One of the best aspects of the Technology and Civic Engagement group at Microsoft is being able to work with Civic Technology Fellows. The Civic Tech Fellows program is an opportunity for us to work with students and members of the civic tech community to gain insight and be more involved in the emerging space. For our next cohort in San Jose, we were referred to two great students from San Jose State University: Andrew Hernandez and Shivani Aurora. When I read their resumes, I immediately thought of projects we could partner on. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.
– Kenny Spade, Technical Evangelist
Meet Andrew:
Where are you from?: I was born in Alaska but raised in California in a small town called Elk Grove.
School/grade/major/area of study?: San Jose State, Senior, Computer Hardware Engineer, Internet of Things (IoT)
Why did you choose to intern with Microsoft?: I wanted to intern for Microsoft because of the company’s ambitious new vision – to empower every person to achieve more; to make everything that we do, better. In the realm of civic tech, I believe technology is key to making a stronger, healthier society and Microsoft’s new mission goes hand in hand with is vision- bettering society via tech is far easier to do if a company like Microsoft strives to empower humanity.
What projects are you working on for your position as tech fellow for Microsoft Bay Area?: My current project is to work alongside Code for San Jose to change and improve the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). We are helping create working apps and tools that will make it easier for people to plan trips, connect with their surroundings, and enrich their transportation experience. Furthermore, I actually have some projects of my own concerning education that I would like to introduce to Code for San Jose – stay tuned for that!
What excites you about civic tech?: What excites me the most about Civic Tech is the fact that I get to be at the forefront of helping build the 21st century government-city-people connection. Whether through making the people-to-government (and vice versa) connection more transparent and seamless, or solving city-wide pressing issues – I’ll be proud that I get a chance to help make society better via technology.
What’s one problem you hope civic tech will solve for cities?: Education is the biggest issue that I’d like to aid in solving. David Warlick, an advocate for technology in the classroom once said “We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world”. Integrating technology into all facets of the classrooms is something I strongly believe in. Today’s interactivity allows computers and systems to be even more seamless and personable – two important factors that I feel can make an incredible impact on our nation’s youth.
What gets you excited about IoT and computer hardware?: When working with IoT devices such as the Arduino or Raspberry Pi, I get excited just thinking about the possibilities that each of these tiny machines possess. One moment I building a robot fashioned to look like Shia that yells “DO IT” and the next I developing a prototype for smart pill box system that relays information between a doctor and patient in real time. With IoT the possibilities are endless!
