Innovation + Responsibility

Yesterday was one of those days when I thought, "I have a really cool job."  Sun hosted a group of 15 representatives from the ICT (Information Communications Technology) sector in Kenya at our Menlo Park campus - they called their group "ICT Village."  I learned that this group was coming to town from a contact at Google - Google was helping them set up meetings in Silicon Valley and my contact reached out to me to help make a Sun visit happen.  I am so glad I was able to pull it together.

First we hosted them on a tour of our Executive Briefing Center, where they got a look at some of Sun's great innovations, like Project Blackbox (a modular datacenter) and our SunRays (thin clients).  Then we sat down for an informal dialogue about what is happening in Kenya with respect to the ICT sector, what are Sun's plans in the region, and how we might work together.  It was a productive and inspiring meeting and a great example of the potential for Sun to use our technology to create positive business and social value.  The Kenyan group had representatives from all sectors - government, nonprofit and business. In attendance from Sun were Bill MacGowan, our EVP of People and Places (he's in charge of Sun's HR and also our location strategy, among other things); Keith Tabacek, who works in our location strategy group; Ed Hunter, Chief Engineer in Sun Labs; Larry Nelson, Sun's new Director of Global Citizenship, overseeing the Sun Foundation, employee volunteering and other programs aligned with Sun's mission to eliminate the digital divide; and me. 

It sounds like there is a lot going on in Kenya that is aimed at getting the country connected and enabling its citizens to participate more fully in the global community.  It turns out that 70 percent of the population of Kenya lives in rural areas. Out of a population of 33 million people, only approximately 3 million actually access the internet.  With a goal of becoming a middle income country by the year 2030 ("Vision 2030"), Kenya recognizes the importance that connectivity will play in its success. This group wants to address the digital divide that exists between rural and urban populations, creating economic empowerment for Kenya's citizens, a majority of whom are between the ages of 15 and 35.  To do this they are launching the "Digital Village" program, which will roll out across Sub-Saharn Africa but will start in Kenya. 

Digital Villages
The Digital Village campaign aims to set up a network of facilities around the country - digital "centers" and digital schools - that will enable people to access the internet and therefore open up the world to them. (Interesting point to note: we hear so much in the US about how mobile phones are the new "personal computer" that people in developing countries are using to access the Internet. With that in mind, these digital centers sound, well, anachronistic. When we asked this group about that, they told us that (at least in Kenya) this is not actually the case.  The mobile phones that enable Internet access tend to be higher end models and these are not available to the rural population. So for sustainable and broad access, actual facilities are going to have the broadest impact. Who knew?)

Campus Connections
Kenya is also focused on job creation - the country turns out many thousands of engineers from its universities each year (not to mention thousands of graduates majoring in other subjects, like business and certificate programs) and is committed to creating sustainable, long-term opportunities for these bright young minds.  And Sun is interested in creating stronger ties with engineering schools around the world, engaging and exciting the next generation of technologists with Sun innovation. And then there is the Sun Academic Initiative, which gives universities access to our training and other programs, free of charge, as well as Sun's other education-focused programs.

The connection points to Sun seemed endless and we all left the meeting brimming with enthusiasm about building a relationship that is good for Kenya and Kenyans, and good for Sun. And I was giddy with the thrill of another one of those days - you know the kind where you can see how your job actually has potential to create positive change.  Speaking of which...

Time Flies When You Are Doing Something Cool! 
Today marks my one year anniversary with Sun Microsystems.  I can hardly believe it! When I first started, I wasn't sure I would make it six months! Leaving graduate school and re-entering the "real" world - a world in which one can't travel to foreign countries for weeks at a time just because; in which the day doesn't start at 10:30am, the week doesn't start on Tuesdays and the weekend doesn't start on Thursdays; in which you can't just go for a run in the Presidio or a bike ride in Marin anytime you want; in which Tom Skapars doesn't plan most of your social activities; a world in which you don't always know your way around (so much so that you can help people find their way around), don't quite know what you are doing (let's face it, business school isn't that hard), and aren't totally sure where you are headed (in business school the goal is the job; once you get the job, the goal is slightly less clear).  Add to this the fact that nobody at Sun ever held my job before and I had somehow convinced them I knew what I was doing and, well, you can understand why I was totally freaked out and thought not so much that this job might not work out, but rather that any job, might be a stretch after two years of relative leisure in the ivory tower. 

But not only am I still here, I am proud - if surprised! - at how easily Sun has entered the CSR arena, how much we have accomplished in the past year and where we are headed.  A special shout out to my boss and Sun's leadership team for (1) hiring me (2) encouraging me (3) supporting me and (4) being committed visionaries.