Post Transformers, a Daylong Technology Conference - An opportunity to hear from leading voices on a variety of topics designed to provide a more educated vision of the world around us.

Washington Post Transformers Conference May 18, 2016.

Post Transformers, a daylong Technology Conference at Washington Post Headquarters in Washington DC. Here was an opportunity to hear from leading voices from a number of high tech industries on a variety of topics. The conference was designed to provide a more educated vision of the world around us, and for me it did.

Held at the Washington Post Headquarters in Washington DC.

As the Washington Post promoted their upcoming Transformers Conference, and seeing the list of noted speakers, it occurred to me that it would be a chance to expand my own horizons and to educate myself on topics, that I do not come in contact with daily. From drones transporting human organs for transplant, to Artificial Intelligence. From 3-D printing of spacecraft to process of philanthropy.

Katie Couric leads a panel on philanthropy.

While a day-long series of panel discussions on Brainiac subjects may seem like a sleeper, it was anything but. The energy level from both the audience and the speakers was switched on HIGH, just when you were lulled into a routine of a panel discussion, a single presenter would emerge, generating a very different energy.

Eric Schulte did a stand up routine on DNA, Is it the Cosmic
tool or the universal messenger?

As evidenced when Eric Schulte, a Science Communicator did a stand-up routine on DNA: Is it the cosmic tool or the universal messenger? Or when Vinton G. Cerf, labeled “The Father of the Internet,” an internet evangelist from Google “Techsplained” the internet, using a basic postcard as the visual image, explaining how billions of devices connect to one another in what we call the world wide web, and what is needed for it to continue in the future.

There's No Place Like Space. Recent milestones in commercial
crew space transport, and new frontiers for business.

the Transformers Conference brought together an audience of over 200 attendees to hear from panels and single presenters on a topics, from Artificial Intelligence to philanthropy, from, neuroscience to one-on-one conversations with business and technology leaders like Arati Prabhakar, Director of DARPA, Craig Venter, co-founder of Human Longevity, Inc. and others including at the very end, Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon and the Washington Post.

Martine Rothblatt opened the day with a discussion on
technology with Neely Tucker, of the Washington Post.

It pleased me that the Washington Post opened the event with Martine Rothblatt, founder of Sirius XM satellite radio, and a number of other technology companies, and now heads a healthcare group that employs hundreds of people in states that still repress the idea of equal rights for many. While LGBT rights were not center stage, Ms. Rothblatt presented on technology and has it outrun humanity. Though a brief discussion was held on her thoughts of the state of LGBT affairs, interracial marriage discrimination as well as other issues where equal rights have not been afforded to human beings.

Neil Harbisson, a Cyborg, with John Werner and Shelia Nirenberg
on a panel about neuroscience moderated by Lois Romano.

As a gay man in my late 50’s, who has seen LGBT acceptance emerge as the norm, I found several moments throughout the day exposing my own prejudices. I wrestled with accepting a cyborg, who had an antenna implanted in his skull. Neil Harbisson, a Cyborg Artist, with the Cyborg Foundation and recognized as a cyborg, spoke on the topic of neuroscience and augmented reality along with John Werner, of Meta, and Shelia Nirenberg, a Cornell University Neuroscientist. While it may also have been a first for many in the audience, I found myself saying this is just too weird. Though listening to the other panelists, and the moderator, Lois Romano, Washington Post Live Editor, and the main force behind Transformers, who appeared also struggled with the cyborg concept. This moment of personal confrontation turned me around to be more open minded and accepting.

Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman and Twich Founder,
Emmett Shear speak with Caitlin Dewey.

The Washington Post’s selection of moderators was well curated. Each bringing with them a wealth of knowledge, but not at all overshadowing the panelist. Young and old were brought together on stage in interesting and diverse panel discussions led by moderators befitting to the topics presented. Caitlin Dewey, Digital Culture Critic from the Washington Post introduced two young tech company founders and CEO’s with a “What’s UP?” opening, the millennial way of starting a conversation.

Katie Couric, a well-known personality now a Global News Anchor for Yahoo, moderated a panel on the new currency of giving. Talking to three wealthy donors about the current wave of tech entrepreneurs become wealthy philanthropists and starting their own foundations for good.

High School Students building robots for competition.

Bringing the panel discussions to a close was an award ceremony for students from three different high schools who throughout the day had been participating in a robot build and testing their machines outside of the auditorium.

Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon, presenting awards to students.

The student robot build was judged by Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, Cyborg Artist, Neil Harbisson, and others, with the top award going to the Robotics Team from Woodrow Wilson High School in Northwest Washington DC.  Jeff Bezos, conversed with the students from the teams, bout their desires to be engineers, one student responded with how it would better his world already made better by Amazon. (which got an announcement of unsolicited endorsement, from Mr. Bezos.)

Martin Baron, Executive Editor in candid conversation with
Washington Post owner, Jeff Bezos.

The day closed with a conversation with Washington Post owner, Jeff Bezos and a bashful, Martin Baron, Executive Editor of the Washington Post. Bezos, who himself was a draw to attend the event, came across very frankly and relaxed as if he were talking among a close group of friends, which resonated well with the audience. Baron presented a number of topics including current political controversy involving Bezos and the GOP presumptive Presidential candidate. As well as the question of why he purchased the Washington Post in the first place.

Frederick J. Ryan, Publisher, The Washington Post with
Martin Baron and Jeff Bezos, conclude the #PostTransformers.

Bezos spoke of his childhood interest in world news. An interest encouraged by his parents, and how as a family, they discussed stories written in the Washington Post during the Watergate era. He further explained that that the Post had a seat at the Washington DC, thus the world table, and how the Post had so much potential in providing digital information to a greater audience. Personally, I gave the Post great credit for putting Mr. Bezos at the end of the event, so that he did not overshadow the event's speakers.

Shankar Chandran, V-P of Samsung Electonics
Spoke to the audience on Investing in the Future.

Samsung and Lockheed Martin were Presenting Sponsors, while both had key placement throughout the day, with Samsung’s Shankar Chandran providing a sponsored content on trans-formative technology: Investing in the Future. Samsung offered attendees a hands-on

experience with their virtual

reality goggles as well as a

device charging kiosk

(not compatible with Apple

products) outside the

auditorium.

#PostTransformers presenting sponsors
Samsung and Lockheed Martin.

Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, The Home Depot, Makeblock, GoPro, &Pizza and adafruit were contributing sponsors supporting the event, and the student’s robot build competition.

#PostTransformers contributing sponsors
Georgetown University, McDonough
School of Business, Home Depot,
Makeblock, GoPro, &Pizza, adafruit

The event ended with a light reception with wine and beer and hor d’oeuvres served on silver trays by tuxedo clad wait staff, in the auditorium's lobby, the perfect way to end an intelligent discussion.

For more info: Wapo.st/transformers

William West Hopper "Selfie" at the
beginning of the #posttransformers event.

  William West Hopper