Thursday, October 24, 2024
9:00 am – 1:00 pm MT
Live / Virtual Conference /
Join for All or Part of the Conference
Attendance is Free – Pre-registration Required
Interested in a career in international business? The annual International Business & U Conference is here to ignite your passion and open doors to a world of opportunities for students.
International Business & U is the premier international business student conference that takes place every fall, in the Rocky Mountain Region, bringing together 500+ students from 15+ universities across the region, nation, and the world to to showcase different types of careers that can be achieved through international business and inspire students to travel for work and their studies. Students gain career insights, opportunities, and global perspectives from speakers and panelists including regional international business experts.
Seize your chance to gain inspiration, learning, and endless opportunities as you set yourself on the path to a successful career in international business and register today!
Agenda for IB&U 2024, AI: Responsible Use of a Powerful Tool for the Global Professional
9:00 – 9:30am — Opening Remarks
Karen Gerwitz, World Trade Center Denver
9:30 – 10:25am — “Harnessing AI in Emerging Markets”
Joel Onditi, Group CEO and President at Pathways International
10:25 – 10:35 — Break
10:35 – 11:30am — “Balancing Innovation with Ethical Considerations: AI’s Societal Footprint”
Farzin Arghdasi, Senior Software Manager for Deep Learning at NVIDIA
11:30 – 11:40pm — Break
11:40pm – 1:230pm — “Future Proofing the Global Professional in the Age of AI”
Andrew Hudson, Founder and President of Andrew Hudson’s Jobs List
12:40pm – 1:00pm — Closing Remarks
Doug Allen, DU Professor
Meet Our Speakers
Farzin Aghdasi
Farzin Aghdasi is a Senior Software Manager for Deep Learning at Nvidia Corp. He works on multi-modal large language and video models for predictive and generative Artificial Intelligence Algorithms. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and an MBA and has been a tenured professor teaching both in Engineering and Management schools. He has over 50 refereed publications in engineering journals and international conferences. He holds over 70 patents in the area of computer vision and perception systems for AI applications. At Nvidia he manages a team of some 20 senior scientists and engineers and has a dedicated team working on ethical and trustworthy AI. He often makes presentations related to humanitarian and ethical use of innovative technologies.
Joel Onditi
Mr. Onditi is a Kenyan American and the CEO and President of Pathways Technologies LTD, a US and Africa innovation and technology company with offices in Denver, Colorado and Nairobi, Kenya. He is a professor of practice at The University of Denver, where he teaches Data Analytics and Emerging Trends in Technology. He also sits on the advisory board of the Analytics Department for the Daniels College of Business, University of Denver.
He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, and a master’s degree in data Analytics and AI from The University of Denver. He also has a post-graduate certificate in Corporate Innovation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as well as an executive certificate in Public Policy with a focus on Governance in Technology Innovation from Harvard Kennedy School.
Mr. Onditi has over 15 years’ experience delivering innovative technology and digital transformation solutions in Fintech, Manufacturing, Retail, E-commerce, Government and Not-For-Profit sectors. His experience spans the US, Africa, Canada, and Europe working with organizations in digital transformation initiatives. He has also been a contractor for the US government over the last 7 years, where his assignments include advising on emerging technology projects including open banking, data privacy and protection, as well as cloud use for government.
He started his career building banking software solutions and later moved to work for one of the largest banks in the region.
Beyond his passion for technology and innovation, he is dedicated to empowering youth with modern data and tech employable skills. His commitment has led him to forge partnerships and work closely with the Kenyan government and the US Embassy, which has been instrumental in actualizing the Silicon Savanna initiative.
Andrew Hudson
Andrew Hudson’s Job List
Andrew Hudson is the founder and President of Andrew Hudson’s Jobs List, Colorado’s premier online job board.
Started in 1998 with a few hundred followers, today, more than 35,000 subscribers receive his email jobs updates and hundreds of thousands more visit AH Jobs List each month. Currently, AH Jobs List posts more than 1,000 jobs per-month and according to a recent survey, 70% of employers posting jobs found Andrew Hudson’s Jobs List the best site for finding new employees. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment lists AH Jobs List as one of its main choices for Colorado job seekers. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce has named AH Jobs List as the top site in Colorado for job seekers to find a job.
Prior to taking on AH Jobs List as a full time endeavor in 2008, Andrew spent more than 20 years working in a variety of marketing, public relations and advertising roles. He was the Director of Communications for the Regional Transportation District and he served as the Press Secretary for United States Senator Tim Wirth and as Director of Communications for Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb. He led the marketing and advertising division at Frontier Airlines and also served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for ARCADIS, U.S., a global environmental engineering firm.
He has served on a variety of nonprofit community boards including the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Symphony, the Adoption Exchange, the National Sports Center for the Disabled, Rocky Mountain PBS, and Volunteers of America.
He is also a professional bassist and performs in a variety of jazz clubs and festivals throughout Colorado. A proud third-generation Coloradoan, he lives in Englewood, Colorado with his wife, Christine who is the VP of University Advancement and Executive Director of the Metro State University Foundation.
Thank You to the IB&U 2024 Committee Members:
Douglas Allen, University of Denver, Associate Professor of Management
Gina Cook, Metro State University Denver, Director of IB Program
Torrie Becwar, WTC Denver Director of Trade Institute
Kaela Kalabany, University of Colorado Denver
Mo Fellows, University of Denver