Steven Seiden, president of Acquired Data Solutions (ADS), has been involved in “digital divide issues” for more than 20 years, and he believes broadening inclusion and diversity in the STEM literacy field is one of his purposes. An engineer by trade, Seiden has experienced a shift in the tech world over the years, watching the convergence of technology, IT and IOT and noting the ever-expanding engineering lifecycle that now includes security. He believes that giving youth the opportunities to become well-rounded individuals with competency in a variety of areas, including technology, economy and art, as well as the art of marketing themselves and socializing effectively, will set kids up for success in the future.
“I think we are starting to see a trend in younger people going into [STEM] fields, but the gap is very wide. One of the paths to inclusion is getting kids engaged with things that are fun, real, relevant and cool,” he says. To do his part, Seiden and his small software company of 25 people, think big and have partnered with a number of organizations to get kids, particularly minority students or those in underserved communities, interested in STEM and STEAM careers and open up their future possibilities.