Event Summary
In this dynamic presentation at the Austin Forum on Technology and Society, renowned tech innovator William "whurley" Hurley delves into the captivating realm of quantum computing. As the quantum era dawns upon us, whurley demystifies this cutting-edge technology, helping you to understand its principles and transformative potential clearly. He will discuss the crucial role quantum computing plays across diverse sectors, from shaping innovative business strategies to bolstering national security measures. The talk sheds light on how this groundbreaking technology is not a matter of distant future speculation but an inevitable reality of our evolving digital landscape, arriving far sooner than you may suspect. Join us for an insightful discourse to comprehend the magnitude of quantum computing and prepare for its imminent impact. Learn why the quantum revolution matters to us, regardless of our backgrounds or fields of interest, and how it will be a game-changer in the technology and social paradigm.
Speakers
William "whurley" Hurley, Founder and CEO, Strangeworks
whurley is the founder and CEO of Strangeworks, an Eisenhower Fellow, a Senior Member of the IEEE, founder of the Quantum Computing Standards Workgroup at the IEEE, the first Ambassador to CERN and Society, and the co-author of "Quantum Computing For Babies” and the upcoming “Quantum Computing for Dummies” (available for pre-order now). Prior to starting Strangeworks, he was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs [NYSE: GS]. He came to Goldman Sachs via the acquisition of his second startup, Honest Dollar. Prior to Honest Dollar whurley founded Chaotic Moon Studios which was acquired by Accenture [NYSE: ACN].
Samantha Snabes, Co-founder, Re:3D
Samantha Snabes is an Officer in the Air National Guard & the CEO for re:3D where she facilitates connections between others printing at the human scale and/or using recycled materials to access locally driven manufacturing in 50+ countries. A serial entrepreneur, she volunteers as the past Global Chair of the IEEE Entrepreneurship Steering Committee. Previously, she served as the Social Entrepreneur in Residence for the NASA HQ & Deputy Strategist supporting the NASA Johnson Space Center’s Space Life Sciences Directorate after selling a start-up for a DARPA-funded, co-patented tissue culture device. Samantha holds a BS in Biology, BA degrees in International Relations & Hispanic Studies, an MBA with concentrations in Supply Chain Management & International Relations, and certifications as a firefighter & EMT-B.
Melodie Yashar, VP of Building Design & Performance, ICON
Melodie Yashar is a space architect, technologist, and researcher. She is the VP of Building Design & Performance at ICON, a construction technologies company focused on large-scale additive manufacturing for Earth and in space. Melodie oversees the architectural direction of ICON’s built work as well as the performance of ICON’s building systems to deliver optimally performing structures that shift the paradigm of homebuilding on Earth and beyond. Collaborating across technology and construction teams, her department supports the design and construction of dignified and resilient terrestrial housing solutions in addition to supporting the development of ICON’s off-world construction systems. Notable projects of hers include Mars Ice House and Mars X-House, both first prize winners in design within NASA’s Centennial Challenge for a 3D-Printed Habitat on Mars, as well as design and construction of the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Her TED talk, ”How to Build for Human Life on Mars” has been viewed over 1.4 million times.
Melodie teaches undergraduate and graduate design studios at Art Center College of Design. In previous roles, Melodie was a Senior Research Associate with the Human Systems Integration Division at NASA Ames via San Jose State University Research Foundation (SJSURF), a co-founder of Space Exploration Architecture (SEArch+), a research group developing human-supporting designs for space exploration, as well as a Professor within the Architecture department of Pratt Institute. Melodie obtained a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a Master of Human-Computer Interaction for Robotics from the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon. She geeks out on new material & fabrication technologies. She likes tiny robots. She would like to visit the Moon (though not yet Mars) in her lifetime.