The Marconi Society is proud to welcome our new President and CEO, John Janowiak.
John brings a unique and powerful skillset to lead the Marconi Society through its next phase of growth. Learn more about his vision and plans for the organization.
What motivated you to take on the role of President and CEO of the Marconi Society, and what do you look forward to most?
Throughout my career, I have been committed to fostering collaboration between industry, government, and academia to drive advances in technology that bring opportunities to everyone. By forging partnerships across these sectors, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of collaboration in producing benefits for society. As the leader of the Inclusive Engineering Consortium (IEC), I plan to leverage the synergy between the IEC and Marconi Society constituencies to work toward our common goals. Several IEC Fellows have been recognized as Marconi Society Fellows. I look forward to bringing the Marconi Society into the relationships that I have built over the years. In addition, I am looking forward to fostering new and impactful technologies that help connect everyone.
How do you envision leveraging technology advancements to create a more inclusive and equitable digital future, and what role does the Marconi Society play in this?
The Marconi Society is in a perfect position to continue and expand our work to ensure that everyone can benefit from the opportunities of connectivity. We understand that far too many communities, in the US and worldwide, need significant support to help residents grow and thrive.
Our programs are built to leverage our expertise in leading-edge technology for good and collaboration between the technology, policy and digital equity communities. We look forward to educating these audiences about the importance of collaboration, lifting up successes and driving conversations that will move the needle on creating digitally equitable communities.
One way to address these challenges is through joint investments among industry partners that can lead to the expansion of infrastructure. This can involve distributing the costs of deploying broadband networks, building new data centers, or upgrading existing infrastructure to improve connectivity. The Marconi Society can foster industry collaborations that result in access to state-of-the-art technologies, research and development capabilities, and industry best practices.
The Marconi Society has a rich history of recognizing outstanding contributions in the field of communications and technology. What are your plans for continuing this legacy and promoting innovation in the digital equity space?
The Marconi Prize continues to be an important celebration of human achievement. By recognizing leaders in communication technology, we have an opportunity to highlight the challenges and advancements in our field. Education plays a vital role in advancing technology projects by cultivating the next generation of innovators, researchers, and problem solvers. My many years of work with leaders in electrical and computer engineering education will help raise the visibility of the Young Scholars Program. The Marconi Society’s partnership with Arizona State University to create the Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate is an excellent example of collaborations we should strengthen. Equipping future innovators with the background they need to expand access to broadband technologies and advance digital inclusion is critical to achieving the necessary outcomes.
How do you plan to engage with the broader community, including industry leaders and policymakers, to raise awareness and drive meaningful change in global communications?
Collaborating with industry has been instrumental in bridging the gap between cutting-edge technological advancements and real-world applications. Industry leaders bring valuable insights into feasibility and scalability of projects, which are critical to the successful implementation of technology projects. Government collaboration is equally essential, as it provides the necessary policy support, regulatory frameworks, and funding to drive technology projects forward. I look forward to developing new Marconi Society initiatives by leveraging my experience of bringing together today’s industry and government leaders to address broadband challenges and opportunities. The Marconi Society’s National Broadband Mapping Coalition is a great example of the essential work still to be done in this area to achieve digital equity. With a network representing some of the brightest minds in technology and the strongest advocates for equity, I would like to see Marconi Society membership grow to take on similar initiatives.
Lastly, how can individuals and organizations interested in supporting the Marconi Society and its mission get involved?
Help your networks understand the importance of digital equity and how the Marconi Society continues to work towards a more equitable world.
Our current workshop series, A National Inflection Point: The Intersection of Research & Education Networks and Sustainable Digital Equity Initiatives, features state case studies about successful initiatives in delivering broadband for all.
Our newly launched Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate, offered in partnership with Arizona State University, is a great opportunity to help build a workforce that is highly skilled in the critical technology, policy and digital inclusion fundamentals of digital equity. Join a cohort and tell your colleagues.
A great way for individuals and organizations to support the mission of the Marconi Society is to become a member.
I look forward to hearing from all our members. An active and engaged membership will help determine the future direction of the Marconi Society. Feel free to email me at john@marconisociety.org.
