January 13, 2022 | 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. MST

Bringing digital equity to the forefront

Digital Immersive Event | Hosted via Zoom

 

Welcome to Smart Region Summit!

ASU ISTB-4 building at night

The annual Smart Region Summit, convened by ASU and a diversity of partners, focuses on the application of new human and technological innovation strategies that put into action the concept of the “smart city and region.”

Smart cities and regions leverage technology to share vital information with the public, make data-informed local improvements, increase efficiency and optimize infrastructure and resources to meet community needs. Indeed, smart technology has the potential to bolster equity across a region by expanding the reach and creative uses of services and tools -- like high-speed broadband and 5G.

During this year's day-long, virtual event, our partner network will focus on the intersection of smart regions and digital inclusion with the goal of showcasing and designing, as a community, projects and work that bridges the digital divide. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the latest developments in smart technologies and connect with experts and next-generation leaders in the field.

Together, let's create more efficient places and spaces across Arizona and beyond that are optimized for all individuals.

Event Details


Person at desk with computer and paper

Industry experts

Hear from local and international technology leaders, researchers, faculty, students and changemakers who are prioritizing digital equity in their everyday lives.

person on a zoom call

Engaging programming

Through dynamic plenary sessions, informative roundtable discussions and more, subject matter experts will share how they are generating community technology solutions that advance digital equity and infrastructure.

Hand holding tech

Tangible takeaways

Gain insights and explore how others are working to expand access in Arizona and around the globe to better inform your work. You’ll leave the Summit better prepared to take action. 

 

 

 

Agenda

Agenda Resources
8:30 a.m. | Welcome: Broadband Access, the Future of Education and Innovation
Watch on Youtube
Watch on CareerEDGE
Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University
Tami Erwin, Executive Vice President and CEO, Verizon Business
Brought to you by: Verizon
Dreamscapes at ASU
Digital Equity Institute
Partner with ASU
N50 Project
9:15 a.m. | Connecting the Under-connected -- Insights From Around the World
This discussion will explore how industry leaders from across the globe are working to expand access -- across availability, adoption and utilization -- to high-speed broadband for their underserved communities.
Watch on Youtube
Watch on CareerEDGE
Moderated by: Dr. Erin Carr Jordan - Head of Social Impact at EdPlus at ASU Head and Co-PI of ASU ADVANCE Senior Global Futures Scientist at ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory 
Emceed by: David Stevens, Chief Strategic Advisor - SLED at World Wide Technology

Amrita Choudhury, Director CCAOI, UN IGF MAG Member, Vice Chair APRALO, Co-Vice Chair AprIGF  Learn More

Angela Siefer, Executive Director at National Digital Inclusion Alliance

Philip Thigo, Senior Director, Thunderbird School of Global Management

Nicole Umayam, Digital Inclusion Library Consultant, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records

Wendy Ruiz Xicale, ASU student, Barrett Honors College, College Peer Advisor at the Design Studio for Community Solutions
Brought to you by: World Wide Technology
AZBSN COVID-19 Digital Access Task Force
Meets every Monday morning at 7:30 AM. Arizona Broadband Stakeholder Network COVID-19 Digital Access Task 
Connect Arizona
National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA)
Connectivity Champions
Digital Navigator Model
Library Nurse (Pima County, AZ)

Internet Society

Articles: 
Universal Broadband Access in the US | ShapingEDU
Kids needed access for online school, but free internet was a tough sell in Maryvale | 91.5 KJZZ
Which States Have Dedicated Broadband Offices, Task Forces, Agencies, or Funds? | PEW
State-by-state infrastructure funding: An overview | CohnReznick
ASU, Isacc School Dsitrict Partner | AZCentral

Governor Ducey Invests $100 Million To Expand High-Speed Broadband | AZ Governor
Broadband Access | ShapingEDU
H. Rose Trostle: Broadband Access, Indian Country, and Cyber Warriors | ShapingEDU
10:30 a.m. | Keynote: "Where Do We Go From Here" 
Who better to discuss the future of digital equity than the producer of the first empirical study proving the existence of the digital divide? Expert Larry Irving, President, Alumni Association at Northwestern University and President of the Board of PBS shares his insights on where we are on the journey to achieving digital equity for all and next steps to make the dream a reality. A panel discussion will follow.
Watch on Youtube
Watch on CareerEDGE
Brought to you by: Arista
1987: The Knowledge Navigator | Video
As We May Think | The Altantic
11:00 a.m. | Digitally Invisible: How the Internet is Creating the New Underclass
Watch on Youtube

Watch on CareerEDGE
Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Senior Fellow in Governance Studies, Director of the Center for Technology Innovation, The Brookings Institution
‘It’s exhausting’: how Navajo students overcame the pandemic school year | The Guardian
Hill becomes makeshift classroom for a Fish Point family | Navajo Times
Bridging Divides | Colgate
The Divide | Podcast
11:30 a.m. | Digital Roundup: The Latest from the Future of Tech Commission
Watch on Youtube

Watch on CareerEDGE
Commissioner Jim Steyer, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Common Sense Media

Followed by a Fireside chat with: 
Sandra Watson, President & CEO at Arizona Commerce Authority
Alex Fischer, President and CEO of the Columbus Partnership
Maximizing Federal Funding
to Close the K–12 Digital Divide | Common Sense

Emergency Broadband Benefit Recap: 7.1 Million Households Enrolled, Adoption Varies Significantly by State | Broadband Now
These Women Taught Depression-Era Americans to Use Electricity | History Channel
 
12:15 p.m. | Connected Public Safety and Transportation  
Watch on Youtube
Watch on CareerEDGE
Moderated by: Marisa Walker, Senior Vice President, Infrastructure at Arizona Commerce Authority and Executive Director, Institute of Automated Mobility

Susan Anderson, P.E., PTOE, Assistant State Engineer, ADOT

Mailen Pankiewicz, Principal Planner, Pedestrian Safety, City of Phoenix

Rick St John, Deputy City Manager for Public Safety, City of Glendale


Brought to you by: COX
 
12:45 p.m. | Connecting Native Lands 
Watch on Youtube
Watch on CareerEDGE
Moderated by: Dr. Traci Morris, Executive Director of the American Indian Policy Institute

Alaina George, PhD candidate in the Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology doctoral program at Arizona State University in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society

Sascha Meinrath, Palmer Chair in Telecommunications at Penn State University

Matt Rantanen, Director of Technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen's Association
Tribal Broadband Resources | American Indian Policy Institute, ASU 
State Selects CENIC California MMBI as Third-Party Administrator for Broadband Middle-Mile Network | CENIC
Broadband Data Collection | FCC.gov
1:15 p.m. | Connecting Education and Learning
Watch on Youtube
Watch on CareerEDGE
Moderated by: Chris Richardson, Deputy Chief Information Officer of Product Ownership and Leadership Development, Arizona State University

Dr. Carol Lippert AVP K-12 Outreach & Education Program Development, Grand Canyon University

Janice Mak, Advisory/board: Computer Science Teachers Association, Empowered Learner, Technology Advisory Board of the National Science Teaching Association, Chair of the ADE Tech Task Force, Clinical assistant professor at ASU and recently named a CADRE DRK12 Fellow

Corey Woods, Mayor of Tempe
Office of Digital Teaching and Learning | AZDOE
Grand Canyon Ventures
Broadband Technology Opportunities Program | NTIA
Entre Ed
Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI | Book 
1:45 p.m. | Partnerships for a Smarter Region
Watch on Youtube
Watch on CareerEDGE
Moderated by: Dominic Papa, Vice President - Smart State Initiatives at Arizona Commerce Authority

Susan Anable, VP, Public Affairs, Southwest Region, Cox Communications

Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer, Arizona State University

Maggie Hallbach, Vice President, Public Sector, Verizon Business Group

David Stevens, Chief Strategic Advisor - SLED at World Wide Technology
Cox Connected Environments Collaboratory | ASU 
Verizon Innovative Learning
The Connective: Building of a Smart Region | Video

 

ASU UTO

World Wide Technology

AWS

Arista

Cox Communivcations

Intel

Verizon

Silku