Note from Lionel: Below is a blog post that reflects work done by several groups within Dell. I’m posting it on their behalf and on behalf of all the Dell customers who were recognized this year. Congratulations to all the winners.
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From tracking and responding to natural disasters to providing health monitoring stations, Dell customers are leading humanitarian efforts by applying technology to address a variety of social and business needs. These impactful and inspiring efforts have been recognized as 2013 Computerworld Honors Laureates.
Established in 1988, the IDG’s Computerworld Honors Program recognizes organizations and individuals who have used information technology to promote and advance public welfare, benefit society and business, and change the world for the better.
We’d like to extend congratulations to the following Dell customers recognized this year:
- American Red Cross
The American Red Cross and Dell launched a new digital operations center, the first social media-based operation devoted to humanitarian relief, demonstrating the growing importance of social media in emergency situations. The Red Cross also announced the launch of a digital volunteer program to help respond to questions from and provide information to the public during disasters. Located in the Red Cross National Disaster Operations Center in Washington, D.C., the center is modeled after Dell’s Social Media Listening Command Center and uses Dell technology solutions and consulting services. The center will help expand the Red Cross’s ability to engage with the public during emergencies.
- Ministry of Culture, Media and Information Society of Serbia
Serbia is poised for change as its economy transitions into the digital age. More computers in schools enable students to access the vast resource of educational apps and tools on the internet and school networks, and prepare students for future jobs. The Ministry of Culture, Media and Information Society of Serbia decided to outfit the nation’s 1600 primary schools with computer labs and knew that the solution had to be energy efficient and easy to manage. Virtual desktops met Serbia’s needs for an affordable, sustainable solution. Partnering with Dell Cloud Client Computing, the government of Serbia deployed 30,000 Dell Wyse E01 zero clients in its primary schools. You can see this project in action in this video:
- Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe, Inc.
The non-profit Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe, Inc. has provided foster care, adoptions and related services for more than 3,500 abused, abandoned and neglected children and their families. Patricia Smith, CIO of Our Kids, was charged with keeping the agency’s sensitive and confidential data secure and in compliance with HIPAA requirements. A Dell SonicWALL Aventail secure remote access appliance was deployed to safely and securely ensure the right level of access to the right person across outside agencies that collaborate and provide care to Our Kids’ population. To protect Our Kids population, a next-generation firewall from Dell SonicWALL was selected to secure a myriad of BYOD mobile devices, while protecting the agency against Internet-based threats. Please take a look at this case study (or click on the image below) for some additional information.
- Silicon Valley Education Foundation
Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) partnered with Dell Cloud Client Computing to significantly enhance the technology portion of the organization’s Stepping Up to Algebra (SUTA) program. Dell Cloud Client Computing stepped in to enable SVEF to achieve a 1:1 computing ratio by donating Dell Wyse T50 thin clients. Through access to a device, the SUTA students benefit from a personalized learning experience and have online tutoring tools and resources at their immediate disposal. With these tools, teachers have more data to gain valuable insights into their students’ mastery of the curriculum. By taking a thin client approach, SVEF was able to set up the temporary labs easily and maintain them throughout the session without technical difficulty. You can see this project in action in this video:
- SoloHealth
SoloHealth aims to empower people to take charge of their health by providing free and convenient access to health and wellness screenings and services, which leads to prevention and lower healthcare costs. The SoloHealth Station is a cloud-based, self-service kiosk offering vision, blood pressure, weight and body mass index screenings, as well as an overall health assessment and access to a database of local doctors – all free of charge. SoloHealth utilizes Dell’s OEM solutions technology and development expertise to produce its next-generation SoloHealth Station consumer kiosk that Dell also deploys directly to retail locations nationwide. To learn more, read this press release.
All 2013 Computerworld Honors Laureates are invited to attend a black tie awards ceremony and dinner on Monday, June 3 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. During this gala, each Laureate will be presented with a medallion inscribed with the program’s mission, "A Search for New Heroes." Additionally, five Laureates from each of the 11 Honors categories will be named as finalists for a 21st Century Achievement Award. One finalist in each category will then be named a 21st Century Achievement Award winner.
Once again, congratulations to these customers on their recognition! We thank you for your important humanitarian efforts.
Is your organization making a positive impact? We would love to hear about it for next year’s nominations. Please leave a comment and let us know how you and/or your organizations are leveraging Dell technology to help change the world for the better.
