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Get with the program: open source coding with Google Summer of Code
March 10, 2014
Tobi Mueller
started coding when his grandfather, who works in IT, gave him access to a spare PC. It was a sweet
286 machine
which Tobi learned to program with the then-popular teaching language
Pascal
. He eventually became interested in free and open source software, but it was
Google Summer of Code
(GSoC) that helped transform Tobi into the free software contributor he is today.
Tobi was a GSoC student in 2007 for
GNOME
, a free software desktop environment. He’s been a regular contributor to the GNOME community ever since—and in 2012, Tobi was elected to the GNOME Foundation
board of directors
.
Tobi is one of more than 7,500 students who have participated in Google Summer of Code program over the past nine years. Every summer, GSoC participants work with various organizations in the open source community, building important technical skills and gaining workplace experience. Students aren’t the only ones who benefit; their projects also give back to the open source community.
Karen Sandler
, GNOME’s executive director, told us how Google Summer of Code “encourages and empowers” new contributors and helps “invigorate projects.”
So if you’re a university student looking to earn real-world experience this summer, we hope you’ll consider coding for a cool open source project with
Google Summer of Code
. We’re celebrating the
10th year
of the program in 2014, and we’d love to see more student applicants than ever before. In 2013 we accepted almost 1,200 students and we’re planning to accept 10 percent more this year.
You can submit proposals on our
website
starting now through Friday, March 21 at 12:00pm PDT. Get started by reviewing the ideas pages of the
190 open source projects
in this year’s program, and decide which projects you’re interested in. There are a limited number of spots, and writing a great project proposal is essential to being selected to the program—so be sure to check out the
Student Manual
for advice. For ongoing information throughout the application period and beyond, see the
Google Open Source blog
.
Good luck to all the open source coders out there, and remember to submit your proposals early—you only have until March 21 to apply!
Posted by Carol Smith, Google Open Source team
Celebrating inspiring women around the world
March 8, 2014
Picture the women in your life—the women you admire. Your grandma. Your daughter.
Toni Morrison
.
Maria Klawe
.
Temple Grandin
.
Malala
.
Somaly Mam
. International Women's Day is an opportunity to celebrate these phenomenal women and all the others around the world—to recognize their impact on society, and to focus on what still needs to be done to achieve gender equality. Today, Google is joining in and showcasing inspiring women of the past and present through a series of events, new content on the Cultural Institute and—of course—a doodle. Join us in celebrating women worldwide!
Celebrating technical women on stage at global Women Techmakers events
To help increase visibility, community and resources for technical women, we’re launching a series of 100+
Women Techmakers
events in 52 countries to celebrate and support passionate techmakers around the world. Starting today and throughout March, the event series will feature panel discussions with talented female technology leaders, hands-on career planning workshops, networking opportunities and more. To learn more about the program and find an event near you, visit
g.co/womentechmakers
.
Shining a light on women in history and their collective impact
The
Google Cultural Institute
is launching
Women in Culture
,
a new channel featuring exhibits that tell stories of women—some familiar and some lesser-known—and their impact on the world. Starting today, you can browse
18 new exhibits
, from both new and existing Cultural Institute partners, including:
Showcasing Great Women
by The National Women’s Hall of Fame
Makers
by WETA (Makers.com: the largest video collection of women’s stories ever)
Frida Kahlo: ¡Viva la vida!
by Museo Dolores Olmedo
Pioneering Musicians: Women Superstars of the Early Gramophone Era
by Archive of Indian Music
Pathways to Equality
by the National Women’s History Museum
The Struggle for Suffrage
by English Heritage
Profiles for Peace
by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security
This Mad, Wicked Folly: Victorian American Women
by the Meserve-Kunhardt Foundation
World Changing Women
by Vital Voices
The painting
Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico / Out Back of Marie’s II
contributed by the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Since history has so often been biased, leaving out or sidelining contributions from women, the channel is also integrated with the rest of the Cultural Institute collections, making it easier for people to discover even more amazing stories about women throughout history.
A homepage homage
Women have been underrepresented in the history-telling of almost all fields: science, school curricula, business, politics—and, sadly, doodles. In addition to our
continued effort
for doodle diversity and inclusion, today’s truly International Women’s Day doodle features a host of more than 100 inspiring women from around the world, including the
President of Lithuania
,
a brave Pakistani education activist
,
the most recorded artist in music history
,
an ever-curious explorer
and
dozens more
.
Happy International Women’s Day!
Posted by Kyle Ewing, People Operations
#40Forward: 40 startup communities rethinking the gender gap
March 5, 2014
At age 40, my mom quit her job to start an employment agency for people with disabilities. Over the next few years and without a college degree or any formal funding, she grew her business to employ more than 30 people and serve thousands of clients.
Though to me she's one-of-a-kind, it turns out there are other women like my mom out there. According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, women make up 30 percent of U.S. business owners and employ nearly 7.8 million workers. Even though women-owned enterprises operate with far less capital, in the venture-backed tech industry, they produce 12 percent higher returns. That means that not only is supporting women in business the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing to do.
In an effort to find new ways to advance female entrepreneurs, this week
Google for Entrepreneurs
is committing $1 million in aggregate to 40 startup-focused organizations, challenging them to increase the representation of women in their respective tech communities. From simply changing the times of events to accommodate busy moms to teaching young girls to see themselves as entrepreneurs, 40 of our partner communities will soon launch new programs and outreach initiatives to encourage women founders. We’re calling this collective effort
#40Forward
. Here are a few highlights from our global community:
1871
in Chicago is launching a new accelerator program for women founded or co-founded companies that’s more flexible and family-friendly, with a customized plan for each startup.
Gaza Sky Geeks
in Gaza is providing rewards for women attending startup events to demonstrate the economic value of them getting involved in tech to their families.
Startup Grind
chapters all over the world are hosting
Women Take the Stage
fireside chats featuring successful women business leaders in their communities.
Outbox
in Uganda is launching a year-long training to teach young women programming and entrepreneurial skills.
Astia
is increasing female entrepreneurs’ access to capital by creating monthly opportunities for women-led companies to pitch to world-class investors.
Along with our 40 partners, we hope to create more inclusive networks and to move the needle for entrepreneurs like my mom—and young women like me who aspire to be like her. Follow and participate in the conversation throughout the month of March using #40Forward on
Google+
and
Twitter
.
Posted by Bridgette Sexton Beam, Global Entrepreneurship Manager
Wandering in the footsteps of the polar bear with Google Maps
February 27, 2014
This guest post is from Krista Wright, the executive director of
Polar Bears International
. We’ve partnered with PBI to share a fascinating look at polar bears in the wild using Google Maps.
-Ed.
In Inuit poetry, the polar bear is known as
Pihoqahiak
, the ever-wandering one. Some of the most majestic and elusive creatures in the world, polar bears travel hundreds of miles every year, wandering the tundra and Arctic sea ice in search of food and mates. Today, with the help of Street View, we’re celebrating
International Polar Bear Day
by sharing an
intimate look at polar bears
in their natural habitat.
The Street View Trekker, mounted on a Tundra Buggy, captures images of Churchill’s polar bears
We’ve joined forces with Google Maps to collect Street View imagery from a remote corner of Canada’s tundra:
Churchill, Manitoba
, home to one of the largest polar bear populations on the planet. With the help of outfitters
Frontiers North
, the Google Maps team mounted the Street View Trekker onto a specially designed “
Tundra Buggy
,” allowing us to travel across this fragile landscape without interfering with the polar bears or other native species. Through October and November we collected Street View imagery from the shores of Hudson’s Bay as the polar bears waited for the sea ice to freeze over.
View Larger Map
One of Churchill, Manitoba’s Polar Bears on Street View
Modern cartography and polar bear conservation
There’s more to this effort than images of cuddly bears, though. PBI has been working in this region for more than 20 years, and we’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact of warmer temperatures and
melting sea ice
on the polar bear’s environment. Understanding global warming, and its impact on polar bear populations, requires both global and regional benchmarks. Bringing Street View to Canada's tundra establishes a baseline record of imagery associated with specific geospatial data—information that’s critical if we’re to understand and communicate the impact of climate change on their sensitive ecosystem. As we work to safeguard their habitat, PBI can add Street View imagery to the essential tools we use to assess and respond to the biggest threat facing polar bears today.
Polar Bear International’s
Bear Tracker
We also use the Google Maps API to support our
Bear Tracker
, which illustrates the frozen odyssey these bears embark on every year. As winter approaches and the sea ice freezes over, polar bears head out onto Hudson Bay to hunt for seals. Bear Tracker uses of satellite monitors and an interactive Google Map to display their migration for a global audience.
Mapping the communities of Canada’s Arctic
Google’s trip north builds on work they’ve done in the Arctic communities of
Cambridge Bay
and
Iqaluit
. In the town of Churchill, the Google Maps team conducted a community
MapUp
, which let participants use
Map Maker
to edit and add to the Google Map. From the
Town Centre Complex
, which includes the local school, rink and movie theatre, to the
bear holding facility
used to keep polar bears who have wandered into town until their release can be planned, the citizens of the Churchill made sure Google Maps reflects the community that they know.
But building an accurate and comprehensive map of Canada’s north also means heading out of town to explore this country’s expansive tundra. And thanks to this collaboration with Google Maps, people around the world now have the opportunity to virtually experience Canada’s spectacular landscape—and maybe take a few moments to wander in the footsteps of the polar bear.
Posted by Krista Wright, Executive Director of Polar Bears International
Thank you, and welcome to the new Google Maps
February 19, 2014
Over the coming weeks the new Google Maps will make its way onto desktops around the world. Many of you have been previewing it since its
debut last May
, and thanks to your helpful feedback we’re ready to make the new Maps even more widely available.
It’s now even easier to plan your next trip, check live traffic conditions, discover what’s happening around town, and learn about a new area—with
Pegman
’s help if needed. Here’s a quick refresher on what to expect in the new Google Maps:
Make smarter decisions.
Simply search for “coffee” in your neighborhood, and you’ll be able to see results and snippets right on the map. When you click on a cafe, the map will suggest related results that you may not have known about.
Get where you're going, faster.
Car? Bike? Train? Find the
most efficient route for you
, with your best options laid out on the map, including the time and distance for each route. And with the new
real-time traffic reports
and Street View previews, you’ll become a commuting ninja.
See the world from every angle.
Rich imagery
takes you to notable landmarks, sends you flying above mountains in 3D, and gives you a sneak peek of businesses you plan to visit. The new “carousel” at the bottom of the map makes all this imagery easy to access, so you can explore the world with a click.
With any product redesign, there may be bumps along the road. We're hoping that you're as excited as we are to navigate uncharted territory in pursuit of the perfect map. As always, we want to
hear what you think
as we work to improve the new Maps over time.
Here’s to many more years of mapping together!
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP of Google Maps
Exploring new cities for Google Fiber
February 19, 2014
Over the last few years, gigabit Internet has moved from idea to reality, with
dozens of communities
(PDF) working hard to build networks with speeds 100 times faster than what most of us live with today. People are hungrier than ever for faster Internet, and as a result, cities across America are making speed a priority. Hundreds of mayors from across the U.S.
have stated
(PDF) that abundant high-speed Internet access is essential for sparking innovation, driving economic growth and improving education.
Portland
,
Nashville
(PDF) and dozens of others have made high-speed broadband a pillar of their economic development plans. And Julian Castro, the mayor of San Antonio,
declared
in June that every school should have access to gigabit speeds by 2020.
We've long believed that the Internet’s next chapter will be built on gigabit speeds, so it’s fantastic to see this momentum. And now that we’ve learned a lot from our Google Fiber projects in
Kansas City
,
Austin
and
Provo
, we want to help build more ultra-fast networks. So we’ve invited cities in nine metro areas around the U.S.—
34 cities altogether
—to work with us to explore what it would take to bring them Google Fiber.
We aim to provide updates by the end of the year about which cities will be getting Google Fiber. Between now and then, we’ll work closely with each city’s leaders on a joint planning process that will not only map out a Google Fiber network in detail, but also assess what unique local challenges we might face. These are such big jobs that advance planning goes a long way toward helping us stick to schedules and minimize disruption for residents.
We’re going to work on a detailed study of local factors that could affect construction, like topography (e.g., hills, flood zones), housing density and the condition of local infrastructure. Meanwhile, cities will complete a checklist of items that will help them get ready for a project of this scale and speed. For example, they’ll provide us with maps of existing conduit, water, gas and electricity lines so that we can plan where to place fiber. They’ll also help us find ways to access existing infrastructure—like utility poles—so we don’t unnecessarily dig up streets or have to put up a new pole next to an existing one.
While we do want to bring Fiber to every one of these cities, it might not work out for everyone. But cities who go through this process with us will be more prepared for us or any provider who wants to build a fiber network. In fact, we want to give everyone a boost in their thinking about how to bring fiber to their communities; we plan to share what we learn in these 34 cities, and in the meantime you can check out some tips in
a recent guest post on the Google Fiber blog
by industry expert
Joanne Hovis
. Stay tuned for updates, and we hope this news inspires more communities across America to take steps to get to a gig.
Posted by Milo Medin, VP, Google Access Services
Google Capital: investing in growth-stage companies
February 19, 2014
Ever since our founders began working out of a garage in Menlo Park, we’ve thought about what it takes for entrepreneurs to build the companies they dream of. Sometimes this means bringing
great startups
to Google—but other times, it means we go to them. Today, we’re launching
Google Capital
, a new growth equity fund backed by Google and led by partners David Lawee, Scott Tierney and Gene Frantz.
Like our colleagues at
Google Ventures
, our goal is to invest in the most promising companies of tomorrow, with one important difference. While Google Ventures focuses mainly on early-stage investments, we’ll be looking to invest in companies solely as they hit their growth phase. That means finding companies that have already built a solid foundation and are really ready to expand their business in big ways. We’ll look across a range of industries for companies with new technologies and proven track records in their fields. Our investments to date include
SurveyMonkey
,
Lending Club
and
Renaissance Learning
—with many more to come.
But it’s not just a monetary investment for us. The most important—and distinctive—feature of Google Capital is how we work with our portfolio companies. Over the past 15 years, Google has built a strong business, and that’s mostly thanks to the great people who work here. Our portfolio companies have abundant access to the talent, passion and strategic expertise of some of Google’s technology and product leaders. While many investors may contribute money and advice to the companies they support, Google Capital is going beyond that and tapping into our greatest assets: our people. They help
us
succeed, and we believe they can help our portfolio companies do the same.
It’s still very early, and investing is a long road. We’re excited about what we’re doing today—but even more excited to see what happens in the years to come.
Posted by David Lawee, Partner, Google Capital
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