Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

By Dot Cannon: Public Speaker & New-Media ReporterSociety & Culture Education Arts

Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak episodes

July 05, 2017 Ray Zinn: “Tough” Equals Success
As the 2017 Sensors Expo and Conference has just concluded, we're rebroadcasting a popular episode, featuring one of their 2016 keynote speakers. Over Coffee® will publish a new episode next Friday, July 7th.

Getting the "tough things" out of the way is a crucial leadership skill for any business owner, says tech entrepreneur Ray Zinn.

Ray, who is Silicon Valley's longest-serving CEO, is the author of the book Tough Things First. In 1978, he founded his independent semiconductor company, Micrel, in Silicon Valley. Ray would serve as Micrel's CEO for a total of thirty-seven years, retiring in 2015.

Delivering a keynote speech at the 2016 Sensors Expo and Conference, in San Jose, Ray told his audience. "Every morning, when I get up, I think of all the things I don't want to do--and I do them first."

Shortly after the 2016 Sensors Conference, we had the opportunity to talk with Ray about his book Tough Things First, in which he details the practices that led to his success as an entrepreneur--and the principles which allowed him to enjoy the journey.
On this edition of Over Coffee® you’ll hear:

*
How Ray’s growing-up years prepared him to succeed in Silicon Valley;

*
The unforgettable lesson his father taught him, during his college years;

*
A key success technique for small-business entrepreneurs;

*
The routine Ray used, to make his days at Micrel go smoothly;

*
A technique for learning from mistakes;

*
What entrepreneurs need to know about “frugality” versus “cheapness” in daily operations;

*
How a “business culture” applies to smaller entrepreneurs;

*
The difference between creating a business that lasts, versus one that’s “flashy”;

*
A business’s most important area on which to focus (and it isn’t making money!)

*
How Ray developed an essential entrepreneurial skill.
(Had to miss the Sensors Expo and Conference this time? Sensors Midwest, in Rosemont, Illinois, happens October 2-4, 2017!)

22 min
July 05, 2017 Ray Zinn: “Tough” Equals Success
As the 2017 Sensors Expo and Conference has just concluded, we're rebroadcasting a popular episode, featuring one of their 2016 keynote speakers. Over Coffee® will publish a new episode next Friday, July 7th.

Getting the "tough things" out of the way is a crucial leadership skill for any business owner, says tech entrepreneur Ray Zinn.

Ray, who is Silicon Valley's longest-serving CEO, is the author of the book Tough Things First. In 1978, he founded his independent semiconductor company, Micrel, in Silicon Valley. Ray would serve as Micrel's CEO for a total of thirty-seven years, retiring in 2015.

Delivering a keynote speech at the 2016 Sensors Expo and Conference, in San Jose, Ray told his audience. "Every morning, when I get up, I think of all the things I don't want to do--and I do them first."

Shortly after the 2016 Sensors Conference, we had the opportunity to talk with Ray about his book Tough Things First, in which he details the practices that led to his success as an entrepreneur--and the principles which allowed him to enjoy the journey.
On this edition of Over Coffee® you’ll hear:

*
How Ray’s growing-up years prepared him to succeed in Silicon Valley;

*
The unforgettable lesson his father taught him, during his college years;

*
A key success technique for small-business entrepreneurs;

*
The routine Ray used, to make his days at Micrel go smoothly;

*
A technique for learning from mistakes;

*
What entrepreneurs need to know about “frugality” versus “cheapness” in daily operations;

*
How a “business culture” applies to smaller entrepreneurs;

*
The difference between creating a business that lasts, versus one that’s “flashy”;

*
A business’s most important area on which to focus (and it isn’t making money!)

*
How Ray developed an essential entrepreneurial skill.
(Had to miss the Sensors Expo and Conference this time? Sensors Midwest, in Rosemont, Illinois, happens October 2-4, 2017!)

22 min
June 24, 2017 Putting Her Heart into “Hacktivism”

"Technology is a game-changer," says Humanistic Technologies founder and CEO Ruby Guillen.

And she's continuing to prove that, by innovating the social work field--digitally.

Ruby, whose professional honors include "Outstanding Social Worker", has been working in Child Welfare in Los Angeles since 1996. But over time, she became frustrated with the ways she saw the system failing to meet clients' needs.

So she drew on an interest that had awakened during her time in the Air Force: her computer expertise.

Attending her first "hackathon" in Los Angeles in 2015, Ruby and her team created an app to combat human trafficking. She would go on to attend dozens more hackathons--coming up with apps for combating bullying, coordinating emergency services and providing homeless assistance.

Today, Humanistic Technologies offers products designed to improve the efficiency of social workers and others in the helping fields. Products listed on their website include a child-abuse reporting app for hospital first responders. Future projects include a public-adoption search engine and a social service resource ability search engine.

In her work for ICAN Associates (Los Angeles Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect), with a job title of "Fatal and Severe Child Abuse/Family Violence Technologist, Researcher and Data Analyst", Ruby, a former foster child, has implemented multiple technology projects aimed at protecting and serving foster children.

And as a "hacktivist", she continues to combine caring with computer savvy.

Ruby talked about the creation of Humanistic Technologies, her implementation of digital technology in the social-work field, and her experience at the first-ever White House hackathon in 2016.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

*
The experience that first led to Ruby's interest in technology;

*
How her Air Force experience resulted in her becoming a computer expert;

*
Why she began combining technology with advocacy in her career as a social worker;

*
How technology can be a "game-changer", when dealing with social problems;

*
How her experiences as a foster child ultimately empowered her to do the work she does today;

*
Her response to hearing the word "impossible" in the course of her workday;

*
How she and her first "hackathon" crew came up with a solution to an ongoing challenge in twenty-four hours;

*
An additional computer-based project that helped to empower local workers;

*
How to get more information about Ruby's current apps and hackathon events;

*
Ruby's advice on getting involved, if you have a great idea to support a cause but don't do code;

*
What Humanistic Technologies is currently creating, to empower social workers and others in the helping professions

*
And, what Ruby remembers best from being invited to the first-ever hackathon at the White House!

29 min
June 24, 2017 Putting Her Heart into “Hacktivism”

"Technology is a game-changer," says Humanistic Technologies founder and CEO Ruby Guillen.

And she's continuing to prove that, by innovating the social work field--digitally.

Ruby, whose professional honors include "Outstanding Social Worker", has been working in Child Welfare in Los Angeles since 1996. But over time, she became frustrated with the ways she saw the system failing to meet clients' needs.

So she drew on an interest that had awakened during her time in the Air Force: her computer expertise.

Attending her first "hackathon" in Los Angeles in 2015, Ruby and her team created an app to combat human trafficking. She would go on to attend dozens more hackathons--coming up with apps for combating bullying, coordinating emergency services and providing homeless assistance.

Today, Humanistic Technologies offers products designed to improve the efficiency of social workers and others in the helping fields. Products listed on their website include a child-abuse reporting app for hospital first responders. Future projects include a public-adoption search engine and a social service resource ability search engine.

In her work for ICAN Associates (Los Angeles Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect), with a job title of "Fatal and Severe Child Abuse/Family Violence Technologist, Researcher and Data Analyst", Ruby, a former foster child, has implemented multiple technology projects aimed at protecting and serving foster children.

And as a "hacktivist", she continues to combine caring with computer savvy.

Ruby talked about the creation of Humanistic Technologies, her implementation of digital technology in the social-work field, and her experience at the first-ever White House hackathon in 2016.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

*
The experience that first led to Ruby's interest in technology;

*
How her Air Force experience resulted in her becoming a computer expert;

*
Why she began combining technology with advocacy in her career as a social worker;

*
How technology can be a "game-changer", when dealing with social problems;

*
How her experiences as a foster child ultimately empowered her to do the work she does today;

*
Her response to hearing the word "impossible" in the course of her workday;

*
How she and her first "hackathon" crew came up with a solution to an ongoing challenge in twenty-four hours;

*
An additional computer-based project that helped to empower local workers;

*
How to get more information about Ruby's current apps and hackathon events;

*
Ruby's advice on getting involved, if you have a great idea to support a cause but don't do code;

*
What Humanistic Technologies is currently creating, to empower social workers and others in the helping professions

*
And, what Ruby remembers best from being invited to the first-ever hackathon at the White House!

29 min
June 17, 2017 Cutting-Edge, Compelling and Life-Saving
Hidden Tears Project co-founder Jordan Marinov. (Photograph courtesy of Hidden Tears Project, and used with permission.)

The Hidden Tears Project is producing virtual-reality films, among its upcoming projects. And the results will almost certainly haunt you.

That's because Hidden Tears' mission is to create media that raise mainstream awareness of an almost-hidden social problem: human trafficking in the United States.

Hidden Tears co-founder Jason Gurvitz at Toolbox LA, June 1, 2017.

Entertainment professionals Jordan Marinov and Jason Gurvitz co-founded their nonprofit in in 2015. Drawing on their backgrounds in dance and filmmaking, respectively, Jordan and Jason collaborated with law-enforcement officials, survivors, and child advocates while recruiting top Hollywood talent . Their first two resulting projects, the short films Unseen Dances and Tanya, are currently on their website's media page.

Unseen Dances, which Jordan choreographed, brings to light some of the shocking facts about human trafficking while exploring, through dance, the world of women abducted into the sex trade.   (Jordan is the Artistic Director of her own dance company, Marinov Dance, and has performed all over the world as both an actress and a dancer.)

Meanwhile, the dramatic short Tanya, which Jason co-produced, shows the stark realities of a young woman's life as a prostitute.   (Jason, who is the founder of Green Dog Films, also co-directed Unseen Dances. His past projects, prior to the Hidden Tears Project, have included producing the critically-acclaimed film "Avenged" and directing the anti-trafficking short documentary "Until They All Come Home".)

In addition to producing awareness-raising content, Hidden Tears hosts events and screenings, donating the proceeds to their nonprofit collaborators.   They also have a blog, featuring articles and resources, as well as The Hidden Tears Project Podcast, available on Soundcloud.

Jordan and Jason shared the story of creating the Hidden Tears Project, talked about their experiences creating their content, and shared some insights into what's involved in using the new medium of 360-degree virtual reality to put viewers into stories they won't soon forget.
On this episode of Over Coffee® you'll hear:

*
How Jordan and Jason first became aware of the issue of human trafficking;

*
What was involved for them, in creating Hidden Tears;

*
Jordan and Jason's experiences on creating their first two Hidden Tears projects;

*
A preview of their next (virtual-reality!) projects, Shades of Red and Silencio;

*
Some of the creative challenges involved, for both directors and talent, in creating virtual-reality films;

*
Resources and nonprofits dedicated to fighting human trafficking, with whom you can get involved;

*
The experiences which Jordan and Jason have found most rewarding, so far, in creating their content;

*
Some of the factors behind the enormous cost of rescuing the victims of human trafficking;

*
Jordan and Jason's recommendations for fellow creatives who want to create VR content for a cause;

*
How you (despite a busy life) can help the Hidden Tears Project--or make a difference by donating time and talent to another nonprofit which serves human trafficking survivors.

AND, HERE ARE THE RESOURCES JORDAN AND JASON MENTIONED:
Saving Innocence - nonprofit devoted to ...
33 min
June 17, 2017 Cutting-Edge, Compelling and Life-Saving
Hidden Tears Project co-founder Jordan Marinov. (Photograph courtesy of Hidden Tears Project, and used with permission.)

The Hidden Tears Project is producing virtual-reality films, among its upcoming projects. And the results will almost certainly haunt you.

That's because Hidden Tears' mission is to create media that raise mainstream awareness of an almost-hidden social problem: human trafficking in the United States.

Hidden Tears co-founder Jason Gurvitz at Toolbox LA, June 1, 2017.

Entertainment professionals Jordan Marinov and Jason Gurvitz co-founded their nonprofit in in 2015. Drawing on their backgrounds in dance and filmmaking, respectively, Jordan and Jason collaborated with law-enforcement officials, survivors, and child advocates while recruiting top Hollywood talent . Their first two resulting projects, the short films Unseen Dances and Tanya, are currently on their website's media page.

Unseen Dances, which Jordan choreographed, brings to light some of the shocking facts about human trafficking while exploring, through dance, the world of women abducted into the sex trade.   (Jordan is the Artistic Director of her own dance company, Marinov Dance, and has performed all over the world as both an actress and a dancer.)

Meanwhile, the dramatic short Tanya, which Jason co-produced, shows the stark realities of a young woman's life as a prostitute.   (Jason, who is the founder of Green Dog Films, also co-directed Unseen Dances. His past projects, prior to the Hidden Tears Project, have included producing the critically-acclaimed film "Avenged" and directing the anti-trafficking short documentary "Until They All Come Home".)

In addition to producing awareness-raising content, Hidden Tears hosts events and screenings, donating the proceeds to their nonprofit collaborators.   They also have a blog, featuring articles and resources, as well as The Hidden Tears Project Podcast, available on Soundcloud.

Jordan and Jason shared the story of creating the Hidden Tears Project, talked about their experiences creating their content, and shared some insights into what's involved in using the new medium of 360-degree virtual reality to put viewers into stories they won't soon forget.
On this episode of Over Coffee® you'll hear:

*
How Jordan and Jason first became aware of the issue of human trafficking;

*
What was involved for them, in creating Hidden Tears;

*
Jordan and Jason's experiences on creating their first two Hidden Tears projects;

*
A preview of their next (virtual-reality!) projects, Shades of Red and Silencio;

*
Some of the creative challenges involved, for both directors and talent, in creating virtual-reality films;

*
Resources and nonprofits dedicated to fighting human trafficking, with whom you can get involved;

*
The experiences which Jordan and Jason have found most rewarding, so far, in creating their content;

*
Some of the factors behind the enormous cost of rescuing the victims of human trafficking;

*
Jordan and Jason's recommendations for fellow creatives who want to create VR content for a cause;

*
How you (despite a busy life) can help the Hidden Tears Project--or make a difference by donating time and talent to another nonprofit which serves human trafficking survivors.

AND, HERE ARE THE RESOURCES JORDAN AND JASON MENTIONED:
Saving Innocence - nonprofit devoted to ...
33 min
June 11, 2017 A Space Retrospective – to the Future
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we're running a backup show this week. Over Coffee® will be back with a new episode next Friday, June 16th. Meanwhile, in honor of the 2017 NASA astronaut candidates, here is one of our most popular interviews from Space Apps Pasadena 2016, starring NASA JPL IT Chief Technology Officer Tom Soderstrom.

If you're running a startup, you have a lot of the skills required for planning a space flight.

At least, that's NASA JPL IT Chief Technology Officer Tom Soderstrom's perspective.

We had the opportunity to talk at NASA Space Apps Challenge 2016, in their Pasadena location. As teams of coworkers, family members and even strangers worked together, using NASA open data to "hack" literally any problem in the universe, Tom explained the parallels.

Tom, who has been involved with NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge since its beginning, in 2011, was onsite to serve as a consultant to the teams. He would also be one of the project judges, as teams presented their finished projects following the weekend-long hackathon.

And with him, Tom was bringing a background of not only expertise in space-related information technology--but in working with a number of startups.

Tom talked about his background, the Space Apps challenge, and some of the ways NASA’s vision for the future is sparking innovation we’ll see in our lives within the next few years.
On this episode of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

*
How Tom first became inspired to work as a scientist;

*
Why Tom was drawn back to NASA after working in industry;

*
Some surprising facts about patents and innovation;

*
How Tom first came on board with NASA's International Space Apps Challenge;

*
Some of the innovations citizen-science teams developed, during 2016 Space Apps;

*
Resources Tom recommends to people from a non-scientific background, for learning how to program;

*
How an entrepreneur's startup experience parallels the Space Apps Challenge, and NASA in general;

*
Tom's projections of the ways NASA's innovations are going to affect space travel in the future;

*
His "yardstick" for analyzing new, seemingly "crazy" ideas.

*
How a "crazy" idea became one of NASA's most notable successes.

ALL-IN-ONE-PLACE RESOURCES:
NASA Space Apps Challenge Global Hackathon - See the 2017 projects that made the finals, worldwide, from this 48-hour hackathon for the benefit of--the whole world! (This will also be the site on which city locations will be announced for the 2018 Space Apps Challenge, happening in April. Registration is free; you may want to bookmark their site and check back in early 2018!)

NASA Television - Live coverage of launches, spacewalks, astronaut press conferences and other cool space stuff!

NASA Datanauts program - NASA's free program for citizen scientists--and everyone (including us arts people and storytellers) is welcome to apply! They're currently accepting applications for their Fall class.
21 min
June 11, 2017 A Space Retrospective – to the Future
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we're running a backup show this week. Over Coffee® will be back with a new episode next Friday, June 16th. Meanwhile, in honor of the 2017 NASA astronaut candidates, here is one of our most popular interviews from Space Apps Pasadena 2016, starring NASA JPL IT Chief Technology Officer Tom Soderstrom.

If you're running a startup, you have a lot of the skills required for planning a space flight.

At least, that's NASA JPL IT Chief Technology Officer Tom Soderstrom's perspective.

We had the opportunity to talk at NASA Space Apps Challenge 2016, in their Pasadena location. As teams of coworkers, family members and even strangers worked together, using NASA open data to "hack" literally any problem in the universe, Tom explained the parallels.

Tom, who has been involved with NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge since its beginning, in 2011, was onsite to serve as a consultant to the teams. He would also be one of the project judges, as teams presented their finished projects following the weekend-long hackathon.

And with him, Tom was bringing a background of not only expertise in space-related information technology--but in working with a number of startups.

Tom talked about his background, the Space Apps challenge, and some of the ways NASA’s vision for the future is sparking innovation we’ll see in our lives within the next few years.
On this episode of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

*
How Tom first became inspired to work as a scientist;

*
Why Tom was drawn back to NASA after working in industry;

*
Some surprising facts about patents and innovation;

*
How Tom first came on board with NASA's International Space Apps Challenge;

*
Some of the innovations citizen-science teams developed, during 2016 Space Apps;

*
Resources Tom recommends to people from a non-scientific background, for learning how to program;

*
How an entrepreneur's startup experience parallels the Space Apps Challenge, and NASA in general;

*
Tom's projections of the ways NASA's innovations are going to affect space travel in the future;

*
His "yardstick" for analyzing new, seemingly "crazy" ideas.

*
How a "crazy" idea became one of NASA's most notable successes.

ALL-IN-ONE-PLACE RESOURCES:
NASA Space Apps Challenge Global Hackathon - See the 2017 projects that made the finals, worldwide, from this 48-hour hackathon for the benefit of--the whole world! (This will also be the site on which city locations will be announced for the 2018 Space Apps Challenge, happening in April. Registration is free; you may want to bookmark their site and check back in early 2018!)

NASA Television - Live coverage of launches, spacewalks, astronaut press conferences and other cool space stuff!

NASA Datanauts program - NASA's free program for citizen scientists--and everyone (including us arts people and storytellers) is welcome to apply! They're currently accepting applications for their Fall class.
21 min
June 03, 2017 Her Technology Says, “Do You Mean It?”

What if there were a way to detect emotions, technologically?

That's exactly what Dr. Yael Hanein and her research team have been exploring.

Dr. Hanein is the Director of Tel Aviv University's Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology--the first such facility in Israel. Among the cutting-edge research projects which Dr. Hanein, who is also a professor of Electrical Engineering, has conducted, is one in which she and her team have been tracking emotions by monitoring the ways subjects' facial muscles move.

During the 2016 IDEAS Los Angeles Conference, Dr. Hanein gave a presentation on the technology with which she and her team were experimenting. Following her talk, she shared the story of the experiment, and what her researchers had discovered.

AND--if this intrigues you, and you're in either California or Illinois, you may want to mark your calendar! IDEAS Los Angeles, a two-day conference in 2016, has evolved into a two-city program. Called IDEAS Immersion, this is a gathering of entrepreneurs and visionaries from Tel Aviv University for a multi-week accelerator program. Meetups, workshops, collaborative work and community events are all on the schedule.

In Southern California, the first event open to the general public (for a nominal charge) is "IDEAS Immersion Meet Up", happening Thursday evening, June 8th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm in downtown Los Angeles. Then, there'll also be a free "IDEAS Immersion Demo Day", on Thursday afternoon, June 22nd. Here's the link for registration.

And, if you're in Chicago, look for IDEAS Immersion's Illinois debut to happen there from August 27th to September 15th!
Meanwhile, on this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

*
How Dr. Hanein implemented this experiment;

*
How the technology works;

*
The basic universal facial expressions, worldwide;

*
Dr. Hanein's favorite experience, as this particular project took her to a new area.

IDEAS is the acronym for "Israel Digital Entrepreneur Arts Science". Congratulations to IDEAS on their fantastic expansion in just one year!
14 min
June 03, 2017 Her Technology Says, “Do You Mean It?”

What if there were a way to detect emotions, technologically?

That's exactly what Dr. Yael Hanein and her research team have been exploring.

Dr. Hanein is the Director of Tel Aviv University's Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology--the first such facility in Israel. Among the cutting-edge research projects which Dr. Hanein, who is also a professor of Electrical Engineering, has conducted, is one in which she and her team have been tracking emotions by monitoring the ways subjects' facial muscles move.

During the 2016 IDEAS Los Angeles Conference, Dr. Hanein gave a presentation on the technology with which she and her team were experimenting. Following her talk, she shared the story of the experiment, and what her researchers had discovered.

AND--if this intrigues you, and you're in either California or Illinois, you may want to mark your calendar! IDEAS Los Angeles, a two-day conference in 2016, has evolved into a two-city program. Called IDEAS Immersion, this is a gathering of entrepreneurs and visionaries from Tel Aviv University for a multi-week accelerator program. Meetups, workshops, collaborative work and community events are all on the schedule.

In Southern California, the first event open to the general public (for a nominal charge) is "IDEAS Immersion Meet Up", happening Thursday evening, June 8th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm in downtown Los Angeles. Then, there'll also be a free "IDEAS Immersion Demo Day", on Thursday afternoon, June 22nd. Here's the link for registration.

And, if you're in Chicago, look for IDEAS Immersion's Illinois debut to happen there from August 27th to September 15th!
Meanwhile, on this edition of Over Coffee®, you'll hear:

*
How Dr. Hanein implemented this experiment;

*
How the technology works;

*
The basic universal facial expressions, worldwide;

*
Dr. Hanein's favorite experience, as this particular project took her to a new area.

IDEAS is the acronym for "Israel Digital Entrepreneur Arts Science". Congratulations to IDEAS on their fantastic expansion in just one year!
14 min

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Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak episodes

About Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak