Juliana Rotich
{{Short description|Kenyan informatician}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2020}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = Juliana Rotich
| image = File:Juliana Rotich in Berlin, April 2017 (cropped).jpg
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| caption = Rotich in 2017
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1977}}
| birth_place = Kenya
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| alma_mater = University of Missouri–Kansas City
{{small|(Bachelor of Science in Computer Science)}}
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| nationality = Kenyan
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Juliana Rotich is a Kenyan information technology professional, who has developed web tools for crowdsourcing crisis information and coverage of topics related to the environment. She is the co-founder of iHub, a collective tech space in Nairobi, Kenya, and of Ushahidi, open-source software for collecting and mapping information. She is a TED Senior Fellow.{{cite web|title=Juliana Rotich Technology Entrepreneur |publisher=TED Conference | url=https://www.ted.com/speakers/juliana_rotich |date=June 2013 |author=TED Conference |access-date=2 August 2020 |location=New York City}}
She is a trustee of Bankinter Foundation for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Spain, as well as a member of Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board. She was the head of East Africa Country Cluster for BASF from May to December 2018.{{cite web |publisher=BASF |date=23 May 2018 |url=https://www.basf.com/za/en/media/news-releases-south-africa/2018/BASF-Appoints-Kenyan-Juliana-Rotich-as-Country-Cluster-Head-for-East-Africa.html#:~:text=Media-,BASF%20Appoints%20Kenyan%20Juliana%20Rotich%20as%20Country%20Cluster%20Head%20for,for%20BASF%20East%20Africa%20Limited. |title=BASF Appoints Kenyan Juliana Rotich as Country Cluster Head for East Africa |access-date=2 August 2020 |author=BASF |location=Ludwigshafen, Germany |archive-date=12 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011923/https://www.basf.com/za/en/media/news-releases-south-africa/2018/BASF-Appoints-Kenyan-Juliana-Rotich-as-Country-Cluster-Head-for-East-Africa.html#:~:text=Media-,BASF%20Appoints%20Kenyan%20Juliana%20Rotich%20as%20Country%20Cluster%20Head%20for,for%20BASF%20East%20Africa%20Limited. |url-status=dead }}
File:Juliana_Rotich_-_World_Economic_Forum_on_Africa_2012.jpg
Background and education
Rotich was born in 1977 in Kenya. After attending elementary and secondary school locally, she was admitted to the University of Missouri–Kansas City, in the United States. She graduated from there with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. She is an MIT Media Lab Fellow.
Career
In 1999 Rotich started working at Sprint Nextel Corporation. In 2005 she left and moved to Chicago, Illinois, to work at InterCall Inc. A year later, she joined National Seminars Group, where she designed and maintained SQL Server databases. In 2007, she joined Hewitt Associates as a data analyst.{{cite web |url=https://info.umkc.edu/unews/celebrating-women-in-stem-juliana-rotich/ |title=Celebrating women in STEM: Juliana Rotich |publisher=University of Missouri–Kansas City |date=10 October 2019 |author=Madalyn Weston |access-date=2 August 2020 |location=Kansas City, Missouri, United States |archive-date=10 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610182910/https://info.umkc.edu/unews/celebrating-women-in-stem-juliana-rotich/ |url-status=dead }}
In 2008 Rotich co-founded the non-profit company Ushahidi, an Open-source software project which uses crowdsourced geolocation, mobile phone, and web reporting data to provide crisis reporting and information. She served as the Executive Director of Ushahidi from 2011 until 2015.
"Ushahidi" is the Swahili word for "testimony." Ushahidi was first put into practice during the Kenyan presidential election crisis of 2007–2008; it has since been used in Chile, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Haiti.{{cite news| title=Top 100 Women In Technology: Juliana Rotich |newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 March 2011 |author=Patrick Barkham |access-date=2 August 2020 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/mar/08/juliana-rotich-100-women |location=London}}
As a blogger, Rotich has authored articles on Afrigadget.com, acted as Environmental Editor of Global Voices Online, and participated in the TED Global Conference in Arusha in 2007. As a public speaker, she is known for her commentary on technology in Africa and voicing concerns about the loss of indigenous forest and water catchment areas in Kenya.
To help solve the lack of internet access due to blackouts in Nairobi, Rotich co-founded BRCK Inc., which produces a battery-operated modem that can run for eight hours without electricity.{{cite web|date=24 February 2020 | url=https://www.fastcompany.com/company/brck |title=Most Innovative Companies: BRCK |publisher=Fast Company |access-date=2 August 2020 |author=Fast Company}}
In 2014, Rotich presented at the annual Design Indaba Conference in Cape Town. From 2014 until 2015, she served on United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development, co-chaired by Enrico Giovannini and Robin Li.{{cite web|title=The Secretary General's Independent Expert Advisory Group on the "Data Revolution for Sustainable Development": Independent Expert Advisory Group Members |url=https://www.undatarevolution.org/about-ieag/datarev-group-members/ |publisher=United Nations Data Revolution Organization |date=2014 |author=UN Data Revolution |
access-date=2 August 2020 |location=New York City}}
In 2017 Rotich participated in the W20 Summit in Berlin, Germany and took part in a panel discussion together with Chancellor Angela Merkel, IMF director Christine Lagarde, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland, Ivanka Trump and others, where she represented BRCK.{{cite web|publisher=Salzburger Nachrichten |url=https://www.sn.at/politik/weltpolitik/first-daughter-ivanka-trump-zu-besuch-in-deutschland-8025766 | title="First Daughter" Ivanka Trump visits Germany |date=25 April 2017 |author=Salzburger Nachrichten |access-date= 2 August 2020 | location=Salzburg, Austria |format=Translated from the original German language}}
In 2022, Safaricom named Rotich as its Head of Fintech Integration Solutions where she oversees the company’s financial solutions, which are anchored on M-Pesa. Macharia Kamau (15 March 2022), [https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/news/article/2001442221/juliana-rotich-to-head-safaricoms-fintech-integration-unit Juliana Rotich to head Safaricom's fintech integration unit] The Standard.
Other activities
=Corporate boards=
- Standard Group, Non-Executive Director of the Board of Directors (since 2018)Patel Okumu (16 March 2018), [https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/business/article/2001273437/juliana-rotich-and-githinji-gitahi Juliana Rotich and Githinji Gitahi join Standard Group board] The Standard.
- BASF, Member of the Global Sustainability Advisory Council (2018)
- Microsoft, Member of the 4Afrika Advisory Council (since 2013)[https://news.microsoft.com/2013/10/09/microsoft-forms-4afrika-advisory-council/ Microsoft forms 4Afrika Advisory Council] Microsoft, press release of 9 October 2013.
=Non-profit organizations=
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Member of the AI Ethics and Safety Advisory Committee (since 2023)Rashi Shrivastava (10 August 2023), [https://www.forbes.com/sites/rashishrivastava/2023/08/10/gates-foundation-funds-nearly-50-generative-ai-projects-in-low-and-middle-income-countries/ Gates Foundation Funds Nearly 50 Generative AI Projects In Low And Middle Income Countries] Forbes.
- Lemelson Foundation, Member of the Advisory Committee (since 2017)[https://www.lemelson.org/the-lemelson-foundation-expands-its-expertise-with-new-communications-officer-and-advisory-committee-member/ The Lemelson Foundation Expands Its Expertise with New Communications Officer and Advisory Committee Member] Lemelson Foundation, press release of 9 January 2017.
Recognition
In 2011, Rotich was named Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year in Africa by the World Economic Forum. She earned a TED Senior Fellowship and a Director’s Fellowship by the MIT Media Laboratory. In 2011, she was named among the “World’s Top 100 Women” by The Guardian Newspaper.
In 2013, Rotich was awarded the Digital, Life, Design (DLD) Women Impact Award, at a ceremony in Munich, Germany.{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dldwomen13-kenyan-juliana-rotich-receives-impact-award-for-humanitarian-internet-project-215781701.html |date=17 July 2020 |title=DLDwomen13: Kenyan Juliana Rotich Receives Impact Award for Humanitarian Internet Project |access-date=2 August 2020 |author=Hubert Burda Media via PRNewswire |
location=Munich, Germany}} In 2019, she was presented the German Africa Prize, awarded by the German Africa Foundation, to honor “outstanding individuals for their longstanding endeavors to foster democracy, peace, human rights, art, culture, the social market economy and social concerns”. The award was presented to Rotich by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.{{cite web|date=24 October 2019 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/kenyan-juliana-rotich-receives-german-africa-prize/a-48200177 |title=Kenyan Juliana Rotich receives German Africa Prize |author=Deutsche Welle |website=Deutsche Welle |author-link=Deutsche Welle |access-date=2 August 2020 |location=Bonn, Germany}} In 2012 Forbes.com named Juliana Rotich as one of "The 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa 2012".{{cite web| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2012/12/06/the-20-youngest-power-women-in-africa-2012/#250987b811e3 |title=The 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa 2012 |work=Forbes.com |date=6 December 2020 |author=Mfonobong Nsehe |access-date=2 August 2020}}
{{external media | width = 210px | float = right | headerimage=210px | video1 = [http://www.ted.com/talks/juliana_rotich_meet_brck_internet_access_built_for_africa.html Juliana Rotich: Meet BRCK, Internet Access Built for Africa], TED Talks, June 2013}}
References
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External links
{{sisterlinks|d=Q51700|c=Category:Juliana Rotich|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|s=no|wikt=no|species=no}}
- [http://www.ted.com/speakers/juliana_rotich TED Profile]
- [http://globalvoicesonline.org/ Global Voices Online]
- [https://www.pbs.org/idealab/2011/04/ushahidis-online-toolbox-helps-people-understand-the-service097.html Ushahidi's Online Toolbox Helps People Understand the Service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310082226/http://www.pbs.org/idealab/2011/04/ushahidis-online-toolbox-helps-people-understand-the-service097.html |date=10 March 2012 }}
- [https://www.ushahidi.com/blog/2015/09/11/transitions-juliana-rotich About Ushahidi]
- [http://99faces.tv/julianarotich/ Interview with 99FACES.tv]
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Category:Kenyan women computer scientists
Category:Kenyan computer scientists
Category:21st-century Kenyan businesswomen
Category:21st-century Kenyan businesspeople
Category:University of Missouri alumni