Category: Technology

Bilingual report — Ventura names Mike Shaffer as the new Chief Technology Officer

by Community Contributor • June 11, 2024 • Comments Off

VENTURA — After a competitive, nationwide recruitment, the City of Ventura has selected Mike Shaffer as the new Chief Technology Officer in the Information Technology (IT) Department.

“Mike brings over 15 years of experience in public sector technology and already has a deep understanding of our City’s needs,” shared City Manager Bill Ayub. “With a proven track record of implementing innovative solutions that drive efficiency and improve user experience, I am confident that Mike will lead Ventura’s technological future with excellence and vision.”

Ventura Engineer Mohammed A. Hasan receives national recognition

by Community Contributor • May 31, 2024 • Comments Off

MILWAUKEE, WISC. — The American Academy of Water Resources Engineers has honored Mohammed A. Hasan, a prominent Ventura civil and environmental engineer for his outstanding contribution to water resources engineering.

The induction ceremony was held at the 2024 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress in Milwaukee, Wisc. He was awarded the credential, BC.WRE, board-certified water resources engineer. The BC.WRE is the highest post-license certification one can attain in the water resources engineering profession, and it is an accredited program by the Council of Engineering & Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB). The BC.WRE demonstrates specialty expertise beyond professional licensure, strong professional ethics, and a commitment to life-long learning and continuing professional development.

Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) awards grants to fund electric school buses and chargers

by Community Contributor • May 30, 2024 • Comments Off

VENTURA — The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) has awarded $1.56 million to school districts in Oxnard and Ventura to replace diesel engine buses with new zero-emission electric ones and to install charging stations.

Ocean View School District (OVSD) received funding to replace one diesel bus with an electric one and purchase one charging station. Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) received funding to replace two diesel buses with two electric ones and purchase two charging stations. The charging stations will be level 3, the fastest and most powerful type available. The grants will cover the cost of the charging equipment and 87% of the price of the buses.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Mario T. García: A lifetime of achievement in Chicano/a history’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • May 28, 2024 • Comments Off

The historian and professor receives the Bert Corona Lifetime Achievement Award for inspiring progressive social change to advance the inclusion of the poor and oppressed.

Ventura County Supervisor Janice Parvin responds to CPUC’s proposed motion to discmiss AT&T targeted relief request of COLR

by Community Contributor • May 27, 2024 • Comments Off

“The CPUC’s proposed decision to dismiss AT&T’s request underscores the importance of ensuring equitable access to essential services for all residents of Ventura County”, stated Supervisor Parvin. “As your County Supervisor, I remain committed to advocating for policies that prioritize Public Safety and the needs of our constituents, particularly those in underserved areas.”

Ventura County Animal Services — A.I. Helps Reunite Lost Animals

by Community Contributor • May 20, 2024 • Comments Off

VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) announces its adoption of a revolutionary lost and found platform that leverages facial recognition technology to reunite lost animals with their families faster than ever before. The platform, Petco Love Lost, employs an algorithm that scans lost and found photos uploaded by the public and VCAS, and instantly notifies pet owners if a match is made. Numerous animal welfare organizations already using this platform have reported a substantial increase in animals being reclaimed by their families.

“Between 80%-90% of animals arriving at our shelter come to us as lost/stray. If everyone in Ventura County utilizes the Petco Love Lost platform, it could be the game-changer we have been hoping for!” Stated Randy Friedman, spokesperson for VCAS. “This could be the single greatest advancement in lost and found since microchip implants were introduced in the 1990s!”

UCSB — The Current — ‘Historian Jeffrey Stewart elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences for his work in the visual arts’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • May 7, 2024 • Comments Off

The Black Studies professor, who won a Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for his acclaimed biography of Alain Locke, brings to 49 the number of UCSB faculty that have been named fellows of the academy.

Bilingual commentary — Should Prospective Writers Be Discouraged by AI?

by Community Contributor • May 3, 2024 • Comments Off

We cannot deny that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a threat to the livelihoods of writers. How concerned should writers, or prospective writers, be?

The frustratingly simple answer is, “It depends.”

Writers who devote themselves to creating content for publications are particularly vulnerable because AI is remarkably adept at content creation. It scans the universe of language and generates literary content in a flash that is nearly as spirited as that of the human mind.

There are already books sold on Amazon that are generated by AI. Any books that we might write and place on the Amazon marketplace will be competing with a superabundance of books that may or may not have been written by humans.

UCSB — The Current — ‘How to build and protect skills in our modern workplace, a world filled with AI and robots’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • May 2, 2024 • Comments Off

Assistant professor Matt Beane‘s new book uncovers ways for workers to remain competent and competitive in an increasingly automated workplace.

UCSB — The Current — ‘The Museum of Modern Art premieres Shana Moulton’s ‘Meta/Physical Therapy’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • April 23, 2024 • Comments Off

Healing meets the surreal in the hyper-saturated dreamscape featured in the exhibition and performance series by the art professor, whose work captures the banality and enormity of everyday life.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Computer scientist William Wang receives prestigious early career technical achievement award’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • April 18, 2024 • Comments Off

Wang’s considerable work to develop scalable algorithms that are both swift and accurate couldn’t be more necessary. His efforts are being recognized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Signal Processing Society.

UCSB — The Current — ‘The Ottoman origins of refugee resettlement in Middle East’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • April 4, 2024 • Comments Off

Vladimir Hamed-Troyansky’s first book captures ‘an important moment in global history’ in the little-known story of how roughly 1 million Muslims from Russia sought refuge in the Middle East.

UCSB — The Current — ‘In the Shadow of the Seawall’ tackles coastal land use dilemmas in the age of sea level rise and more news, events

by Community Contributor • March 14, 2024 • Comments Off

Focusing on the Maldives and Guyana — two communities on the front lines of sea level rise — sociologist Summer Gray’s new book examines and illustrates how seawalls serve as a point of conflict between rich and poor, colonizer and Indigenous, powerful and powerless.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Unraveling the mystery of chiton visual systems’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • March 5, 2024 • Comments Off

Rebecca Varney of the Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology helps to reveal the surprising origins behind mollusk eyes, shedding light on evolutionary processes.

UCSB — The Current — Poet professor reflects on imagination, students and racism in America and more news, events

by Community Contributor • February 29, 2024 • Comments Off

Assistant teaching professor Michelle Petty-Grue explores her life and profession in the arts in this long-form interview that ranges from her upbringing in England to raising a Black son in America.

CSUCI’s STEAM Carnival on March 9 will introduce kids to the fun side of science, technology, engineering, art and math

by Community Contributor • February 27, 2024 • Comments Off

CAMARILLO — After years of transformation, the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Science Carnival is back, bigger and better, as the CSUCI School of Arts and Sciences STEAM Carnival. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

“It took a while to make this happen again, but I am so, so, so excited,” said Acting Dean of Arts & Sciences Phil Hampton, who started the carnival. “COVID nearly eliminated the event but now it has grown up into the Arts and Sciences (A&S) STEAM Carnival. We’ve added the arts, but it’s a very long bar over the ‘A’ to make it include art, social science and humanities.”

UCSB — The Current — ‘Researchers develop molecules for a new class of antibiotics that can overcome drug resistant bacteria’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • February 22, 2024 • Comments Off

The team in chemistry Professor Guillermo Bazan’s lab was trying to develop compounds to harness energy from bacteria. They wound up developing the basis for a new class of antibiotics.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Sea otters stabilize salt marsh banks as they recolonize a California estuary’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • February 1, 2024 • Comments Off

A new study finds that some features essential to the resiliency of Elkhorn Slough, a salt marsh-dominated coastal estuary in Monterey County, are improved by the return of sea otters and their insatiable appetite for herbivorous marsh crabs.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Extreme drought hits grasslands and shrublands harder than anticipated’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • January 30, 2024 • Comments Off

A global experiment covering 100 sites, undertaken to generate a baseline understanding of the potential losses of plant productivity in these vital ecosystems, quantifies the impacts of extreme drought across six continents.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Jody Enders’s ‘naughty’ French comedies nab prize for translation’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • January 25, 2024 • Comments Off

For her translation of raunchy Middle French stage comedies, Enders, a theater historian and professor of French, has won the Lois Roth Award from the Modern Language Association.

UCSB — The Current — ‘The choreography of cross-ecosystem subsidies that connects the kelp forest to the beach’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • January 11, 2024 • Comments Off

A multi-institution collaboration of scientists investigates the rise and fall in the abundance of kelp, and how it affects shorebirds.

CLU Steven Dorfman Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship announces upcoming events Jan. 9, 26-28; Feb. 8, 15; May 1

by Community Contributor • January 8, 2024 • Comments Off

Demo Day is a showcase of the startups from our IdeaToDo program.

Meet the founders, learn about their startups, view product demos, and network with the startup community.

DATE
Tuesday, January 9 from 4 – 6 PM (PT)
In person at Hub101 (livestream link available)

Jan. 24 — Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) – Join Us for a NO-COST Webinar Series on AI

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

Join EDC, Women’s Economic Ventures and SCORE for a NO-COST webinar series on how you can use AI to leverage your business! Spanish interpretation will be available.

AI for Business 101: How to Leverage AI to Accelerate your Business Growth

January 24 @ 12:00 pm

AI for Small Business Marketing: Supercharge your Social Media Content Creation with the Power of AI

February 28 @ 12:00 pm

Explore the real-world applications of AI. Don’t miss out on unlocking the potential of AI for your business success.

April 11 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) announces BioScience Alliance (BSA) Open House Series — Takeda Parmaceuticals

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

BioScience Alliance (BSA) organizes networking events to foster relationships among industry scientists, executives, professionals and key vendors, facilitating idea exchange and growth. Next week, join their team to tour Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ newest manufacturing facility in Thousand Oaks!

Takeda is a patient-focused, values-based, R&D-driven global biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to people worldwide

July 23 — Bilingual report — Ventura Police to host electric bicycle educational workshop

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

“E-bike safety, reckless riding, and enforcement have become a significant concern for our community, and we want to address these issues head-on,” said Chief Darin Schindler. “This workshop is an opportunity for residents to learn more about the safe and legal use of electric bicycles and to engage with our officers on these important issues. We are committed to ensuring the safety of all road users and fostering a culture of responsible e-bike use in Ventura.”

Aug. 21 — CSUCI’s ‘AI Basecamp’ to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on education and regional workforce

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

“We’re calling it a base camp (as opposed to a summit) because as far as AI has come in such a brief period of time, it still feels like a moment where we’re just beginning,” said Assistant Vice President of Digital Learning Lorna Gonzalez. “An event like this is meant to bring our community together to hear about what’s happening regionally and to have a shared experience about something that has been highly disruptive and will continue to be.”

Sept. 4 — Bilingual report — Ventura County Chapter of SCORE Announces Bilingual In-Person Workshops for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

The first workshop, entitled “Digital Marketing Guide: What, When and How to Post Content” will be held on September 4 at the Oxnard Public Library, Meeting Room B at 10:00AM. The workshop will be presented by Luisa Arzate who has more than 15 years of experience in graphic design and marketing. In addition to owning and operating her own local business, Luisa is a Marketing Business Advisor with the Economic Development Collaborative.

Sept. 10 — Farm Bureau of Ventura County announces registration open for 2024 Agri-Tech Fair

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

eet the talented individuals who make up our Agri Tech Fair speaker lineup. Each speaker brings a unique set of skills and expertise to the table, working together to create an exceptional event experience for our attendees.

Sept. 18 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) announces Attention all Tech Businesses: FATHOMWERX Summit Registration is now open!

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

FATHOMWERX Summit is an inclusive two-day event filled with tested technology expositions, demonstrations, tours, innovators, networking, a keynote speaker, industry and Department of the Navy program representatives and stakeholders. With participation from ANTX Coastal Trident and Venture Ventura, the two-day event explores the intersections between industry and the Department of the Navy.

Sept. 26 — Want to learn how to podcast? Sign up for this free workshop series at Workzones

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — Did you know in the next 6 years Podcast Listeners are predicted to grow from approximately 100 million people (that’s 1/3 of the USA Population) to 160 million people (1/2 the USA population). Having a Podcast is one of the least expensive ways to market your business and become known as an expert in your field.

A new workshop series offered by local coworking space Workzones in partnership with video and audio production company Hypecats promises to teach participants how to harness the power of podcasting for business promotion and brand building.

Oct. 1 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — NO-COST In-Person Event: Federal Funding – Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Tech Transfer (STTR)

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

Join the Golden State APEX Accelerator and the Economic Development Collaborative for an exclusive in-person event focused on securing federal funding through the SBIR and STTR programs. Learn a clear overview of the programs available to you, how to identify potential topics/ funding sources and what to know about the application process. This interactive workshop equips new and experienced participants with the tools they need to succeed in SBIR/STTR programs.

Oct. 5 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents education technology pioneer Salman Khan at the Arlington Theatre

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Salman Khan, Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That’s a Good Thing) on Saturday, October 5 at 4 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. The visionary behind educational nonprofit Khan Academy, Salman Khan seeks to remove the barriers to education that leave over 600 million children lacking basic math and reading skills. His free, world-class curriculum – available to anyone, anywhere – has made a massive impact, with its videos reaching over a billion views. Now, Khan is using the power of AI to make education even more accessible. With the introduction of the revolutionary Khanmigo, he’s giving every student around the world an AI-powered personal tutor that The Washington Post calls “the best model we have for how to develop and implement AI for the public good.” Author of the new book Brave New Words, Khan offers a uniquely prescient and practical look into how we can use AI to enhance HI: “human intelligence, human potential and human purpose.”

Oct. 10 — CLU School of Management to present ‘AI in the Workplace: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities’

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

“As AI is adopted across industries for automation, decision-making and data-driven insights, we will see growth rates that very few sectors have ever seen,” said Gerhard Apfelthaler, dean of the School of Management at Cal Lutheran. “By 2030, the global AI market is expected to expand to $1.3 trillion.”

Oct. 22 — Ventura County Civic Alliance announces ‘Future of the Region Conference’ in Camarillo

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

Building on the research in the Civic Alliance’s 2023 State of the Region Report, this Future of the Region conference explores the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence and how it will shape our region.

Nov. 13 — CLU presenting ‘Preparing for the AI Integrated Workplace’ and other upcoming events

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

We are excited to invite Aaron Anderson, president of Brandes Associates Inc., to be our next guest in our MSIT TechTalk webinar series.

For many of us who are in the workforce — or for those who are preparing to enter the workforce — we continue to ask ourselves this fundamental question, “Are We Prepared for the Workplace Where Artificial Intelligence is Bound to be Integral to the Company’s Workflow?”

In this TechTalk, Aaron Anderson, president of Brandes Associates Inc., will discuss how he answers this question and more. Anderson has much say about his expectations for his employees, be they new hires or seasoned professionals, and how he goes about preparing his teams for the future in which artificial intelligence will be highly integrated.

Nov. 21 — CLU School of Management to present ‘Sustainable Fashion Showcase.’ Sustainable Development Goals Competition 2024 on Dec. 3

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

Doors open at 5PM. Food sponsored by Mendocino Farms.

5:00 PM – Enjoy food, networking, and sustinable fashion tabling. Feel free to shop!

5:30 PM – Keynote with Chipper Bro Bell, entrepreneur, B-Corp advocate, and Patagonia veteran of 25 years, shares insights on how companies can authentically live their brand by defining mission, values, and purpose to make a real impact on the planet.

6:00 PM – Runway style with sustainable fashion looks. Enjoy the latest eco-friendly looks on the runway, plus continued shopping and brand exhibits.

Enjoy an evening of runway fashion with eco-friendly designs and innovative styles that highlight the future of sustainable fashion. A must-see event for fashion enthusiasts and industry disruptors.

Clean Power Alliance Ranked the Number One Green Power Provider in the United States by National Renewable Energy Laboratory

by Community Contributor • December 14, 2023 • Comments Off

LOS ANGELES — Clean Power Alliance (CPA) has capped its fifth anniversary year of serving Southern California customers with a prestigious number one national ranking by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the sale of green power.

The NREL 2022 Utility Green Power Rankings, announced in fall 2023, is an annual list of top green power providers throughout the United States. The national report has historically identified and compared investor owned (IOU) and publicly owned utilities’ (POU) clean energy programs, evaluating green pricing, customer acquisition and sales. This year marked the first time the NREL included the nation’s community choice aggregators (CCAs), such as CPA.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Hallmark uplifts Black love with historic Mahogany movie premier’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • December 5, 2023 • Comments Off

Written by Wendy Eley Jackson, a lecturer in film and media studies, “Napa Ever After” is part of an effort to create movies that appeal to African-American families, particularly women, and reflect the themes of love, romance and personal growth.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Illuminating the benefits of marine protected areas for ecotourism, and vice versa’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • November 30, 2023 • Comments Off

Research in California’s Northern Channel Islands provides strong evidence of the benefit of marine protected areas for the recreational scuba diving industry in Southern California and highlights that the diving community should be considered a key stakeholder in decision-making about the future of MPAs.

UCSB — The Current — ‘Compendium on Chicano writer Juan Felipe Herrera strikes gold’ and more news, events

by Community Contributor • November 28, 2023 • Comments Off

Professor Emeritus Francisco Lomelí and Osiris Aníbal Gómez Ph.D. ’20 won an International Latino Book Award for their work on the former poet laureate.

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