Tag: Science & Technology

Doug Adams on Forming a Business in Delaware

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Delaware Ambassadors, Working in Delaware.

Doug Adams on Forming a Business in Delaware

Often, the greatest adventures in life come to us by surprise. This would ring true for Doug Adams, the CEO of ACE Running, who started his professional journey studying physical therapy at the University of Delaware. There he met Irene Davis, someone who would change his life through her mentorship. Alongside Davis, Adams began exploring a topic that would later be the foundation for his company: gait analysis. Through this research, Adams had the opportunity to work with people from across the globe, and he was able to observe and interact with all different kinds of runners. Because of this, Davis says that “running has become a great passion and something that has just been a great part of my life.”

From these experiences, Adams knew he wanted to continue working to help runners become their best, healthiest selves, and thus, ACE Running was born. The staple of ACE Running is the 3D motion analysis. This system marks a person’s gait, allowing a model of them to be animated on the computer. From there, analysts, such as Adams himself, can go in and devise a plan that will benefit the runner in the most efficient manner. This technology is available for medical and fitness professionals. ACE Running works with them so that they can learn about all the possible tools that they can provide to their clients.

Great Mentorship Leads to Forming a Business

“I got started in gait analysis because I had a great mentor in Irene Davis, when I was at physical therapy school at University of Delaware.

And we started doing gait analysis, and we had people coming from all over the world, and I was lucky enough to be her assistant. And we were able to really get a lot of experience working with runners and continued working with runners. So running has become a great passion and something that has just been a great part of my life.

ACE running is a company that focuses on providing a clear pathway to working with runners. So our customers are medical and fitness professionals. And what we do is we provide them education, tools and resources to provide great service to runners.

So the 3D motion analysis is a portable system, and it works just like when you make a Pixar movie or a video game, where you put reflective markers on specific spots on the body.

And then as the runner moves, we create a 3D model of them. And we can look at each joint and say what the knee’s doing, what the hip’s doing and how that might be affecting the running for him.

Delaware has been great access for it, not just only the location, but the infrastructure. So it’s really been such a great community. And that’s one of the things that I love about Delaware is when we start a business, so many people are willing to help out.

And it’s great because you can create such a network in Delaware that makes a huge benefit in accelerating your business.” –Doug Adams

Delaware – The Perfect Location for ACE Running

Choosing where to stake your grounds for a livelihood is a tough and serious decision. Delaware hopes to make that decision a bit easier. From statistics to personal testimonies, the website for Delaware has much to offer in terms of why America’s First State would be the ideal place to settle. Whether forming a business—where the state is ranked eighth in the nation for doing business—or just looking somewhere new to move—with nationally ranked healthcare and school curricula—Delaware’s Live Love website provides an abundance of resources, reasons, and information to help you make the choice.

Delaware was where Adams’ journey with ACE Running began, long before he realized it, so it only seems fit that he would locate his business in the state where everything changed. While ACE Running is centralized in Delaware, it looks to help runners across the globe. Adams returned to Delaware for many reasons, one of which being the physical location, near large metropolises, namely Washington D.C. However, Adams also cites the infrastructure of the state to have been a huge positive for his company. From the get-go, there has been a community raring to get this company up on its feet, which is a big deal for those just thinking about forming a business. Adams is fond of the people of Delaware, who make it easy to network and stay connected. ACE Running has been able to go off without a hitch because there exists a strong community that is willing to help him succeed. 

 

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CRISPR gene editing video series ChristianaCare and Delaware TV

ChristianaCare’s Gene Editing Institute and DETV Produce Video Series to Engage High School Students in the Latest in Biomedical Technologies

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Working in Delaware.

CRISPR in a Box Educational Toolkit™ – a gene editing experiment developed by the Gene Editing Institute for teaching – and the videos are already being used in classrooms in Delaware; Goal to reach students of color

ChristianaCare’s Gene Editing Institute and DETV have partnered in the creation of an educational video series to inspire high school students to consider a career in one of the most exciting frontiers in science and medicine — gene editing. The message: CRISPR gene editing technology is poised to revolutionize the way we combat some of the most intractable diseases, such as cancer and sickle cell disease, and no matter who you are or what background you come from, the door is open for you to shape how we use this technology to ensure everyone can benefit from it.

Downloadable: VIDEO

CRISPR in the Classroom

Called “CRISPR in the Classroom,” the video series is available to schools across the United States and serves as a supplemental resource alongside the Gene Editing Institute’s CRISPR in a Box Educational Toolkit™, which provides teachers and students real-life experience with CRISPR. Creators of CRISPR in a Box were Eric Kmiec, Ph.D., director of the Gene Editing Institute and Brett Sansbury, Ph.D., discovery research group leader.

The video series focuses on sickle cell disease as an example of a disease that could someday be cured with gene editing technology. Sickle cell is a painful genetic disease that primarily affects Black populations. While many genetically inherited disorders involve multiple genes, sickle cell is caused by only one gene — making it easier to study and potentially find a cure. Through “CRISPR in the Classroom,” students learn from patients, medical professionals and scientists talking about the challenge and the hope for a cure.

“Many CRISPR labs across the country are looking to solve sickle cell, including our own, but imagine if we can expand the number and the diversity of scientists interested in CRISPR to help solve this and other diseases,” said Dr. Kmiec. “With significant funding from the National Science Foundation, we have begun this local and eventually nationwide effort to engage Black, LatinX and other underrepresented groups of students to consider genetic engineering.”

Appoquinimink High School in Middletown, Del., used the video series in a five-week summer program in a gene editing curriculum developed by the state of Delaware with help from the Gene Editing Institute. Brandywine and William Penn High Schools in Delaware will also use the videos in their gene editing courses this coming school year.

“The videos from the Gene Editing Institute helped my students better understand how far-reaching CRISPR applications are and how the technology can be used to prevent diseases like sickle cell in the future,” said Elijah Morsha-Taylor, science instructor at Appoquinimink High School. “They also learned about the societal impact of medical technology and how different communities relate to these technological advancements.”

The Conversation and Context

One of the main purposes of the videos is to allow for deeper conversations about inequity in access to science education and medical treatments for people of color, and to discuss the realities of the need for more scientists of color.

“We hope that this series can help high school students to begin a conversation with their friends and family members, and that they share what they’ve learned, along with their insights, to help build new trust and excitement about science and medicine — and the next generation of breakthrough technologies that can cure diseases and create better health,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, ChristianaCare president and CEO.

“All of us in the health care and medical research fields have a responsibility to do everything we can to learn from history, build back trust, and create a more equitable future so that the latest scientific discoveries that use tools like CRISPR gene editing can be available to everyone,” she said.

The Videos

“CRISPR in the Classroom” consists of conversations with medical professionals about sickle cell disease with commentary from patients. It demonstrates how gene editing is helping sickle cell disease, and it also includes a demonstration of how to use the CRISPR in a Box kit in hands-on learning about the technology of gene editing. It also includes a conversation about race, gender and the scientific journey with young scientists from the Gene Editing Institute.

One video in the series includes a roundtable discussion with five young research scientists and a medical student who share a frank discussion about race, gender and their own personal journeys. They suggest that more inclusive environments in science and medicine can help build trust and eventually lead to the elimination of health disparities.

“The more you see people like yourself entering careers in science and medicine, the more you think ‘I can achieve that,’” said participant Indigo Johnson, a medical student who spent time as a lab technician at the Gene Editing Institute.

“When you see someone like yourself explaining CRISPR technology to you, it becomes more relatable,” she said. “Talking to younger students, getting them interested in science can fuel a spark. Some kids have an interest in science or medicine but when they don’t see scientists or doctors who look like them, they don’t think a career in science or medicine is achievable.”

To help ensure the community connection and voice in the video series, the Gene Editing Institute tapped DETV as its production partner.

“DETV was thrilled to partner with the Gene Editing Institute to create an educational resource for high school students that will be especially beneficial in Black and brown communities to help them learn about the revolutionary CRISPR technology,” said Ivan Thomas, founder of DETV. “We hope the series will inspire the scientists of tomorrow to come from communities of color to join in the fight to use CRISPR gene editing and to find cures for diseases that predominately impact those communities, such as sickle cell disease.”

“CRISPR in the Classroom” is already resonating with scientific and educational organizations beyond the local Delaware community.

“The further development of your program to educate students and instructors in CRISPR gene editing techniques will support the increased implementation of gene editing in educational programs, bioscience companies and research laboratories throughout the nation,” said V. Celeste Carter, Ph.D. program director, Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation.

About ChristianaCare’s Gene Editing Institute

The Gene Editing Institute, a worldwide leader in CRISPR gene editing technology and the only institute of its kind based within a community health care system, takes a patient-first approach in all its research to improve the lives of people with life-threatening disease. Since 2015, researchers at the Gene Editing Institute have been involved in several ground-breaking firsts in the field, including the development of the first CRISPR gene editing tool to allow DNA repairs outside the human cell which will rapidly speed therapies to patients and a unique version of CRISPR called EXACT that reduces the number of off-target edits to other areas of the genome, which is vital for further research and patient applications. Its researchers are currently developing a patient trial for lung cancer using CRISPR technology.

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Bayhealth Charts IT Superstars on Path to Success

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Working in Delaware.

Bayhealth — recognized as one of the nation’s Most Wired health systems, with hospitals in Dover and Milford — is always looking for IT superstars: caring, compassionate, patient, and motivated talent who get excited about going to work every day.

Healthcare may not be the first industry that comes to mind for young talent looking to launch a career in information technology (IT) — or for seasoned talent looking to retrain or upskill for a second career, for that matter. But the trajectory of change that has steadily increased the pace of technology advances over the last 20 years — fuel-injected by virtual demands created in the last year by the COVID-19 pandemic — make healthcare IT one of today’s fastest-growing, most exciting career options for those hoping to advance their earning potential while making a difference in their community.

The IT team at Bayhealth believes there is no better place to put the winning combination of hard skills and soft talents that are required in the healthcare industry to work than in Central or Southern Delaware.

“Bayhealth uses technology to do what needs to be done to care for patients,” says Vice President and Chief Information Officer Richard Mohnk. “We have programs in place to train and educate our team as they advance in their careers, but we need to continuously feed those programs with talented people who have a desire to be great.”

Bayhealth IT Supports More than 200 Applications

Bayhealth health systems IT DelawareWesley Coombs, Bayhealth’s Service Desk supervisor, leads the team that takes calls around the clock from both employees and patients looking for help with software and application issues. Because they support more than 200 IT applications, Coombs says the Service Desk is a great place to get a foot in the door and gain valuable experience for a career in healthcare IT.

Bayhealth is certainly not alone in the search for great technical talent, but the healthcare industry’s IT needs are so specialized that it’s almost unheard of for someone to transition from another industry directly into a mid-to-advanced seniority analyst or project manager position with a medical center. Those positions typically require a four-year degree or a minimum of three years of healthcare-related work experience.

By partnering with their Central Delaware academic neighbors – Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College and Wilmington University – Bayhealth has created a pipeline that already has brought in 22 entry-level staff who work up to 24 hours a week on the IT department’s Service Desk while they finish their degrees.

As team members sharpen their IT skills and gain familiarity with the clinical areas that need support throughout the medical center, they are first in line for opportunities to advance to higher-paying analyst and project manager positions within Bayhealth. But that leaves openings for Coombs to fill back on the Service Desk.

To meet the challenge, the retired veteran called on his own experience as a drill sergeant. Just as the military teaches someone with the right personal attributes to be a soldier, Coombs realized that he is in a position to help the right candidates gain the work-related experienced needed to advance to a higher-level position in healthcare IT.

For example, most IT professionals have great technical skills, understand hardware and know how to manipulate applications. But taking a call from a clinician who needs trouble-shooting help under pressure to access a patient’s imaging report, or from an elderly member of the community trying to figure out how to use a smartphone app to schedule a virtual appointment, takes patience, compassion and a true desire to help, according to Coombs.

“Under Wesley’s supervision, Bayhealth’s Service Desk offers a remarkable entry-level process with great exposure to healthcare to create a career path from within,” says Mohnk.

Fueling Delaware’s IT Pipeline

IT needs remain a key concern for employers throughout Delaware, with talent needed at all levels – from entry to highly specialized – who are qualified in software, networks, cyber security, data management and tech support. Two-thirds of Delaware’s IT jobs are found outside the traditional “tech” sector in areas of finance, manufacturing, education, government and, of course, healthcare.

To help build a more diverse tech talent pipeline for 2021 and beyond, Delaware Prosperity Partnership is leading a public-private initiative of more than 50 stakeholders representing Delaware businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions and workforce development organizations. Collectively, they are developing a coordinated and demand-driven approach to meeting the state’s IT talent demands. Their work is funded by a workforce readiness grant from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.

Systems Shine When Superstars Use the Right Tools

At Bayhealth, Coombs’ mission aligns with the state’s aims as he focuses on bringing in the right people to work the Service Desk in preparation for their next step on the career ladder. He says he finds it fulfilling to watch his team grow, develop and gain confidence.

“Seeing my team help our employees and patients get the help they need really is one of the most rewarding feelings,” Coombs says. “It feels like we are giving back.”

Mohnk agrees.

“We enjoy teamwork and camaraderie here at Bayhealth,” Mohnk says. “We’re always looking to bring in the next IT superstar — and our goal is to see hard-working, great talent succeed.”

This article was originally posted on the Delaware Prosperity Partnership website at: https://www.beebehealthcare.org/news-release/beebe-medical-group-welcomes-victorino-dejesus-md-beebe-primary-care-georgetown

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Futures First Gaming Looks to Create an Esports Industry Pipeline in Delaware

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Working in Delaware.

If Stephen Sye, CEO of Futures First Gaming, has his way, his company will have planted the seed that germinates the entire Delmarva region esports industry. Esports, or electronic sports, is a style of competitive sports played through the medium of video games – particularly multiplayer games played by professionals as individuals or part of a team.

“We’re a STEM.org Accredited™ esports and educational organization focused on growing and cultivating the esports community and industry in the region,” said Sye. “With the exception of the University of Delaware, the state itself has only a small underground scene right now as it relates to gaming culture – especially in comparison to other places like Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New York City.”

The organization, which launched last February, is taking several approaches to its mission simultaneously. Futures First Gaming’s business model rests on four pillars, said Sye. The first is to advocate growth in the state’s existing esports industry, the second is to personally host competitive and recreational events to create opportunities for involvement, the third is to hold educational programs focusing on workforce development and the fourth is to work with schools and universities to launch their own esports teams to engage in tournaments.

Though their goals are ambitious, Sye believes now, more than ever, is the time for this effort. Gaming has long suffered from a perception problem – but that’s on the cusp of changing in a big way, he says.

“For a long time, a good portion of the population has felt that playing video games is a waste of time, but this industry is growing by leaps and bounds, and the opportunities for lucrative careers and entrepreneurship are growing every year,” said Sye. “Look at it this way: There was a League of Legends Championship in 2018 that had more than 200 million viewers tune in. That was more viewership than the Super Bowl, NBA finals, and Major League Baseball game seven had that year combined. There are gaming events in this space that are selling out venues like the Staples Center in 12 minutes.”

Perhaps a function of changing tastes, it’s been long predicted that esports will supplant traditional sports in popularity. Sye says that ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the time window in which this was expected to happen has shortened.

“Viewership of esports was already expected to eclipse that of traditional sports by 2022 – but now with COVID limiting audiences and introducing a lot of unknowns in terms of schedule, esports has a huge advantage,” he said. “Esports is projected to be a $300 billion global industry by 2025. That’s huge. And it comes with an enormous amount of opportunity and career pathways.”

Gaming Camp

Hoping to nurture the next generation’s desire to enter the esports industry, Sye said, the company held its inaugural Futures First Camp this past summer.

“It was a virtual summer camp this year, but it was 100 hours total,” said Sye. “Our Futures First Program focuses on esports, coding, gamin, and entrepreneurship. Over four weeks, our team worked with students from 8th to 12th grade for five hours per day. Two hours were devoted to coding and game design – with the help of our partners Coderrific Academy and Code Differently. Then there was one hour for entrepreneurship where we covered things like starting a business, marketing, promoting, starting a website, esport monetization, and live streaming. Then, the last two hours were basically gameplay. Gamers worked on communication, teamwork, strategy, and gaming skills development.”

There were 10 graduating students in the first class over the summer. Sye said it was a great proof of concept. The class’s final project was evidence of that.

“Over the last two weeks, the campers were tasked with a hands-on collaborative project to produce and host their own online esports event,” he said. “They hosted a Brawlhalla tournament and ended up having great participation, and the event was flawless – it was an awesome learning experience.”

Futures First Gaming will be bringing the program back next summer and will shoot for an even larger class. But Sye hopes to push the program as a regular course in local high and middle schools to expose students to the available career paths.

“We’ll really be able to educate students on the possibilities if we can meet them where they are,” he said. “We have commitment from two Delaware school districts pending funding and have had conversations about our program with Departments of Education in several states.”

Equal Opportunity

Although not an exclusive organization, a fundamental goal of Futures First Gaming is to help expose minority students to the prospect of a career in the gaming industry, noted Sye.

“Looking at the landscape, 83% of Black teens game, but only about 9% of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals are Black,” said Sye. “We really want to change that. We feel that the discrepancy exists because of a lack of awareness and opportunity. Our program works to correct this by reaching out to students through their interest in gaming but teaching them about the business side in the process. That way, they can imagine a future where they make a living doing what they love. In our concept of STEM, ‘E’ stands for entrepreneurship.”

To support this goal, Futures First Gaming has started to reach out to HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities) to assist them in launching their own competitive esports teams. Sye is a strong believer that the opportunities in esports will continue to proliferate and offer opportunities to people of all kinds of backgrounds and interests.

“There really is a spiderweb of careers cropping up to support gaming,” he said. “For example, last year’s Fortnite world cup winner, a 16-year-old named Kyle Giersdorf, won $3 million. He’s a millionaire now. He’s going to need an esports-specific attorney. There are gaming companies that want to create game characters with his likeness and image, so he needs to negotiate that. He’ll need an accountant. He’ll even need a personal trainer to work on stamina and hand-eye coordination. The web of opportunity keeps spreading.”

“That’s why when students come to us, we can work on where their interests lie and steer them toward a great career opportunity.”

This article was originally posted on the Delaware Prosperity Partnership website at: https://www.choosedelaware.com/success-stories/gaming-their-way-to-success/

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Delaware’s Moonshot to Innovation

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Working in Delaware.

Delaware Data Innovation Lab to Address Real-World Impact of COVID-19

Innovation is nothing new to Delaware. But the Delaware Data Innovation Lab is new — brand new — and in just its first few weeks, a team of 22 “labsters” are already hard at work in the recently renovated CSC Station in Wilmington helping community partners use data analytics, artificial intelligence and augmented reality to “see” data and uncover solutions that will help Delaware, and the rest of the world, address COVID-19 and other pressing problems.

Launch of Delaware Data Innovation Lab

The Delaware Data Innovation Lab, or DDIL, was created in September through a $2M CARES Act Innovation grant from New Castle County to CompassRed, a Delaware-based data analytics and artificial intelligence company. Through DDIL, CompassRed will partner with universities, government, corporations and health care organizations to fast-forward research ideas out of the lab and into the marketplace.

Patrick Callahan, co-founder of CompassRed and the Delaware Data Innovation Lab, said County leaders wanted to use the funding to foster innovation and attract talent to the region. They also envisioned using technology to grow something with a long-term impact.

“When something as shocking as coronavirus shakes the world, there are opportunities that we could never have had before,” said Callahan. “With the support of New Castle County, our team went to work figuring out how to take advantage of this moment and tackle the issues that come from COVID.”

A board member for Delaware Prosperity Partnership, Callahan describes DDIL as a “collaborative, not competitive” nonprofit organization that uses objective data to combat COVID-19 and prepare for other issues we’ll face as a community and planet.

DDIL is already helping partners use data to pivot resources as they address such COVID-19 challenges as a significant drop in applications for federal financial aid by underserved, low-income students or helping the hospitality industry make customers feel safer using their services during a pandemic. The team is also using data to study home insecurity caused by the threat of housing evictions, and ways to predict future outbreaks, and plan for testing and vaccination sites based on wastewater testing.

“Crises create unique opportunities that can change the course of history,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. The Delaware Data Innovation Lab redirects thinking in both the private and public sectors for the long-term, said Meyer, and turns Delaware into a hub of data innovation and analytical thinking for the country and for the world.

“We’re going to put your work to use here in Delaware and learn from it to make better policy,” the County Executive told the DDIL labsters. “The way we’ll get out of COVID-19 is through innovation.”

Anne Clauss, who heads Strategy & Operations for DDIL, has already discovered that things happen faster here in Delaware than anywhere else in the world.

“There is no place like Delaware to test ideas,” said Clauss. “Delaware is where innovation gets real, and that’s why we’re here.”

This article was originally posted on the Delaware Prosperity Partnership website at: https://www.choosedelaware.com/success-stories/delaware-data-innovation-lab/

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Delaware chemistry career opportunities

Pursue a Chemistry Career in Delaware

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Working in Delaware.

If you love chemistry, there are so many reasons to consider living and working in Delaware. Whether your chemistry career leads you to get into pharmaceuticals, industrial and agricultural chemicals, forensics, or nanotechnology, Delaware’s STEM network is among the strongest in the nation. Our universities, employers, and investors are ready and willing to help you develop your talent and make a real difference in our world.

From the University of Delaware and its STAR Campus (Science, Technology and Advanced Research), the Center for Composite Materials and the Horn Entrepreneurship Program, which combines hands-on learning with potential venture capital investment; to Delaware State University’s Center for Neuroscience Research and NIIMBL biopharmaceutical training center; to community-focused organizations like Zip Code Wilmington Bootcamp, we’re all about educating the next generation of successful STEM innovators in Delaware.

Your Future Begins in the Chemistry Capital of the World

Once you have that solid STEM training under your belt,  there’s no better place to put your talent to work than right here in Delaware, the “Chemical Capital of the World.” Help discover the breakthroughs of tomorrow with one of our many up-and-coming biotechs. Or join a recognized leader like Adesis, Agilent, Chemours, Corteva Agriscience, DuPont, Incyte, Prelude Therapeutics or W.L. Gore & Associates — all headquartered here in Delaware. Their innovative solutions are protecting our planet and transforming lives through clean energy, medical breakthroughs and countless other wonders of chemistry, and they are always looking for the best and brightest scientific minds to help advance their work.

Whether you prefer life at the beach or vibrant city life, it’s here for you in Delaware, complete with great restaurants, brew pubs, and venues, plenty of room to explore the outdoors, and easy access to anywhere in the world from our convenient location. You may even know Delaware as home to the iconic Firefly musical festival — where the biggest names in live music take the stage each summer.

Delaware is a small state where you can make a big name for yourself — especially when pursuing a chemistry career — and Delaware Prosperity Partnership is here to help you make it all happen. We’re a nonprofit state economic development agency that helps employers and talent (that’s you!) discover all the great reasons to live, work and play in Delaware. 

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Futures First Gaming tech professionals delaware

Science and Tech Professionals Make Their Mark in Delaware

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Working in Delaware.

As one of the fastest-growing science and technology hubs in the MidAtlantic, a diverse group of science and tech professionals are making their mark in Delaware, with some real standout performers. From technology leaders in IT education and coding to gaming companies looking to give back and even a learning center striving to promote diversity and technology in the workplace, Delaware has produced some truly innovative leaders in the STEM space.

Does Your Future Begin in Delaware?

As a science or technology professional, imagine finding a place where you can realize career goals, surround yourself with movers and shakers in your field, and live in a community you love.

Meet Tech Professionals Thriving in Delaware

Let’s take a look at two Delaware tech professionals who are capitalizing on all Delaware has to offer and finding real success with their inventive offerings.

Code Differently with Stephanie Eldridge

Stephanie Eldridge is the CEO of Code Differently, a learning center designed to have a direct impact on increasing diversity and technology in the workplace. The center comprises a student population that is 98% black and Latino, 40% who are female. Diversity and inclusion have been part of Code Differently’s mission statement from the outset. Eldridge says that Delaware was the perfect location for their business, stating “I don’t know another location where you are one person, one degree of separation, away from any need.” Her business is having a positive impact on the State with seven of last year’s students relocating to Delaware after realizing the opportunities on offer to tech professionals here.

Esport Industry Leader Stephen Sye

CEO of Futures First Gaming, Stephen Sye is focused on growing and cultivating the Esports community and industry in Delaware. His venture takes a range of different approaches to achieve its goal of nurturing the next generation’s wishes to enter into the Esports industry. Through hosting competitive and recreational gaming events, advocating growth for the existing Esports industry in Delaware and holding educational sessions with a focus on workplace development, and working with schools to encourage Esports they hope to change the culture around gaming. Reaching students through their love for gaming can bring about more opportunities for the next generation in the STEM industry.

Choose Delaware for Your Science or Tech Venture

Delaware offers businesses an affordable location to conduct business and a robust, exciting environment in which to move your business forward. Catering to a range of different industries, Delaware provides the perfect setting for businesses to establish their brand through countless opportunities to network with a dynamic professional community, connect with leading Universities and R&D facilities and hire from a rich talent pool of IT talent and coders, spanning a range of different industries.

Delaware continues to shine as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly for science, IT, and tech professionals. Offering the ideal environment for businesses and individuals to work, live and enjoy a vibrant life, Delaware is the perfect destination for anyone seeking to begin or develop their career in the STEM industry on the East Coast or Mid-Atlantic region. With its unique location, impressive talent pool, innovative climate, and diverse range of industry-leading STEM businesses, Delaware is where you need to be if you are a science or tech professional.

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employee in Delaware's IT market

Delaware’s IT Market is Booming

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Working in Delaware.

Delaware’s IT Market is Booming Across All Industry Sectors

For those in science, technology, and IT, Delaware is the ideal location to grow your career. Here’s why your IT future belongs in Delaware.

  • Delaware’s concentration of IT employment is 6 percent higher than the national average.
  • Recent growth in IT occupations in the state has outpaced overall state job growth by 77%
  • Two-thirds of jobs in the IT market are found outside the traditional “tech” sector in areas of finance, healthcare, manufacturing, education, and more.
  • Delaware’s concentration of IT jobs in the finance sector is more than three time the national average.

And you can get anywhere from Delaware; its central location along the Northeast corridor, easy access to international airports and a major Amtrak transit rail hub make it an ideal location. When you compare the cost of living in Delaware, you will quickly discover it is more affordable than neighboring states and what’s not to like about NO sales tax?

IT Job Opportunities at Three Delaware Companies

With an innovative climate and a diverse range of STEM industry leaders pioneering, creating, and inventing new ideas all the time, there are countless opportunities for IT jobs in Delaware. Offering some of the best IT jobs, across all levels, are three Delaware employers, providing exciting opportunities to tech professionals in areas like software, cybersecurity, tech support, networking, data management, and other areas of the tech spectrum.

Continue reading to learn more about these key employers in the IT market offering a diverse range of jobs for tech professionals at all career stages.

Bank of America

Bank of America (BofA) is one of the largest financial services organization in the world. An industry leader with forward-thinking solutions, BofA’s high-tech, high-touch approach helps millions of individuals, companies and institutional investors reach their financial goals every year. Employees at BofA enjoy a welcoming and diverse environment were building a fulfilling career and making a difference matters. Bank of America is one of Delaware’s key employers with technology positions available for a variety of skillsets in IT.

CompassRed

If you have a passion for data and how it is impacting every aspect of our lives, CompassRed may have the perfect career opportunity for you. CompassRed is a data analytics and artificial intelligence company using data science, AI, and predictive science to maximize outcomes for businesses and home of the Delaware Data Innovation Lab (DDIL). Through DDIL, CompassRed partners with universities, governments, corporations and healthcare organizations to use data analytics, artificial intelligence and augmented reality to “see” data and uncover solutions that will help Delaware, and the rest of the world, address COVID-19 and other pressing problems.

With a growing team of data analysts, data scientists, data visualization experts and technologists, it’s an exciting time to work with CompassRed with openings for a Data Engineer and Technical Project Manager, as well as two Summer Internships. With plans for continued growth, it’s an exciting time to be a part of one of Inc. magazine’s 2020 fastest growing companies.

CSC

CSC® is the world’s leading provider of business, legal, tax, and digital brand services for 90% of the Fortune 500®, more than 65% of the Best Global Brands (Interbrand®), nearly 10,000 law firms and more than 3,000 financial organizations around the globe. From keeping businesses in compliance and streamlining operations, to protecting and promoting brands online, CSC uses its collective expertise and personal approach to help businesses run smoother. CSC is the business behind business®. CSC offers the best tools, beautiful working environments and challenging work. You’ll collaborate with highly capable people and have the freedom and support to turn your ideas into action. CSC employees work with the latest technology products and have access to training and coaching so they can innovate. CSC hires collaborative technology experts with an entrepreneurial mindset and challenges them to build solutions that influence the way business gets done. At more than 120 years old, few companies can match CSC’s stability and reputation for exceeding customers’ needs. The company recognizes that people who work well together can accomplish amazing things, and it’s no secret that people make CSC a great place to work. Valuing service, teamwork, tenacity, agility and being genuine, CSC continuously strives to be a great, enduring, profitable company that earns the complete trust and respect of its customers and all who come to experience CSC. Learn more about why CSC has been named a Top Workplace 14 years running at cscglobal.com/careers.

The Perfect Tech Opportunity Is Waiting for You in Delaware

Whether you are just starting out in your tech career or you are a seasoned leader looking to grow with a new opportunity, Delaware’s IT market is the ideal place to find it. With countless IT, coding, and tech-driven companies, there is no shortage of jobs in the STEM field for those looking to learn more about this area. Technology jobs encompass many diverse industries in Delaware making it a great place to build, grow or expand your IT career in STEM fields on the East Coast or Mid-Atlantic region. To learn more about the Delaware IT market explore some of the featured employers on LiveLoveDelaware.com.

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Stephen Sye

Written by Live Love Delaware on . Posted in Delaware Ambassadors.

CEO, Futures First Gaming

Stephen Sye loves Delaware

Stephen Sye

Gaming Their Way to Prosperity

Futures First Gaming looks to create Esports industry pipeline in Delaware

If Stephen Sye, CEO of Futures First Gaming, has his way, his company will have planted the seed that germinates the entire Delmarva region Esports industry. Esports, or electronic sports, is a style of competitive sports played through the medium of video games – particularly multiplayer games played by professionals as individuals or part of a team.

“We’re a STEM.org Accredited™ Esports and educational organization focused on growing and cultivating the Esports community and industry in the region,” said Sye. “With the exception of the University of Delaware, the state itself has only a small underground scene right now as it relates to gaming culture – especially in comparison to other places like Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and New York City.”

The organization, which launched in February, is taking several approaches to its mission simultaneously. Futures First Gaming’s business model rests on four pillars, said Sye. The first is to advocate growth in the state’s existing Esports industry; the second is personally host competitive and recreational events to create opportunities for involvement; the third is to hold educational programs focusing on workforce development and the fourth pillar is to work with schools and universities to launch their own Esports teams to engage in tournaments.

Though their goals are ambitious, Sye believes now, more than ever, is the time for this effort. Gaming has long suffered from a perception problem – but that’s on the cusp of changing in a big way, he says.

“For a long time a good portion of the population has felt that playing video games is a waste of time, but this industry is growing by leaps and bounds and the opportunities for lucrative careers and entrepreneurship are growing every year,” said Sye. “Look at it this way; there was a League of Legends Championship in 2018 that had more than 200 million viewers tune in. That was more viewership than the Super Bowl, NBA finals and Major League baseball game seven had that year combined. There are gaming events in this space that are selling out venues like the Staples Center in 12 minutes.”

Perhaps a function of changing tastes, it’s been long predicted that Esports will supplant traditional sports in popularity. Sye says that ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the time window this was expected to happen has shortened.

“Viewership of Esports was already expected to eclipse that of traditional sports by 2022 – but now with COVID limiting audiences and introducing a lot of unknowns in terms of schedule, Esports has a huge advantage,” he said. “Esports is projected to be a $300 billion global industry by 2025. That’s huge. And, it comes with an enormous amount of opportunity and career pathways.”

Gaming Camp

Hoping to nurture the next generation’s desire to enter the Esports industry, Sye says the company held its inaugural Futures First Camp this past summer.

“Looking at the landscape, 83% of black teens game, but only about 9% of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals are black.”

“It was a virtual summer camp this year, but it was 100 hours total,” said Sye. “Our Futures First Program focuses on Esports, coding, gaming, and entrepreneurship. Over four weeks, our team worked with students from 8th to 12th grade for five hours per day. Two hours were devoted to coding and game design – with the help of our partners Coderrific Academy and Code Differently. Then there’s one-hour for entrepreneurship where we cover things like starting a business, marketing, promoting, starting a website, Esport monetization and live streaming. Then the last two hours is basically gameplay. Gamers worked on communication, teamwork, strategy, and gaming skills development.”

There were 10 graduating students in the first class over the summer. Sye says it was a great proof of concept. The class’s final project was evidence of that.

“Over the last two weeks, the campers were tasked with a hands-on collaborative project to produce and host their own online Esports event,” he said. “They hosted a Brawlhalla tournament. They ended up having great participation and the event was flawless – it was an awesome learning experience.”

Futures First Gaming will be bringing the program back next summer and will shoot for an even larger class, but Sye hopes to push the program as a regular course in local high and middle schools to expose students to the available career paths.

“We’ll really be able to educate students on the possibilities if we can meet them where they are – we have commitment from two Delaware school districts pending funding and have had conversations about our program with Departments of Education in several states,” he said.

Equal Opportunity

Although not an exclusive organization, a fundamental goal of Futures First Gaming is to help expose minority students to the prospect of a career in the gaming industry, notes Sye.

“Looking at the landscape, 83% of black teens game, but only about 9% of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals are black,” said Sye. “We really want to change that. We feel that the discrepancy exists because of lack of awareness and opportunity. Our program works to correct this by reaching out to students through their interest in gaming, but teaching them about the business side in the process. That way they can imagine a future where they make a living doing what they love. In our concept of STEM, E stands for entrepreneurship.”

To support this goal, Futures First Gaming has started to reach out to HBCUs (Historically black colleges and universities) to assist them in launching their own competitive Esports teams. Sye is a strong believer that the opportunities in the Esports industry will continue to proliferate and offer opportunity to people of all kinds of backgrounds and interests.

“There really is a spiderweb of careers cropping up to support gaming,” he said. “For example, last year’s Fortnite world cup winner, a 16-year-old named Kyle Giersdorf, won $3 million. He’s a millionaire now. He’s going to need an Esports specific attorney. There are gaming company’s that want to create game characters with his likeness and image, so he needs to negotiate that. He’ll need an accountant. He’ll even need a personal trainer to work on stamina and hand-eye coordination. The web of opportunity keeps spreading. When students come to us, we can work on where their interests lie and steer them toward a great career opportunity.”

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