Jia Tan, XZ Utils and the perils of trust
This week Andreas Constantinides, a renowned cybersecurity expert, joins me to help me uncover the alarming case of Jia Tan—a fabricated identity at the center of a sophisticated cyber espionage operation. Andreas lends his extensive expertise as we analyze how Jia Tan, seemingly a diligent contributor to open-source projects like XZ Utils, was a cover for a collective executing a long-term backdoor placement in critical software infrastructure. This episode not only explores the broader implications of trust and security in the open-source community but also discusses the fact that female personas are commonly used by hackers in long-sting operations. Join us as we piece together the digital puzzle that nearly compromised millions of servers worldwide.
Xenia Miscouridou on Statistics, AI, Public Health, and Women in Tech
This week I am joined by Xenia Miscouridou, a pioneer in the realm of artificial intelligence and a beacon for women in science. Celebrated on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, Xenia stands at the forefront of machine learning research. Her academic journey has taken her from Imperial College London, Cambridge, and Oxford University, to New York and Switzerland, to her current lectureship at the University of Cyprus, intertwining research with a dedication to teaching. We explore her academic ventures, her influence on global health through AI, and explainability in machine learning. We also illuminate her dedication to fostering female representation in the science and tech world.
Discussing Kara Swisher's 'Burn Book'
In this episode, I am joined by Alexander Davidian, an insightful observer of the Cypriot startup scene. Together, we unpack the no-holds-barred narrative of Kara Swisher in her latest book, "Burn Book". We dive into Kara's fearless world, discussing her unique style that combines tough questioning with biting humor. From an aspiring CIA operative to tech journalism’s most potent force, they explore Kara’s evolution and her revelations about Silicon Valley's tech bros. This episode is more than just a book review; it's a recognition of Swisher's role in holding tech titans to account, her razor-sharp predictions, and her ability to secure groundbreaking interviews.
If the episode leaves you wanting more then buy the book, follow Kara on X, and tune in to listen to her 2 podcasts, Pivot and On with Kara Swisher.
Future Start-Up Founders Programme
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Neofytos about the Future Start-Up Founders Programme, an initiative organized by the CCS and co-funded by the Erasmus+ EU project, Femme Forward. This online school is designed to empower women to turn their tech start-up aspirations into reality, mirroring our podcast's mission to illuminate and support the pivotal role of women in the tech industry. We talk about the program's highlights, including its comprehensive curriculum that spans business and tech concepts, soft skills, and empowerment, all tailored for women eager to pioneer their own businesses in the tech realm but also about the significance of such initiatives in fostering a more inclusive and diverse tech ecosystem, where women are not just participants but leaders shaping the future.
Digital Divas
This week we leave reality at the door and dive into the world of fiction! Today, we're logging into the mainframe of our imaginations to celebrate the digital divas who've hacked, coded, and innovated their way through some of our favorite stories. 🎮💻👩💻
Joining me to decode the stories of these iconic characters are digital storytellers, Andreas and Christina. As directors, they know a thing or two about crafting compelling narratives, and they're here to help me read between the code lines. So, plug in, power up, and let us know if you agree with our list of selected heroines or not.
A Dialogue with Cyprus' Chief Scientist
Mr. Demetris Skourides is the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation, and Technology appointed by President Nikos Christodoulides. Since his appointment in September 2023, Mr. Skourides has been entrusted with the pivotal role of leading Cyprus towards becoming a dynamic and competitive economy, propelled by research, scientific excellence, innovation, technological development, and entrepreneurship. Join us in this enlightening interview as we unravel Mr. Skourides' career path, his goals for the future, and his strategic vision for positioning Cyprus as a regional powerhouse in research and innovation. Explore the initiatives and projects driving this transformative agenda, and gain insights into the critical role of businesses, digital transformation, and AI in shaping Cyprus's future landscape.
AI-Powered Maternal Wellbeing
This week we explore the world of maternity and AI with Natalia, the founder and CEO of Soula. As a seasoned expert in maternity wellbeing and care, Natalia brings over 15 years of experience collaborating with global organizations to bridge the gap in maternal care. We explore her journey from leading social impact projects to founding Soula, an innovative AI-powered compassion care solution supporting women through all stages of maternity. We talk about her personal battles with postnatal depression, the motivation behind her move to Cyprus, and her insights into the integration of AI with human expertise to enhance maternal care. Tune in to discover how Soula is revolutionizing support for mothers and families, one AI interaction at a time.
Confronting the Profiling Out of Women in Tech
In this episode, I'm joined by Josie Christodoulou, the Commissioner for Gender Equality, for a deep dive into the shifting role of women in the technology sector. We journey from a time when women were the programmers, through a pivotal moment when two men's profiling methods pushed women aside, to a contemporary debate sparked by an engineer's claim about the biological unsuitability of women to work in tech. Join us as we explore the roots of the current disparities and discuss Cyprus's National Strategy for Gender Equality.
Empowering Women in Tech
In this episode, we're joined by Gala and Tanya, leaders of Women in Tech Cyprus, as they share their experiences and insights on advancing women in the tech industry. From their personal journeys that led them to tech and prompted their move to Cyprus, to the joys and challenges of building a community with nearly 350 members, they offer an inspiring look at what it means to lead and empower women in a dynamic field.
Burn Baby Burn
In this week's episode, I am joined by Mr. Charalampos Theopemptou to explore a key moment in space history where Margaret Hamilton's pioneering software engineering prevented potential disaster during the Apollo 11 mission. We also touch on the dawn of computing in Cyprus, weaving the past with our present endeavors to inspire more women to join and lead in technology.
Young Cypriot Girls Triumphing in Global Tech Competitions
This week's episode celebrates the recent successes of young Cypriot girls in global tech competitions. First I talked with a team of primary school students who represented Cyprus in the international Robotex Robotics competition in Talin, Estonia, and won second place in the Water Rally. Then I discussed with Mariza Paspalli who at just 13 years old won the bronze medal at the Junior Balkan Olympiad in Informatics last November.
#ilooklikeanengineer
Close your eyes and imagine an engineer. Does he wear a yellow vest and a hard hat? I bet he does. Now, close your eyes again and imagine a software engineer. Is he a white, pale, geeky dude? Does he look like Mark Zuckerberg? This week Stavriana comes to the studio to help me dispel all the myths about what a software engineer looks like.
The timeline of the 5 days of chaos at OpenAI
I asked ChatGPT to write me a summary for this episode. Here is what ChatGPT has to say: 🤣 Grab your popcorn, folks! In this week's episode, we dive into the wild world of corporate chaos as we dissect the hilariously amateur firing of a CEO by a board of directors who clearly missed the memo on professionalism!
The Queen of Code
If you want to talk about the origins of computing and programming, the one person you must definitely talk about is Grandma Cobol, the Queen of Code, Rear Admiral Grace Hopper. And this is exactly what we do this week with the help of Celia.
The Grand Tour of the solar system
In this episode, a very special guest, my Michalis, joined me to tell him about the women who programmed the course of the spacecraft that went on the greatest voyage of exploration in human history. This robotic spacecraft travels at 17 kilometers per second and it’s more than 24 billion kilometers away into the interstellar space. It left Earth more than 46 years ago, in 1977. This spacecraft is the farthest human-made object from Earth and it has the name … Voyager 1.
Refrigerator Ladies
This week Stavriana comes to the studio to listen to me telling her about when a bunch of guys decided to build the world's first electronic computer. The machine had 18000 vacuum tubes covered from head to foot in more than 3,000 switches, wires, and cables. Then they hired six women, handed them a stack of blueprints, and without any training or instructions on how to program the computer, they asked them to program it. This is the story of the original computer programming squad.
Dame "Steve" Shirley
This week I am joined by Eleni, to tell her about Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley. Back in 1962, Stephanie Shirley conceived an audacious idea: to establish a company exclusively focused on software development with an all-female workforce operating from the comfort of their homes. Many scoffed at her plan, but as history unfolded, Stephanie had the ultimate vindication. By the turn of the millennium, her company had achieved a staggering valuation of $3 billion and provided employment to a workforce of 8,500 individuals.
Poetical Science and the Countess of Lovelace
Her famous poet father was "mad, bad, and dangerous to know". Her wealthy, aristocratic mother, was a mathematician and the "princess of parallelograms". She, the daughter of her parents, gave us the very first computer program in history.
Unlocking the Future: Teaching girls (and boys) to code
In this episode, Alexandros Kofteros, a primary school teacher with a PhD in Computer Science, guides me through the fascinating world of early-age coding education.
Pickering's Harem
Before computers were machines, they were women. These women mapped out the universe, invented the modern science of astronomy, decrypted Nazis' messages, and helped airplanes and missiles fly! With the help of Antigoni we delve into their lives.
Barbie can't code
In the first episode of Season 2 the heroine of the story is none other than Barbie. Yes, Barbie the doll! Did you know that Barbie had a career as a computer engineer? Unfortunately, it wasn't a very successful one. With the help of Maria, we explore the origins of the Barbie doll and her failures in maths and computing. And yes, we also talk about the movie.