Speaker: Rochelle Newton – The discussion of race in technology will highlight the increasing need for employees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math/Medicine (STEM) and the shockingly low numbers of people of color employed in STEM. The browning and greying of America has amplified an urgent need to rethink inclusion. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and Blockchain are poised to disrupt many, if not all, areas of the economy in the coming years. As more companies move to automation, robotics and smart technologies will eliminate many jobs creating vast inequities for people without the skills to compete in an ever changing market. Shared economies are increasing as new innovations come online. With options to share a ride, rent a home, crowdfunding, couchsurfing, reselling, coworking, and other shared economies, technology will change how we live and work.

Race in Technology discusses the impact of emerging technologies on the economy from the lens of race and gender.

Rochelle Newton
Dr. Rochelle Newton is a senior Information Technology (IT) Manager for Duke University School of Law and has worked in IT since 1977 in both the private and public sector. She holds a doctorate in Higher Education with a concentration in Leadership. She is a known advocate for underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). She speaks frequently on the topic of mentorship for girls and women in STEM. She is a subject matter expert in cybersecurity and other areas of technology. She serves as a consultant for companies as the plan their IT strategies. Newton is also a radio talk show and discusses those uncomfortable topics with her listeners. In her dissertation thesis, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), she explored fully online courses highlighting the underlying presumption of a one-size-fits-all model in education and has become a focus of her career. She writes and speaks on the issues facing many non-traditional students, such as understanding the needs of the learner and formulizing that success is more than admission, classroom, and an instructor. She understands that for traditional students, access to education is equally challenging as many are unprepared for the rigor and the social hierarchy of education at every level. In addition to education, race, and technology, women issues such as mentorship, pay inequity, and promotion, food insecurity on college campuses, are also focuses of her speaking engagements. Dr. Newton has authored numerous papers and presented on the challenges faced by women of color in STEM.