Presentation Abstract

Staff and students from the TechBridgeWorld research group will describe their personal experiences working on technology projects and collaborating with partners in developing communities in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ayorkor has conducted several research projects associated with TechBridgeWorld and has facilitated partnerships with Ashesi University College and other community organizations in Accra, Ghana. She also serves as TechBridgeWorld's Student Representative on our Executive Board.

Kaleem, Saurabh, and Ermine spent Summer 2008 doing research and technology projects with the Mathru School for the Blind, through an internship with Microsoft Research India in Bangalore, India. This internship opportunity was arranged through a collaborative effort between TechBridgeWorld, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, and the Technology Consulting in the Global Community program, and included research work with the braille writing tutor.

Speaker Bios

G. Ayorkor Mills-Tettey, TechBridgeWorld Student Representative, is a Ph.D. candidate in the Robotics Institute. Her interests and research activities include teaching, developing optimization algorithms for robotics path planning and task allocation, and understanding the synergies between technology and education, especially in developing communities. A native of Ghana, Ayorkor attended Dartmouth College from which she graduated with degrees in computer science and engineering. She has taught and developed curriculum at Ashesi University in Accra, Ghana and is also a 2006 Google Anita Borg Scholarship recipient.

Kaleem Rahman is a junior studying computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, and is visiting the Pittsburgh campus for the fall semester. His interests include implementing technology for developing communities, web applications and technologies, and organizational behavior.

Saurabh Sanghvi is a junior in Electrical and Computer Engineering. One of the major issues in which he is interested is the disparity between very wealthy and underserved populations around the world. Saurabh believes technology can play an important role in helping with some of these issues, although that it must be developed specifically for individual communities such that it can be sustainable and applicable for them.

Ermine A. Teves, TechBridgeWorld Project Assistant, is an alumna of Carnegie Mellon University. She graduated in May of 2008 with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Her responsibilities include expanding TechBridgeWorld's programs, marketing, and fundraising efforts. Ermine became interested in technology for sustainable development while participating in courses and projects with TechBridgeWorld during her undergraduate studies.