and cGMP.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Title: Research Assistant

Employer: University of California, Los Angeles | 2018

    Semel Institute

    760 Westwood Plaza, Suite 57-430, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Spatial Navigation EEG Data in Humans

Spike sorted signals from electrodes implanted in the medial temporal lobes of patients being treated for epileptic seizures.

Identified theta modulations in brain wave activity during imagined activity as well as during real world movement.

EEG data analyzed using the wav_clus and MATLAB libraries for Python.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Title: Research Intern

Employer: Howard University | 2017 - 2019

    College of Pharmacy, 

    2201 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20059

R&D for Turmeric Based Therapeutic Compounds 

Researched the curcumin molecule contained in turmeric.

Found that curcumin suppressed inflammatory responses in the brain and joints. 

Synthesized analogs of curcumin,  generally using Suzuki-Coupling mechanisms.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Title: Polymer Chemist

Employer: Global Marketing Enterprise | 2014 - 2015

   9 Fourth Street, Gasparillo, Trinidad and Tobago

Plastics Manufacturing 

Supervised recycling of plastics, transforming processed materials into pellets

Petrochemical research investigating environmentally safe methods to degrade polymers 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

SKILLS

Formulations, microscopy, spectroscopy, separations, dilutions and other basic laboratory technique

Trained in cGMP, GLP and GDP

Computer programming - Python, HTML and some C++

Google Workspace & Microsoft Office

Fluent in French

[healthyhorns]

Celebrating a UHS Student Employee’s Graduation and Journey at University Health Services 

 Braydon Demasters, a longtime student employee at University Health Services (UHS), graduated on May 11 with a bachelor's of science degree in biology after serving in various roles at UHS for two years. 

Demasters joined UHS in the summer of 2022 as the Patient Education Management intern through the Texas Leadership Education and Development (Texas LEAD) summer internship program. 

“During my first internship role at UHS, I worked under Sheila Mahon in the Gynecology clinic,” Demasters said. “In that role, I went through all of the patient handouts and paperwork so that I could update the content when needed. This served as a really good introduction into all that University Health Services offered.” 

Demasters said he worked in the UHS administrative office, where he began building strong professional relationships with the staff. As his summer internship was coming to a close, the administrative team recognized his potential and offered him a position as a student assistant, allowing him to continue his journey with UHS.  

“I was thrilled to be invited to stay on,” Demasters said. “I worked as a student assistant for my entire junior year and I really enjoyed all of the people I was working with.” 

In the summer of 2023, Demasters worked with Renee Mathews, Director of Nursing Services at UHS, to create the Accreditation Optimization internship role. 

“We had just gone through the accreditation renewal process with Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care,” Demasters explained, “so I was given the task of organizing and categorizing all of the feedback we had received from that process.” 

Renee Mathews was one of Demaster’s supervisors while he was in the Accreditation Optimization internship role. She said from the start she knew he was going to be able to handle whatever they threw at him. 

“We learned pretty early on how capable he is,” Mathews said. “He is able to capture what we need quickly and eloquently and he has remarkable attention to detail which helps his ability to handle high-level work.” 

After Demasters finished up his second summer internship, he returned to his role as student assistant to the UHS administrative staff.  

“By this point, I was gaining more confidence in my work and was able to take more initiative,” Demasters said. “It was nice to collaborate with other areas in UHS to help in whatever ways I could.” 

Despite taking on various roles during his time at UHS, Demasters said that the experience has given him an immense appreciation for the exceptional level of care provided by the UHS team, from the providers to the nurses and the support staff.  

“Before my time at UHS, I didn’t realize the huge amount of work it takes to serve the student body at UT in this capacity,” Demasters said. “But I noticed very early on the amount of dedication that the folks at UHS have.” 

Demasters said he has always encouraged others to be proactive about their health, but since his involvement at UHS, this commitment has become even more of a priority. 

“Being a student at such a large institution can sometimes make you feel detached and like you are just a number,” Demasters said, “but the people at UHS are truly willing to give you a very personalized experience. It has been so rewarding to have this experience and to witness the amount of work and care UHS puts into their jobs. They want students to be able to feel their best and do their best, and it is amazing to see.” 

Mathews said she enjoys having students in the office so they can learn, grow and develop new skills. 

“Students are always willing to take on a project and devote their time to it,” Mathews said. “I do love to watch them grow. We work so closely with them so we are able to see their interactions improve in a professional setting on top of all the knowledge they are getting from doing their day-to-day tasks.” 

Demasters said he plans to take a gap year after graduation, but knows he wants to pursue a career in optometry. 

“This job has helped me solidify my love of working with patients and helping them advocate for their healthcare,” Demasters said. “I know the skills and things I have learned while working here will follow me into the future and one day into my career.” 

-Erin Garcia, Healthyhorns Outreach and Social Media Coordinator

[ranakaushal]

Exploring India's Top Colleges in 2024

India features a large number of colleges to meet the rising demands of students seeking quality academic and professional education. The country’s top colleges in 2024 have earned outstanding reputation, both nationally and globally, serving as prime destinations for quality education for students across the world. Read on to know more about these top Indian colleges.

KIIT or Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

With accreditations like A++ Grade by NAAC, IET UK, Tier 1 accreditation Washington Accord and All Engineering Programmes accredited by ABET, USA, KIIT is one of the best private academic institutions in India. This top Indian college in Bhubaneswar, Odisha offers the best educational opportunities for the professional, social and intellectual development of students worldwide. The college offers balanced and focused curricula at UG, PG and Ph.D levels with the objective to promote effective written and verbal communications, critical thinking and skills for life-long learning.

With 25 schools, 40, 000+ students, 200+ academic programmes and 3, 000+ faculty and researchers from 13 countries, KIIT looks forward to providing all-inclusive higher education that contributes to advancement of community besides instilling professionalism and top quality learning among the students. Not to mention, student placement is one of the greatest advantages of studying at KIIT. The college has an impressive track record of placement partnership with 450 top companies that have offered 5, 200+ jobs till date with the highest salary amounting to Rs. 63 lakh and average CTC of Rs. 8 lakh.

The college founder, Dr. Achyuta Samanta deserves special mention because besides education, he has immensely contributed in the fields of rural development, women empowerment, art, tribal upliftment, culture, literature, television, media, spiritualism and social work.

IIM or Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata

One of the oldest IIMs in India, this college is well-known for offering quality education in the financial sector. The 2-year flagship MBA programme of the college accepts admission through CAT with the cut-off being 85%. Nevertheless, students scoring between 96% to 99% or higher are considered for admission to this college.

Ebenezer Group of Institutions, Bangalore

This pioneering educational institution in Bangalore received the award of the Most Prominent Management College of the Year 2022 by The Knowledge Review Magazine and also featured among Karnataka’s top 10 educational institutes bu The Academy Insights 2023. The college fosters experiential learning through impeccable training in fields like science, commerce, pharmacy and aviation at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Conclusion

To conclude, the above mentioned top colleges in India are also known for their state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities besides quality education. These facilities include gym, smart classrooms, auditorium, hostels, research center, cafeteria and library to fulfill the academic and non-academic requirements of staff members and students.

[sunaleisocial]

Study demonstrates efficacy of MIT-led Brave Behind Bars program

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/study-demonstrates-efficacy-of-mit-led-brave-behind-bars-program/

Study demonstrates efficacy of MIT-led Brave Behind Bars program

Several years ago, a team of scientists from MIT and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell designed and deployed a first-of-its-kind web programming course for incarcerated individuals across multiple correctional facilities. The program, Brave Behind Bars, uses virtual classroom technology to deliver web design training to students behind prison walls. The program brought together men and women from gender-segregated facilities to learn fundamentals in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, helping them to create websites addressing social issues of their own choosing.

The program is accredited through three collaborating universities: Georgetown University, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, and Washington County Community College. In a new open-access paper about the project, the team analyzed its impact: They used a multi-pronged approach, gathering insights through comprehensive surveys with participants from dichotomous and open-ended questions. The results painted a powerful narrative of increased self-efficacy — a crucial marker for successful reentry into the workforce and society — among incarcerated learners.

“Education has long been recognized as a pivotal factor in reducing recidivism and fostering successful reentry,” says Martin Nisser, an MIT PhD candidate in electrical engineering and computer science (EECS), affiliate of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), and lead author of the paper. “By equipping incarcerated learners with invaluable digital literacy skills and boosting their self-efficacy, our program aims to foster the skills necessary to thrive in today’s technology-driven world.”

The strength of Brave Behind Bars is manifested vividly through the impactful websites created by the students. One project, “End Homelessness Statewide,” provided vital resources to help unhoused individuals find temporary and permanent shelter. Another website, “The PinkPrint,” addressed the unique challenges incarcerated women face, serving as a “blueprint” with educational resources and gender-responsive support. Equally remarkable was “No Excuse for Domestic Abuse,” which raised awareness about the prevalence of domestic violence while offering a lifeline to victims seeking help.

A mixed-methods research study evaluated how the 12-week, college-accredited course was faring. “Our qualitative study in 2022 involving thematic analyses of post-course surveys from 34 students revealed overwhelmingly positive feedback, with students reporting increased self-confidence, motivation, and a sense of empowerment from learning web programming skills. The themes we uncovered highlighted the powerful effect of the program on students’ self-beliefs,” says Nisser.

The urgency of such work cannot be understated, as underscored by the alarmingly high rates of recidivism, the rate at which formerly incarcerated individuals are rearrested leading to re-conviction. A central cause of mass incarceration, data shows that an estimated 68 percent of people released from U.S. jails or prisons were arrested within three years between 2005 and 2014, rising to 83 percent within nine years. However, a meta-analysis spanning 37 years of research (1980-2017) revealed a promising trend: Incarcerated individuals who participate in post-secondary educational programs are 28 percent less likely to return to prison.

Joblessness among the formerly incarcerated can be as high as 60 percent a year after release. Almost two-thirds of those who secure employment enter jobs typically available to people with little or no education, such as waste management, manufacturing, and construction — jobs increasingly being automated or outsourced. 

While both the demand and supply of AI curricula in higher education have sky-rocketed, these have not typically served disadvantaged people, who must be caught up in foundational digital literacy. The ability to skillfully navigate computers and the internet is becoming essential for post-release employment in the modern workplace, as well as to navigate the economic, social, and health-related resources that are now embedded in our digital technologies.

The other part was a quantitative study in 2023, with 37 participants measuring general computer programming self-efficacy using validated scales before and after the course. The authors saw an increase in mean scores for general self-efficacy and digital literacy after the course, but the pre- and post-course measures of self-efficacy were not statistically significantly different. This challenge, the team says, is common in carceral environments, where meta-analyses of multiple studies with less significant results are often needed to achieve statistical significance and draw meaningful conclusions. The authors also acknowledge that their quantitative study contributes to this data pool, and they are conducting new courses to gather more data for future comprehensive statistical analyses.

“By providing incarcerated individuals with an opportunity to develop digital literacy, the Brave Behind Bars program facilitates self-efficacy through a novel education model designed not only to expand access to the internet for individuals but also to teach them the navigation and web design skills needed to connect and engage with the communities to which they will return,” says UMass Lowell professor and chair of the School of Criminology and Justice Studies April Pattavina, who was not involved in the research. “I applaud the team’s dedication in implementing the program and look forward to longer-term evaluations on graduates when they leave prison so we can learn about the extent to which the program transforms lives on the outside.”

One student, reflecting on the impact of the Brave Behind Bars program, says, “This class has shown me that I am human again, and I deserve to have a better quality of life post-incarceration.” In an environment where individuals can too often be made to feel like numbers, a program is underway to demonstrate that these individuals can be seen once more as people.

The research was conducted by a team of experts from MIT and UMass Lowell. Leading the team was Martin Nisser, who wrote the paper alongside Marisa Gaetz, a PhD student in the MIT Department of Mathematics; Andrew Fishberg, a PhD student in the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics; and Raechel Soicher, assistant director of research and evaluation at the MIT Teaching and Learning Laboratory. Faraz Faruqi, an MIT PhD student in EECS and CSAIL affiliate, contributed significantly to the project. Completing the team, Joshua Long brought his expertise from UMass Lowell, adding a unique perspective to the collaborative effort.

[qacademy]

Why Online Certifications Matter: How Online Certifications Boosting Your Career

Learn why best online courses with certificates matter so much and how they can push your career forward. 

Why Online Certifications Matter

Online certifications offer a flexible, accessible and often cost-effective way to gain specialized knowledge and skills in your field or a new domain entirely. They serve a wide range of industries, from IT and business to creative arts and science. The adaptability of online learning means you can tailor your education to fit your personal schedule and career aspirations, making it an invaluable tool for lifelong learners. In this context, the importance of finding the best online courses with certificates cannot be overstated.

Let’s look into the transformative power of the best online courses with certificates and discover how they can be a game-changer in your career path.

4 Key Benefits of Online Certifications to Advance Career

Skill Enhancement: Online certifications keep you ahead of the latest industry trends, tools and technologies, so you remain competitive in your field.

Career Advancement: Employers value the initiative and commitment demonstrated by pursuing additional certifications, often leading to promotions and career growth opportunities.

Networking Opportunities: Many online courses offer forums and platforms for interaction with peers and instructors, expanding your professional network.

Global Recognition: Well-established online courses with certificates are recognized globally, opening doors to international career opportunities.

High-Paying Certification Jobs in 2024

Here are some of the top high-paying certification jobs in 2024, backed by the latest facts and figures:

Data Science Specialist: The explosion of big data has led to a critical demand for professionals who can analyze and derive valuable insights from it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the data science field is expected to grow by 35% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. [1]

Cybersecurity Expert: With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, the need for cybersecurity experts has never been higher. The cybersecurity market is expected to grow from $217 billion in 2021 to $345 billion by 2026, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets. [2]  

Cloud Computing Technician: The shift towards cloud computing continues unabated, as in 2024 spending on cloud services is forecast to total $679 billion and projected to exceed $1 trillion in 2027, as reported by Gartner. [3] 

Project Management Professional (PMP): Project management remains a critical skill across all industries. The Project Management Institute (PMI) notes that employers will need to fill nearly 22 million new project-oriented roles each year through 2027. [4] 

Digital Marketing Strategist: As digital marketing becomes increasingly crucial for businesses, the demand for skilled strategists grows. With e-commerce sales expected to reach $6.5 trillion by 2023 (Statista), professionals with certifications in digital marketing can expect to see average salaries in the range of $70,000 to $100,000, depending on their expertise and the scale of operations they manage.

These roles not only offer promising career paths but also highlight the importance of continuous learning and upskilling through reputable online platforms like Q Academy, which provides the best online courses with certificates to help you stay ahead in your career.

How to Implement the Best Online Courses with Certificates into Your Career Plan

Integrating online certifications into your career plan requires strategic thinking and a clear understanding of your career goals. Here are a few steps that will guide you throughout your course plan:

Identify Skill Gaps: Assess your current skill set and identify areas for improvement or new skills you wish to acquire.

Research: Look for courses that offer the most value, focusing on those that are well-regarded by industry professionals.

Set Clear Goals: Define what you hope to achieve through the certification, whether it's a career change, advancement or skill enhancement.

Commit to Learning: Dedicate time and effort to complete the course and apply what you learn in your professional life.

The Role of Q Academy in Your Professional Development

Q Academy stands at the forefront of online education, offering a plethora of courses designed to meet the needs of modern professionals. By enrolling in Q Academy’s best online courses with certificates, you're not just learning new skills, you're investing in a brighter future.

Data Science Courses: Equip yourself with the skills to analyze and interpret complex data.

Cybersecurity Programs: Learn to protect against digital threats and vulnerabilities.

Cloud Computing Certifications: Gain expertise in managing and deploying cloud services.

Choose Best Online Courses with Certificates from Q Academy

With the continuous upgrade in educational learning, now is the time to leverage the best online courses with certificates to elevate your career to new heights. Register for free on Q Academy to get started with your online course!

[rohit-69]

Great Learning Reviews – Career Tracks, Courses, Learning Mode, Fee, Reviews, Ratings and Feedback

Introduction

In our commitment to assist students in selecting the best platforms for skill enhancement, Analytics Jobs explores Great Learning, evaluating factors like program offerings, faculty, career support, job guidance, and alumni reviews. The resulting authentic data forms the basis of Great Learning Reviews, offering a genuine guide for prospective learners.

Understanding Great Learning

Great Learning is an edtech organization dedicated to fostering skills essential for individual growth and success. Collaborating with top academic universities globally, Great Learning addresses dynamic industry needs in data, business, and technology domains. Their programs cover a spectrum of fields, including cloud computing, cybersecurity, management, and data science.

The organization not only imparts knowledge but also provides job opportunities, partnering with renowned companies like IBM, Myntra, Infosys, KPMG, and Uber.

Great Learning Mission

Great Learning's mission is to become India’s largest professional learning company with a global presence. Over the years, they have facilitated successful career progression for thousands of individuals in leading companies worldwide.

Background of Great Learning

Founded in 2013 by Mohan Lakhamraju and Hari Nair, Great Learning initially focused on business analytics. Over the years, it expanded its programs, partnering with prestigious institutions like Texas McCombs and Stanford Executive Education. By 2022, it had become India's #1 Edtech company, reaching millions of learners globally.

About Founders and CEO

Mohan Lakhamraju, the Founder and CEO, leads the company's mission to impact one million people through e-learning. Co-founder Hari Krishnan Nair and Arjun Nair contribute their dedication to providing accessible professional education.

Great Learning Programs and Reviews

Great Learning offers diverse programs, covering fields such as data science, business analytics, digital marketing, and management. The organization collaborates with top universities globally, offering learners opportunities to study abroad and gain recognition.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points

Mentorship Sessions: Regular sessions with industry experts in small groups ensure personalized attention.

Career Support: Mock interviews, counseling, networking sessions, and career fairs enhance learners' confidence.

Real-life Projects: Hands-on projects and case studies prepare learners for real-world business challenges.

Collaboration: Partnerships with top universities and recruiters open doors to global recognition and job opportunities.

Great Learning Program Reviews

The organization offers renowned programs like:

Postgraduate Program in Data Science and Business Analytics: A 12-month online course covering data science, statistics, code, SQL programming, and domain-specific expertise.

Postgraduate Diploma in Management: A 2-year AICTE-approved program focusing on finance, marketing, and operations.

Postgraduate Program in Cloud Computing: An 8-month mentorship-driven program with in-depth learning about cloud services.

Postgraduate Program in Cybersecurity: A 6-month online course covering information security, cyber-attacks, security controls, and incident management.

Postgraduate Program in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: A 12-month program with online mentorship covering Python, deep learning, machine learning, and neural networks.

Website Review

Great Learning's website design is well-structured, offering easy navigation. The responsive design ensures accessibility on all devices, and the student portal provides convenient access to program details.

Mobile Compatibility and App Functionality

The mobile-friendly website and dedicated app ensure a stable and user-friendly learning experience on various devices.

Great Learning Data Science Course Reviews

Great Learning's data science courses, affiliated with global universities, offer unique features:

PG Program in Data Science and Engineering: A 5-month in-class program for beginners covering Python, Tableau, SQL, Pandas, and Numpy.

MIT Data Science and Machine Learning Program: A 12-week course by MIT IDSS covering machine learning, deep learning, NLP, recommendation systems, and more.

Data Analytics Bootcamp Program: A 4-month in-class course focusing on Excel, SQL, Python, Tableau, and job-ready bootcamp.

Master of Data Science (Global) Program: A 12-month course by Deakin University, offering foundational and advanced competency tracks.

M.Sc. in Big Data and Business Analytics: A 24-month hybrid course combining online and on-campus classes in Germany.

Instructors and Mentors

Great Learning's dedicated instructors, often industry experts, provide valuable guidance and support. The collaboration with various institutions ensures exposure to top professionals.

Great Learning MS (Master) Data Science Course Reviews

An in-depth review of the MS Data Science course reveals:

Key Features: 18-month course, 100% live sessions, capstone project, 1:1 mentorship, career assistance, and a master's degree from Northwestern University.

Fees: ₹10,78,808 total fees with six quarterly installments.

Mentors: Dr. Tom Miller, Dr. Abhinanda Sarkar, Dr. Srabashi Basu, and Dr. D Narayana.

Curriculum Overview

The course spans six terms covering math, statistics, database systems, data engineering, decision analytics, data governance, ethics, law, machine learning, natural language processing, artificial intelligence, deep learning, computer vision, and a capstone project.

Pros and Cons of Great Learning

Pros: Diverse courses, career support, and top recruiting companies. Cons: Some courses are expensive, and occasional communication issues.

User Reviews

Reviews on various platforms highlight experiences with course content, communication, and Analytics jobs. Some praise the quality of content and faculty, while others express concerns about communication and course completeness.

Conclusion

Through an extensive exploration of Great Learning reviews, including program offerings, mission, and user reviews, this article aims to provide a comprehensive guide for prospective learners. While acknowledging the organization's strengths, it emphasizes the importance of considering user experiences and individual preferences when choosing an educational platform. Ultimately, the decision rests with the learner to pave their path to a successful and fulfilling career.

If you want to know more about Great learning Reviews and courses then do visit - analyticsjobs

[manoshgeeechs]

Journey IIM-B - Part 2

Alert ⚠️ 📢 : Stalkers run away, too long post .

Year 2021 JULY -

Even though Data science is interesting, this job is getting stagnant. Not learning new things and in the same old boring project. Let's change job.

*Keeps trying and keeps failing miserably*

Finally , couple of good offers in hand. But too afraid to leave this comfort zone. Was almost planning to resign, then comes a phone call from my Ex-Senior Director, offering me a job in Mahindra Group.

Confidently put papers and started serving notice period. Didn't reply to the otger 2 offers.

I happily accept to attend interview , as I knew his exceptional proffesional style. Clears all rounds of interviews, including one with the CTO of the group. Yess! Offered!!

*Opens the offer letter! BOOM!💥 💥 💥 *

We are pleased to offer you the role of “Manager - Data Science ……….. “

WHAT THE HELL?

Who needed this?

MANAGER? NOOOOOO ! HELL NO! 😠

But the other 2 offers are already off hands. 🙄

Spoke to the ex - director to confirm of there was a mistake in offer letter 🙆‍♀️🤦‍♀️. He convinces that it's not that big deal to be a manager. After all I was experienced enough to lead freshers by then.

Okay, new challenge . Significant jump. Competitive package. why am i this afraid?

Let's take it up..

Year 2022 - Joins Mahindra Group

Put into a club mahindra group. New projects, new people , all awesome at the beginning 😀.

Hold on… the worst is yet to come…

Being a manager also comes with a responsibility. You actually need skills to representing of a group company in MHRIL.

Setbacks, huniliations, disappointments about performance, dissatisfaction about self, sarcasms by experienced people, rejections of the proposed use cases, inferiority about no knowledge about how an organization works. It isn't all about data and data science. 😕 . There's so much more to an organization ‘ s functioning.

An eye opener indeed.

*No one's caring to explain me things bro. I need to get some formal education in Management*

MBA it is!!!🤦‍♀️😶😑

The degree i made fun of, that day . Karma , you cruel! 😏

Ok , what next.

MBA in good colleges are too costly ( average 17 lakhs)! Need to give up job. For a extra ordinary reservation I have, and because the engineering background I came from, getting into top IIMs or other prestigious and high-ROI providing institutes would be a tough nut to crack. Moreover the total expenditure would some up to

2years* (annual income) + hefty fees of the college + loan commitments

Too much!

For any high paying package i would get after MBA placement, it would take years to get back what i invested . (By the way , not everyone who gets into IIM gets a 60-70 lakh package. The average is only around 20-25, even in top colleges) . Didn't seem like a wise decision. Managerial degree was a want but wasn't a good idea to spend so much.

Luckily, by God's grace, Got to know about something called as Executive MBA. Woo.

Got to know about IIM Kozhikode's EPGP.

Applied. Cleared all rounds, Got selected , Was offered a seat . This course almost ticked all my boxes in the list.

Premium institute - ✔ ✅

Non residential- ✔ ✅

Quality education - ✔ ✅

Palcements, i wasn't in a rush anyway - ✔✅

Not completely online - ✔ ✅

Degree - ✔✅

Sponsorship from company to some extent -✔✅

3 On kampus visits to Kerala 😍 - ✔✅

But there were few that didnt convince me.

Fees - ✖❌

College life, i badly wanted 😪 - ✖❌

Classroom centres, which means somewhat online - ✖❌

Hectic Work life balance ✖❌

Need to explain everybody that this is not a certification,or a part-time course , its an actual degree - ✖❌

Class strength of 500 . Individual attention was a joke - ✖❌

Irritating repeated calls from Marketing team to accept offer . Somewhat pissed me off ✖❌

After lots of discussion with many kind people , i somehow convinced my to agree with these cons . But something was troubling me .I was in a dilemma , whether to accept this offer an pay or not still. Only 2 days left to accept/reject.

Many people suggested many things. I was fed up. Prayed to Rayaru and God “ If this course is good for my future, let me have a decision to pay. Else, let whatever that is best for my well-being in the future happen to me, I will reject this and humbly accept whatever comes to me as my thought. Vichaarya dehi me swaamin! “

THEN CAME TO MY MIND, the mantra of my life, given by my GURUGALU :

ನಿನ್ನ ಚಿತ್ತಕೆ ಬಂದದ್ದೆನ್ನ ಚಿತ್ತಕೆ ಬರಲಿ ಅನ್ಯಥಾ ಬಯಕೆಯ ಕೊಡದಿರೋ, ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ ದಯಾನಿಧೇ!

The very next day, i was about to tell my decision about MBA in iimk to my Manger. Without hearing the second sentence , he said “ Nah !reject it !” I was fuming with anger. “How dare he? 😤”

I struggled so much to convince myself amd now this man is saying this.

The VP said , “dont do this. Even though your idea about pursuing an executive degree is good , this online MBA makes no sense to a young aged person like you. Dont hurry! You have time. Explore a course called PGPEM from IIM-B. That's what I have did , I feel it's apt for you too. Give that a try! “

I said to myself,

“ is this a joke? Do i keep trying for a course after course. I am already this old and kept deciding on masters all these years . No , i am not agreeing something just because someone is telling me to do. Be it even my VP. I don't care 😒“

But out of curiosity, I searched for it. Seems to be a really good course..

but IIM-B ! And ME !! How's that possible. Noo. 1000s of people apply. The intake is only 80. The average experience is 18 years, and I am a noob. The entry would be very tough for me.Even if i reject this offer and try, what if i dont get selected? Even if I got into, this course is very rigourous. What if I fail? What if I loose my health? “ And look at the fees!… 20 lakhs 😶🤯 . No sponsorship from company as the classes overlap with working hours🙆‍♀️ “ “But wait, i am earning enough. The expediture of this course = fees of this course . Nothing more . I can manage the finance myself .I can go to college also. All cons are removed for this course expect high fees and hectic work-life. Lets reasearch about this course. Let's again start the process of reaching out to people to get feedback of this course . “ I Met many kind people . 100% positive feedback. By the next day, i was damn sure , I am going to drop iim-k's offer and try this. But I made my mind. If not this, never masters again.

I am so grateful to those people Rayaru arranged , who agreed to respond to me and talk to me for those two days. Who were kind enough, to pull me out of the self rejection, self doubt and the inferiority complex I was drowned in, at that time.

I got the peace that I begged to God and gurugalu that day. 🙏

Started to prepare all over again for the CAT equivalent IIM-B test , with a bang 💥 💥 💥!

Few months later, applied for the course. Wrote a kick-ass SOP( again few people have immensely helped here, to whom I am ever indebted to) cleared the IIM-B test(1000s applied , 100s got into), cleared Writing Ability Test, and finally the interview ( 80 out of 160 selected).

MARCH 13th, by the Grace of god, Gurus,and the blessings of my parents and elders, I was offered a seat in IIM-B ‘s PGPEM. The course of my dreams💕💞. India's #1 Executive MBA programme. 16th in Asia. One of the best colleges in the world . The program i worked hard for, the education I genuinely want to pursue. ❤💙💜❤💛💚🤍🧡🖤♥🤎💖💗💓💝💟❣💌💌🥰😍🤩

Now. The new chapter starts…..

Juggling work with this rigourous course, maintaining decent family life. Is this all easy?

HELL NO!!

But, do you remember? I am not ordinary. I hail from a parampara of the great gurus and mighty ancestors, and a devotee of whom? The father-in-law of Sarawathi 🙏. If they have brought me through it, they will get me through it. And bless me to acheive , not only iha but also for para. I am not ordinary for sure.

#Rakshateetyeva_vishwasah

#Tat_te_anukampam

[jcmarchi]

Julie Shah named head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/julie-shah-named-head-of-the-department-of-aeronautics-and-astronautics/

Julie Shah named head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Julie Shah ’04, SM ’06, PhD ’11, the H.N. Slater Professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics, has been named the new head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro), effective May 1.

“Julie brings an exceptional record of visionary and interdisciplinary leadership to this role. She has made substantial technical contributions in the field of robotics and AI, particularly as it relates to the future of work, and has bridged important gaps in the social, ethical, and economic implications of AI and computing,” says Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer, dean of the School of Engineering, and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

In addition to her role as a faculty member in AeroAstro, Shah served as associate dean of Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing from 2019 to 2022, helping launch a coordinated curriculum that engages more than 2,000 students a year at the Institute. She currently directs the Interactive Robotics Group in MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL), and MIT’s Industrial Performance Center.

Shah and her team at the Interactive Robotics Group conduct research that aims to imagine the future of work by designing collaborative robot teammates that enhance human capability. She is expanding the use of human cognitive models for artificial intelligence and has translated her work to manufacturing assembly lines, health-care applications, transportation, and defense. In 2020, Shah co-authored the popular book “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Robots,” which explores the future of human-robot collaboration.

As an expert on how humans and robots interact in the workforce, Shah was named co-director of the Work of the Future Initiative, a successor group of MIT’s Task Force on the Work of the Future, alongside Ben Armstrong, executive director and research scientist at MIT’s Industrial Performance Center. In March of this year, Shah was named a co-leader of the Working Group on Generative AI and the Work of the Future, alongside Armstrong and Kate Kellogg, the David J. McGrath Jr. Professor of Management and Innovation. The group is examining how generative AI tools can contribute to higher-quality jobs and inclusive access to the latest technologies across sectors.

Shah’s contributions as both a researcher and educator have been recognized with many awards and honors throughout her career. She was named an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in 2017, and in 2018 she was the recipient of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Academic Early Career Award. Shah was also named a Bisplinghoff Faculty Fellow, was named to MIT Technology Review’s TR35 List, and received an NSF Faculty Early Career Development Award. In 2013, her work on human-robot collaboration was included on MIT Technology Review’s list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies.

In January 2024, she was appointed to the first-ever AIAA Aerospace Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group, which was founded “to advance the appropriate use of AI technology particularly in aeronautics, aerospace R&D, and space.” Shah currently serves as editor-in-chief of Foundations and Trends in Robotics, as an editorial board member of the AIAA Progress Series, and as an executive council member of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence.

A dedicated educator, Shah has been recognized for her collaborative and supportive approach as a mentor. She was honored by graduate students as “Committed to Caring” (C2C) in 2019. For the past 10 years, she has served as an advocate, community steward, and mentor for students in her role as head of house of the Sidney Pacific Graduate Community.

Shah received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, and her PhD in autonomous systems, all from MIT. After receiving her doctoral degree, she joined Boeing as a postdoc, before returning to MIT in 2011 as a faculty member.

Shah succeeds Professor Steven Barrett, who has led AeroAstro as both interim department head and then department head since May 2023.