Maryland's top innovators honored
The Maryland Technology Council's ICON Awards were held in North Bethesda last week, spotlighting figures from global companies like AstraZeneca, local startups like IonQ, and many others in the technology and life sciences sectors. The event drew more than 500 people.
Recipients came from across the state, including the Washington, D.C. suburbs, Baltimore and Frederick. The awards specifically recognize excellence in government contracting and life sciences technology, including biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
“This year's ICON Award winners and nominees have raised excellence to new levels in their fields,” Kelly Schultz, CEO of the statewide industry group, said in the announcement.
➡️ For more information on the winners, check out our latest article here.
Gender bias and wage gaps persist
Attendees and speakers at this month's Women in Tech DC conference testified that women working in tech are still labeled as “bossy” and often earn less than their male counterparts.
About 600 people attended the conference, held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, including executives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and regional banking giant Capital One. Despite the strides women have made in the industry, many still face “more subtle” bias, as one attendee put it.
“Women are often qualified and outperform their male colleagues,” says Nicole Maguo, founder of Ambition Unboxed, a professional coaching firm focused on women. “But despite their talents, they are expected to do more with less, don't have the same percentage of direct reports, are overlooked as thought leaders, and are often overlooked for leadership roles.”
➡️ Read more about speaker and participant comments here.
News Incubator: What else do you need to know today?
• Four years ago, Fairfax County launched a clean energy plan to install solar panels throughout the community. The plan was stalled by expensive requirements imposed by Dominion Energy. [Washington Post]
• Ashburn tech company Arthur Grand Technologies will pay more than $38,000 in fines after a Department of Justice investigation found that its recruiters posted jobs on Indeed that were open only to white, U.S.-born applicants. [Washington Biz Journal]
• The Pentagon continues to prepare for the possibility of space war and has been more open about weapons that other countries might use. [Wall Street Journal]
• The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has launched a new program to test a range of AI techniques to ensure “effectiveness, reliability, safety, security, privacy, and fairness” when used in the wild. [NIST]
• Miriam Fogel, CEO of the Washington DC-based nonprofit EqualAI, stresses the importance of improving AI literacy. [TechCrunch]
🗓️ Calendar
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