UPDATED 9/22/2009

“Technology can do amazing things. It can help people get a better education or start a business, provide healthcare services or support micro-banking. It can help reduce poverty,” says Dr. Akhtar Badshah, senior director for Global Community Affairs at Microsoft Corporation. “Technology can change how we live.”

On Wednesday, September 23, at 3 pm in Davis Auditorium, Dr. Badshah will headline a forum, “Three Screens and the Cloud: What’s In It for Development?,” addressing how technological innovations are impacting the work of not-for-profits around the world.

“With the rapid pace of technological innovations and the combination of computers and mobile phones with the delivery of rich new services delivered over the Internet, we are seeing a fundamental change in how and when we access and use information. Convergence is driving new innovations in product development and services,” says Dr. Badshah. “The question is whether the development community can translate that increased access to information into knowledge that will lead to economic and social change.”

Panelist scheduled to participate at the forum include Dr. Robert S. Chen of Columbia University's Earth Institute; Stephanie Cuskley, CEO of NPower and executive director of NPower NY; Dr. Ester Fuchs, professor of public affairs and political science at Columbia University; William Hoffman, associate director for the telecommunications industry at the World Economic Forum; and Bruce Lincoln, entrepreneur in residence at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University.

The forum is free and open to the public, but reservations are encouraged. Guests can RSVP online here.

The forum is jointly sponsored by the Columbia Engineering School’s Center for Technology, Innovation and Community Engagement (or CTICE) and Microsoft Global Community Affairs.

Dr. Akhtar Badshah is senior director for Global Community Affairs at Microsoft Corporation.  Dr. Badshah manages Microsoft’s philanthropic investments around the world focusing on workforce development and non-governmental organization information technology. Dr. Badshah has tremendous expertise in working on issues related to the impact of technology and the Millennium Development Goals.  He brings a global development perspective and is interested in harnessing the power of Information Technology for the economic and social empowerment of the underserved community.  Before joining Microsoft, Dr. Badshah was the founding CEO of Digital Partners, a global not-for-profit focused on supporting social entrepreneurs that tapped the power of the digital economy to develop market-based solutions that benefit the poor. 

For press inquiries, please contact Victoria Benitez at vbenitez@columbia.edu; 212-854-6732.