[Washington D.C. and Geneva, Switzerland – 19 October 2012] – The Internet Society today announced that it has selected two Fellows to participate in the 2012 Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Technology Foresight Forum, being held in Paris, France on 22 October. The OECD Technology Foresight Forum is an annual event organized by the OECD’s Committee for Information, Computer, and Communications Policy (ICCP) to help identify how technical developments create opportunities for, and pose challenges to, the Internet economy. Foresight Forums are a collaborative effort of policymakers from member and non-member governments, business, civil society, and the Internet technical community.
Solon Barocas and Keisha Taylor were selected from a highly qualified field of candidates to receive the Internet Society’s 2012 OECD Fellowships.
Solon Barocas (USA) is a doctoral student in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University. He is also a Student Fellow at the Information Law Institute at the School of Law and a member of the Institute’s Privacy Research Group. Mr. Barocas' dissertation looks at ethical and epistemological issues in the mining of big data, with a focus on its growing role in strategic communication and its implications for privacy, autonomy, fairness, equality, solidarity, and public reason. He obtained his MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and graduated from Brown University with a BA in Art – Semiotics and International Relations.
Keisha Taylor (Trinidad & Tobago) works in London as a Communications Manager for TechSoup Global, a San Francisco based non-profit that provides technology information and resources to nonprofits around the world. She also works for its GuideStar International programme in London, which gathers and publicizes data on non-profit organisations. In addition, she is a Policy Fellow for Access (accessnow.org) that works on digital rights and inclusion issues around the world. Ms. Taylor holds a BSc in Sociology from the University of the West Indies and an MA in International Relations from the Universiteit van Amsterdam. Her major interests are online privacy and security, Internet governance for development, and big data for governance.
The 2012 OECD Technology Foresight Forum will focus on the topic of ”Harnessing Big Data as a New Source of Growth.” The Fellows will participate in a number of activities at the Forum, including presenting and discussing with policymakers on a broad range of technical and policy issues such as big data in the context of social development and economic growth. Mr. Barocas will discuss the perils and the risk responses associated with undertaking big data projects, and Ms. Taylor will address big data and its relationship with Internet governance.
“The OECD Fellowship Programme offers a unique opportunity for these talented individuals to advance their professional skills and to make important connections with industry leaders and policymakers,” said Toral Cowieson, Internet Society Senior Director of Internet Leadership Programmes. “We truly value our partnership with the OECD, and would like to thank them for supporting our fellows and facilitating their contribution to this important dialogue on big data.”
The OECD Fellowship Programme is a component of the Internet Society’s Next Generation Leaders (NGL) programme, which combines coursework, practical experience, and mentorship to help prepare young professionals from around the world to become the next generation of Internet technology, policy, and business leaders.
More information about the NGL programme is available at: http://www.internetsociety.org/what-we-do/leadership-programmes/next-generation-leaders-ngl-programme
About the Internet Society
The Internet Society is the trusted independent source for Internet information and thought leadership from around the world. With its principled vision and substantial technological foundation, the Internet Society promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations. Working with its members and Chapters around the world, the Internet Society enables the continued evolution and growth of the Internet for everyone. For more information, visit www.internetsociety.org.