The Irish Tech News Podcast

Ian MacRae and Aoife Sheehy discuss talent and skills development from the individual to national level in Ireland, from what has happened in the past to what will happen in the future. They talk about what is needed to develop a new generation of talent, with the skills and capabilities that are needed for a fast-paced, high tech and highly skilled digital economy in Ireland, along with some information on a new project they’re creating to support efficient development in a hybrid working environment through personality theory and self-development. This discussion provides a deeper look into topics Aoife and Ian wrote about Developing Essential Skills in the Next Generation of Irish Workers for the Irish Tech News in 2021. Aoife Sheehy; Having spent some years working as lead consultant and coach for a large psychometrics brand in the corporate industry in Ireland, Aoife began Attain in September 2020 having noticed the positive impact a deeper understanding of themselves has on clients ability to achieve their goals and objectives. Attain addresses the link between innate traits and motivation providing a space which supports employees and companies simultaneously. Aoife is currently undertaking an MSc in Neuroscience with King’s College London. Ian MacRae Ian MacRae is a work psychologist and psychometrician, and he works as a research consultant and speaker across Europe and North America. Ian has a BA (Hons.) in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and an MSc Research Methods in Psychology from University College London. He has written six books about workplace psychology including High Potential: How to Spot, Manage and Develop Talented People at Work, and Dark Social: Understanding the darker side of work, personality and social media which was published in November 2021. His books have been translated into ten different languages.

Dr. Deirdre Kilbane is Head of Division of the Emerging Network Laboratory (ENL) in Walton Institute at Waterford Institute of Technology, and an Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Physics in University College Dublin. Deirdre received a BSc in Experimental Physics along with a PGD in Education from University College Dublin (UCD). She was awarded a PhD in Mathematical Physics from the National University of Ireland Maynooth for her thesis ‘Searches for signatures of quantum chaos’.  From 2014-2016 she was a Marie Curie Fellow of ultrafast surface science in the Aeschlimann Laboratory, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany. She joined the TSSG in 2018 and is coordinator and principal investigator of the EU Horizon2020 FETOpen project PRIME. The aim of this multidisciplinary project is to develop a living brain implant that can sense and suppress epilepsy seizures before they happen. The vision of ENL is to develop innovative technologies for 5G/6G wireless, and quantum communication networks. The team’s background is in information communication science, and they have a wide range of expertise in beyond 5g wireless communications, Internet of Things (IoT), network security and knowledge defined networks. The main research interests of Dr. Deirdre Kilbane centre around developing implantable medical devices to enable personalised medicine via the internet of bio-nano-things with a particular focus on neurodegenerative disorders and epilepsy. She is also interested in quantum technologies for quantum communication, sensing and imaging. Her research combines nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, quantum physics and molecular communications to develop innovative technologies for Agriculture, Healthcare and ICT. Dr. Kilbane is a member of three SFI Research Centres, Future Neuro (for neurodegenerative disorders), CONNECT (for communication networks) and VistaMilk (for digitalizing dairy). Walton Institute is a cornerstone of ICT research and development activity in Ireland since 1996. Based Waterford Institute of Technology’s West Campus at Carriganore, Walton Institute undertakes cutting edge research blending fundamental science with real world commercial applications. The aim of the Institute is to investigate futuristic next-generation technologies, to verify their capabilities and applicability for today’s society, and to work in collaboration with industry to ensure their commercialisation. The Walton Institute encourages inter-disciplinary research with prominent national and international reputation and competitiveness firmly positioning Waterford as Ireland’s Innovation Capital ™. Walton Institute is named after the renowned physicist and Nobel laureate, Dr Ernest Walton, who was born in Co Waterford and awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1951 for being the first to split the atom. Walton’s specialist areas include:  Precision Agriculture  Future Health  Intelligent Transport Systems  Smart Energy  Cybersecurity and Privacy  The Brain Initiative

We catch up with Dinis Guarda, blockchain and smart cities expert and enthusiast to learn more about his latest blockchain project, Lynkey. More about Lynkey : A Tourism and Property Ecosystem LynKey blockchain-powered ecosystem is tokenising over 8+ billion dollars of premium property/ tourism and luxury experiences in Vietnam, Singapore, Australia and other countries in the world More about Dinis Dinis is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, advisor, and CEO Chairman and co-founder ztudium group that owns the companies techabc and open business platform. Dinis authored, “4IR – How to Reinvent a Nation”, “How Businesses and Governments can prosper with Fintech, Blockchain, and AI” and “Blockchain, AI, and Crypto Economics – The Next Tsunami”, among others.

The pandemic has made digital transformation a certainty as remote and hybrid working is here to stay. So, how do businesses handle this transition and how do they deal with the doubts about moving to the cloud? Ronan talks to Joe Dowling CTO Sidero about this and more. Joe talks about his background, what Sidero does, Sidero’s investment of €4.5M and the new jobs they announced. Joe also talks about how technology is changing, the benefits and advantages of the cloud, what Sideros’s research into areas such as the IT skills gap and cloud adoption found, how the pandemic has changed how people and companies view digital transformation and moving to the cloud, and how he thinks Irish tech landscape is looking. More about Joe: Joe is responsible for leading the technology direction at Sidero in order to deliver agile digital transformation solutions for customers. Having joined the company in 2016, he is leveraging his innate understanding of Sidero and its vision to drive the technological objectives and cloud-native capabilities in his new role. He has nearly 30 years’ experience in the technology industry, half of which he spent across Nokia’s London and San Diego offices in consultancy and engineering roles. Joe joined Sidero from the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Athlone lab, where he oversaw unique research and innovation programmes.

Interesting and very informative conversation with Dr Mary Barbera whose book we recently reviewed, and who has spent over three decades studying and working with those who have autism and families who care for them. More about Dr Mary Barbera  Dr. Mary Barbera “fell” into the autism world in 1999 when her first- born son, Lucas was diagnosed with autism. Since then, Mary transformed from a confused and overwhelmed parent to a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and best-selling author. After earning a PhD, Mary launched her first online course in early 2015 and later built additional courses and a membership program to help both parents and autism professionals. Mary’s latest book Turn Autism Around was published in 2021 by Hay House and is helping parents and professionals start turning things around for young children with early signs of autism and older children with an autism diagnosis who are still struggling with talking, tantrums, eating, sleeping and potty training. For more information go to marybarbera.com. Attend a free workshop to learn more: marybarbera.com/workshop MaryBarbera.com/Facebook MaryBarbera.com/Youtube MaryBarbera.com/Instagra

Jamil catches up with Liz Yang to cover a wide range of current trending topics and concerns. Building the Internet Computer, Web 3.0, and solving the hijacking of the Internet problem by Big Tech Liz Yang is a member of the Growth Team, is the NFT team lead, and is focused on ecosystem development at DFINITY Foundation. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

The Knowledge Society: How a Society of Tech Savvy Teenagers are Reshaping and Creating Global Social and Economic Reform  Across the World with Founder Navid Nathoo  Navid Nathoo is the Founder of the Knowledge Society (TKS), a human accelerator that aims to develop the potential of young innovators to successfully impact tomorrow’s world by exposing them to problem solving in different disciplines of technology such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Nanotechnology, and Genetic Engineering. TKS Innovators are 13-17 years old and have spoken at some of the world's largest conferences, are supported by companies like Microsoft and Google, and are working in areas including Brain-Machine Interfaces, Quantum Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, and Genetic Engineering. Prior to his role at TKS, Navid was the founder and CEO of Airpost, a leading cloud security company based in Silicon Valley which was acquired by Box (NYSE: BOX) in early 2015. Post-acquisition, Navid led product for multiple groups at Box, which included overseeing product technologies in machine learning, big data, and advanced security. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

Building bright digital futures for young women in Afghanistan through coding, with Fereshteh Forough and Code to Inspire Fereshteh Forough was born a refugee in Iran after her family fled Afghanistan because of the Soviet invasion. Despite the family’s circumstances, Fereshteh’s parents instilled in her and her siblings the value of education from an early age. Her mother sewed clothing to sell in order to earn money to buy school supplies for the children so they can go to school. When Fereshteh was a teen, the Taliban regime collapsed and Fereshteh and her family moved back to Herat, Afghanistan. After returning to Herat, she earned her Bachelor’s in Computer Science. She later earned her Master’s from Technical University of Berlin in Germany.  She returned to Herat University to join the Computer Science faculty, where she taught for almost three years. In 2015, she established Code to Inspire, the first computer coding school for girls in Afghanistan.Leading all aspects of operations and fundraising remotely CTI educated more than 350 students so far in coding and graphic design classes. Fereshteh remains focused on a vision of a future for her homeland where young women play a prominent role in the economy and future success. Fereshteh is a pioneer in adopting blockchain and cryptocurrency technology in Afghanistan. Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.

Marieta talks to Ingmar Rentzhog, founder and CEO of We Don’t Have Time, which is the biggest platform for sharing reviews for climate solutions and influencing businesses and politicians to lead the way in the green transition. In this podcast, they discuss the purpose of the platform and why it is crucial that companies are held accountable for their actions and the importance of spreading the word about those that are kind to the environment. Ingmar was named the official eco worrier by the Sun and is the Mark ZuckerVert according to France TV2. He has a lot to share about the review platform, which is now used in over 130 countries and has recently been launched in the US. We Don’t Have Time is an extreme statement, but Ingmar believes that there is still time to influence a positive change. About Marieta: Marieta is a student journalist, currently pursuing a degree in Coventry University. She is from Bulgaria and moved to the United Kingdom three years ago to prepare for a career in journalism since she believes it best suits her interests and strength. Marieta has a passion for writing and is keen on producing digital content. She is a driven and creative aspiring journalist who is always on the lookout for a good story.

Dissolving Global B2B Trade and Finance Barriers with Algorithmic search applications and Powerlinx, with Meir Shachar Meir Shachar is CEO at PowerlinxMD at ISTEC - Israeli Technologies · Cyber Security & IntelligenceSerial entrepreneur: technology, gaming, manufacturing, insurance, retail / e-commerce Jamil Hasan is a crypto and blockchain focused podcast host at the Irish Tech News and spearheads our weekend content “The Crypto Corner” where he interviews founders, entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. Prior to his endeavors into the crypto-verse in July 2017, Jamil built an impressive career as a data, operations, financial, technology and business analyst and manager in Corporate America, including twelve years at American International Group and its related companies. Since entering the crypto universe, Jamil has been an advisor, entrepreneur, investor and author. His books “Blockchain Ethics: A Bridge to Abundance” (2018) and “Re-Generation X” (2020) not only discuss the benefits of blockchain technology, but also capture Jamil’s experience on how he has transitioned from being a loyal yet downsized former corporate employee to a self sovereign individual. With over ninety podcasts under his belt since he joined our team in February 2021, and with four years of experience both managing his own crypto portfolio and providing crypto guidance and counsel to select clients, Jamil continues to seek opportunities to help others navigate this still nascent industry. Jamil’s primary focus outside of podcast hosting is helping former corporate employees gain the necessary skills and vision to build their own crypto portfolios and create wealth for the long-term.