S2E22: Edge For Good - The edge, at the corners of the Earth

Episode Summary:

This episode of Over the Edge features an interview between Matt Trifiro and Mike Libecki (National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Dell Ambassador, and Adidas Athlete) and Bill Pfeifer (Edge Messaging and Thought Leadership Director at Dell Technologies).

Bill has worked in IT for over twenty years. Hel is an expert expert on the latest details of AI, 5G, IoT, and all the other emerging technologies. At Dell EMC, Bill works on research studies, talks to analysts, and helps shape how the company interacts with the market every day.

Mike Libecki has an obsession with exploring and the world's most remote corners of the planet to climb world class first ascents, support science, conservation and humanitarian projects, and bring these powerful, emotional stories back with hopes to inspire us all to take care of our Mother Earth. Mike has completed more than 90 major expeditions, from Afghanistan to Antarctica, to Greenland and Guyana, and everywhere in between, taking him to over 100 countries. He is a producer, director, videographer, humanitarian (has his own 501c3 nonprofit), conservationist and leads science teams. He is also a math and tech nerd at heart, and uses the latest technologies (Virtual Reality, 3D, Artificial Intelligence etc.,) on his expeditions to succeed on and share the magic, power and beauty of our planet.

In this episode, Mike and Bill describe the relationship between Dell Technologies and Mike’s expeditions. Mike brings Dell technology to the most remote corners of the world; he uses the technology himself, and he gives it to the people he encounters. In an effort to give back, Dell and Mike work hand-in-hand to bring technology, education, and innovation to communities across the globe.

Mike and Bill describe how they deploy edge technology in far-away regions. Bill discusses the future of the edge, while Mike explains how it ties into his humanitarian missions and nonprofit.

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Key Quotes:

Bill: “I could tell you a couple of like high tech wizbang cool things that we see coming with the edge, in terms of home automation and car automation and farm automation and things like that. But then when you're talking about natives who are farming for a living and hunting for a living and don't have any technology, what can they do with just a little bit that's specifically applied to help the trajectory of their village? Or, you know, get their kids into maybe mainstream life, maybe just doing their life better.”

Mike: “One small point that I see when I'm out in the field that you know, this edge technology come in and understand how much water, what's going here, how's the fruit looking? I mean, there's, there's real issues out there that they don't know how to contend with, they just go with what Mother Earth gives them. And to think about edge technology and what Bill understands in his team that I don't, that can be efficient, that can make things metaphorically and literally fruitful, and for them to take that to the markets. I mean, there's so much going on here that it's a whole new excitement of this mystery for me to be connecting with this kind of technology that I don't understand. Because my goal is how do we make the lives better for these people in Bolivia, for the world, for the, you know, to be part of this global family.”

Bill: “We have our view of the edge,and it's technological. Looking at data centers, looking at clouds. How do we help rebalance that technology so it's closer to people? So, it's providing new types of value? [Mike’s] going farther out. And so, that's kind of pushing the definition of the edge. It's taking technology out of the data center and putting it close to where the people are.”

Mike: “When I'm working with Bill and hearing about Edge, the stuff that I've learned that creates that new enthusiasm is that it takes some time, but the impossible takes longer. I feel like there's some impossible things that this edge technology is gonna unfold or unravel. I'm just fascinated.”

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Show Timestamps:

(3:38) How Mike became an adventurer

(4:35) Mike’s partnership with Dell Technologies

(7:23) How to define an expedition

(10:29) Pushing the definition of Edge

(11:28) Dell’s field mission

(14:08) What technology does in remote places

(15:01) Mike’s mission to give back

(16:41) The start of Mike’s nonprofit

(18:45) Making expeditions sustainable

(23:10) Painting a picture of an expedition

(25:57) Investing in the future of Edge

(28:47) Dell’s definition of Edge

(31:50) Making technology fruitful in the field

(34:45) Mike’s Joyineering Fund

(38:40) The importance of giving back

(40:07) Why does Dell prioritize this work?

(45:47) Questions technology can help us with

(47:21) What makes Dell unique

(50:06) The future potential of Edge

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Sponsor:

Over the Edge is brought to you by Dell Technologies to unlock the potential of your infrastructure with edge solutions. From hardware and software to data and operations, across your entire multi-cloud environment, we’re here to help you simplify your edge so you can generate more value. Learn more by visiting DellTechnologies.com/SimplifyYourEdge for more information or click on the link in the show notes.