9 May 2024

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, has partnered with Content With Purpose (CWP) to produce a wide-ranging digital series exploring IT’s contribution to society; addressing global challenges, fostering innovation, transforming lives, and creating a future of possibilities.

Through a diverse array of future-focused content, including short films, interviews and a documentary, Digital Pioneers: Recoding our Future meets the thought leaders, the changemakers, the innovators and the collaborators shaping the future of computing, and its role in creating a better world.

The series will shed light on the indispensable role of digital technology in tackling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, driving progress across areas including healthcare, climate action, social inclusion, quality education, economic growth and sustainable infrastructure.

Among the organisations sharing their stories are: Open Climate Fix, focused on reducing carbon emissions using computers; LabGenius, combining human and machine intelligence to accelerate the discovery of advanced medicines; OceanMind, harnessing satellite data to power marine enforcement and compliance; and Oxford PV and Phasecraft, using quantum computing to advance solar PV materials.

In the midst of a remarkable surge in technological advances, the series explores concurrent progress in developing skills and regulations to match the rapid pace of change. It underscores the pressing need to build digital trust, and nurture a diverse, ethical and responsible computing profession.

The series includes comments from industry experts including Rashik Parmar MBE, Group CEO of BCS, Charlene Hunter MBE, CEO & Founder of Coding Black Females, and Professor Andy Stanford-Clark, Distinguished Engineer, IBM UK.

Other inspiring organisations featured include BSI, the Department of Computing at Imperial College London, the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EEECS) at Queen's University Belfast, the Computer Science Department at Swansea University, the Department of Computer Science at the University of Manchester, the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton, and the Sussex Digital Humanities Lab.

Commenting on the series, Rashik Parmar MBE, Group CEO of BCS said: “Digital technology holds immense potential to address pressing global challenges and drive positive change across diverse sectors. Through our partnership with CWP, we aim to spotlight the remarkable individuals and organisations at the forefront of leveraging IT for social good. This series serves as a testament to the transformative power of technology and underscores the importance of fostering an inclusive, ethical computing profession to ensure a brighter future for all.”

Max Smith, Founder & Managing Director of CWP, said: “At CWP, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire action and drive meaningful change. We're thrilled to partner with BCS on this initiative and to amplify the voices of trailblazers driving innovation and addressing societal challenges through the lens of IT. Together, we're shaping a narrative that highlights the potential of technology to create a more sustainable and equitable future.”

Find out more about Digital Pioneers

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