Zimmerman hopes to continue his research and teaching for as long as possible, and perhaps one day return to Southern California. However, before he comes back to his home state, he will complete a three-year professorship at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Le a r n i n g T e c h n o lo g i e s “Imagine a world with greater survival prospects for future generations, better educated children, equal opportunities for women, and a healthier environment. Now imagine that you are part of the solution.” This is how Dr. Lani Fraizer (EdD ’09) describes herself—a part of the solution. As founder and executive director of Synergies in Sync, a social enterprise dedicated to advancing economic opportunities for individuals through digital literacy, Fraizer works in partnership with other organizations to equip people with workforce skills and offer a chance for a better life. However, in addition to playing this important role, Fraizer is busy on the lecture circuit, inspiring her colleagues to use their technological expertise to support social welfare. Traveling from GSEP’s hometown in Los Angeles, California, to Seoul, Korea, Fraizer purported that each person can make a difference in her presentation “Imagining Together and Extreme Inclusion: Using Technology to Solve the Toughest Problems in the World.” Fraizer presented this lecture again at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference, held from September 30 to October 3 in Tucson, Arizona. “This session served as a forum for techno-social students, educators, and professionals to discuss strategies and technologies for social change,” Fraizer said. She was also recognized for receiving the 2009 Grace Hopper Women in Computing Scholarship. Fraizer will next travel to Gottenheim, Germany, in November with professor of education Dr. June
“Technology can be a powerful catalyst for change and economic opportunity for students of any discipline, anywhere in the world.” — Lani Fraizer, EdD ’09 Schmieder-Ramirez, and professor of leadership Dr. Farzin Madjidi, to attend the International Journal of Arts and Sciences conference. She is looking forward to lecturing with the GSEP faculty on “Social Entrepreneurship Across Academic Disciplines,” and her doctoral dissertation titled “21st-Century SocialChange Makers and the Next Generation Social Entrepreneurs,” which explores the role of technology in the implementation of social solutions. Rounding out her tour, Fraizer will come back home to speak with Madjidi on the “Next Generation Change Agents: What Is a Social Entrepreneur?” at the 32nd Annual Conference of the Society of Education and Scholars in Costa Mesa, California. Her final stop is the Paris International Conference on Education, Economy, and Society in July 2010, where she will discuss “Technology and Social Entrepreneurship in the Education Sector.” “One of the things I aspire to accomplish is to impart an overall excitement about technology and digital literacy,” said Fraizer. “Technology can be a powerful catalyst for change and economic opportunity for students of any discipline, anywhere in the world.”
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