Ideagen Intersection
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Interview with Rana Novak, cont.
Ideagen Intersection
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George:
Well, that's exactly the ethos of Ideagen, because we like to say we solve for X to be a catalytic collaboration and bring about systemic scale to solutions. With your work as a Syrian American advocate for refugees and civilians in conflict, you're also a writer. You're a TED speaker and keynote speaker. You've really identified solutions with IBM for the refugee and migration predictive analytic solution. You're also by the way leading a global team from across the IBM organization to develop this first of a kind solution leveraging machine learning and cognitive computing to enable government agencies and humanitarian aid organizations to better manage the refugee and migration crises, but that's not enough, because you've also been published in the Wall Street Journal, Wired Magazine.
George:
Your work has been cited by Yale University in the Foreign Policy Initiative and you just happen to be a non-resident scholar and global policy affiliate of the University of Virginia's Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Also a recipient of the 2017 George Mason University Depart of Communication Alumnus of the Year and Distinguished Alumni Award, so my gosh that's incredible. Obviously you're changing the world and as a global thought leader, I will also turn the interview over to our colleagues from Ideagen Blake Johnson and Kathryn Moore.
Blake:
Hi Rana. I would just like to again say thank you for making time with us today. You really are an amazing inspiration not only to us here at Ideagen, but many of our listeners as well. My question for you Rana is how does your role at IBM continue to inspire you as you work to engage with this incredible range of individuals and organizations that work with or for IBM.
Rana:
Thanks to you both, I appreciate all the kind words and let me tell you with all of that I think that one of the hardest things I'm working on is just keeping my garden alive. I'm working really hard on that too. In terms of my role at IBM, how does it inspire me, continue to inspire me. I'm really proud of this project and I give IBM a lot of credit for supporting it, for believing in it. Taking an idea just because it's something that you believe in and are passionate about and getting enough traction to make it a reality. It's not easy and it really does, it takes a lot of people believing in it and supporting it.
Rana:
The fact that IBM has been such a strong supporter really means a lot to me, and also I find it really encouraging that organizations will support things like this, unique, innovative ideas, just because people care about it and they believe in it and they believe that it can be healthy for businesses and at the same time help change the world and make a positive impact in solving global social challenges. I just find all of that really encouraging. Another thing that I think of often is that many people tend to think that business, philanthropy, humanitarianism, those things have existed as separate entities.
Rana:
I find that the lines are blurring. People want to make an impact. People are inspired by inspired people, right? We all want to make a difference and there are things that we all care about. I know that everybody won't feel as passionately about supporting displaced populations as I do, but whatever it is that people happen to care about, I just find it really encouraging that there is an avenue to get things done with the power of business and combining that with different sectors.
Kathryn:
Awesome. Hi Rana, it's Kathryn here.
Rana:
Hi.
Kathryn:
Hi, after watching your amazing TED talk and just hearing your perspective on these issues, I just wanted to ask you, what key lessons and vantage points have helped you to successfully carry out your role at IBM?
Rana:
I spent a few years working in the public sector and from that vantage point, a lot of what we talk about is the mission or our clients and working for our client's clients and so for me that, in this venture, has really been true.
've always kept in mind - and
my goal has always been-
Interview with Rana Novak, cont.