Speakers and presenters include global leaders in technology, policy, and digital inclusion advocacy

Contact: Taia Pandolfi, Marketing & Communications Manager, the Marconi Society taia@marconisociety.org

August 17, 2021—The Marconi Society today announced its annual symposium, master class, and gala, The Decade of Digital Inclusion; this event, rooted in the belief that Internet access is a basic human right, brings together a dream team of leaders who offer unique contributions in technology, perspectives on governance, and expertise in grassroots digital equity. The Decade of Digital Inclusion aims to identify the most critical challenges in bringing everyone on the planet online and develop innovative, practical solutions.

With unprecedented levels of network infrastructure spending, emerging technologies that can deliver new business models, and a new generation of digital natives ready to come online, an interdisciplinary approach to connectivity is critical.

“We have never been more aware of the importance of creating a digitally inclusive world,” said Vint Cerf, Chair of the Marconi Society and 1998 Marconi Fellow. “The Marconi Society’s mission is to extend the life-changing opportunities of the Internet to the roughly 3 billion people globally who are still unconnected. Through The Decade of Digital Inclusion, we have assembled the most creative and expert minds in their fields to achieve that goal.”

Available virtually and in person, The Decade of Digital Inclusion is open to attendees everywhere in the world. The event consists of a master class of virtual sessions from September–December and a virtual and in-person symposium and gala on October 22, 2021. 

An Agenda-Setting Event Series

“Our vision for The Decade of Digital Inclusion is to establish new collaborations among the technology, policy, and advocacy fields,” said Samantha Schartman-Cycyk, Executive Director of the Marconi Society and Co-chair of the event. “Each session presents a mix of perspectives that represent the different communities who are shaping and impacted by the future of connected technologies. This interdisciplinary approach is essential to addressing critical gaps in access and affordability.”

The virtual master class offers a series  of pre- and post-symposium sessions this fall. From September 28–30, the 6G Summit on Connecting the Unconnected focuses on the technical possibilities, social impacts, and critical considerations in using 6G to provide connectivity to all. On October 7 and 8, Creating a Secure Network for Everyone examines the technology developments, policy initiatives, and grass-roots education efforts necessary to bring the next billion online safely. On  November 16–18, Where Network Intelligence Meets Public Policy  focuses on the need to improve methodologies for sourcing transparent, accurate, reliable, and scalable network analytics to inform the huge infrastructure investments and consumer subsidies that are becoming widely available.

On October 22, 2021, all attendees are invited to join a symposium and gala at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., or virtually. The symposium’s featured keynote speakers include Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the International Telecommunication Union, Andrea Goldsmith of Princeton University, Larry Irving, former head of the National Telecommunication and Information Association, and Jessica Rosenworcel of the Federal Communications Commission.

The symposium builds on the technology and policy discussions of the pre-symposium tracks to examine efforts in research, governance, business, and community organizing to improve access to connectivity. Featured sessions include Internet for All: What is the Role of Government?, Building Effective and Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence, Gap Networks: Connecting Communities When Traditional Business Models Fail, and Building Inclusion into Digital Tech R&D. 

The afternoon breakout sessions focus on surveying the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and digital inclusion fields to establish a roadmap for the upcoming decade. In Information and Communications Technology: Key Challenges for the Next Decade, moderators Vint Cerf and Ana García Armada lead a panel of experts in advanced computing, artificial intelligence, networking and wireless communications, optical networking, security and cybersecurity, and software development to discuss critical challenges for the next decade. In Digital Inclusion: Building a Cross-Disciplinary Approach, moderator Samantha Schartman-Cycyk leads a discussion among policymakers and community advocates about the methodologies, goals, and practices that will define the next ten years in digital inclusion work.

That evening, the Marconi Society will celebrate 2020 Marconi Fellow Andrea Goldsmith, whose groundbreaking contributions to wireless technology have cemented her as a visionary leader within ICT. Goldsmith’s technical innovations that have shaped the fundamental performance of cellular and WiFi networks, combined with her leadership to radically improve diversity and inclusion in engineering, have changed both the consumer experience and the profession. The Marconi Society will also award its newest Young Scholars, emerging leaders in ICT fields who demonstrate a dedication to digital inclusion through their research.

Details

Tickets for The Decade of Digital Inclusion are available now. Discounts apply for nonprofit, government, and university employees. Virtual student tickets are $25. 

In-person attendees must be able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and follow Washington, D.C, health and safety measures in place on October 22.

Sponsors

The Marconi Society is thrilled to partner with sponsors, whose support for The Decade of Digital Inclusion will help usher in the next decade of connectivity. The sponsors for The Decade of Digital Inclusion are: Ansys, Cisco, Cohere Technologies, Crown Castle, Internet Society, Medtronic, Nokia Bell Labs, Qualcomm, Princeton University, Samueli Foundation, Stanford University Electrical Engineering, Vint and Sigrid Cerf, Assia and John Cioffi, and Ed Frank and Sarah Ratchye.