Episode 1

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Published on:

9th Jan 2023

Leading Climate Change

In this episode, Nabeel Mahmood and Philip Koblence are joined by Susanna Kass, a computer scientist and thought leader in cloud sustainability with a passion for reaching carbon neutrality.

 

As a young girl from Hong Kong, living at boarding school in London, Susanna became intrigued by computers and programming. Nabeel inquires what the turning point was that made  her realize she wanted to learn more about this subject,

 

“What clicked for me was the fact that I could communicate what I had in my mind and express what I was thinking without actually talking to another human - I could systematically write it out with program language and begin to actually start defining and building things.”

 

This education path led Susanna to where she is today, currently acting as a data center advisor for the United Nations Sustainable Development Program and advocating for clean energy.

 

The Nomad Futurist team asks for Susanna’s thoughts on the ESG discussion and whether it is going to be a checkbox for major players in the space in 2023, or if we are going to be taking serious corrective actions,

 

“I think greenwashing will seriously reduce in 2023. There will always be noise, but there are many folks who are genuine and definitely have ambition to do the right thing.”

 

Susanna believes fundamentally that the focus for 2023 is to address the damage the planet has suffered as a result of humans thoughtless and careless actions,

 

“Now we have to go back and rethink approaching the environment differently while we are living a purposeful, impactful life on this planet - and leave it a much better place for our children and grandchildren.” 

 

As leaders in the space, Susanna believes it is pioneers like her and the Nomad Futurist team who can be ambassadors and supporters for the next generation,

 

“I think one key thing that we need to do is enable the younger generation to be able to genuinely teach us, and we need to listen to them in terms of how they want to live life.”

 

The Nomad Futurist Foundation and Susanna are working together to bring the younger generation into the forefront of the industry. In 2023, Susanna will be looking for new people who are emerging in the space to join data center events and share some new perspectives on the mission for sustainability. 

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About the Podcast

Nomad Futurist
The #nomadfuturist show is a true tech podcast phenomenon. The two hosts are technologists and futurists, so they really know their stuff, and following their in-depth conversations feels like you have a backstage pass to a gathering of the best of the
The nomads put a new spin on the tech genre by shining a light not only on technology but also on the human side of the digital age. Tune in if you find yourself thinking about how to integrate into the digital landscape and be a part of the evolving industry.

For over two decades, Phil and Nabeel have provided a powerful catalyst for organizations to create a vision of the future and the will to innovate. As futurists, they deliver a dynamic and entertaining vision of change, blending technology, economics, demographics, culture, and human nature.

With real business experience and a deep understanding of technology, the two nomads know the difference between science fiction and useful forecasting. Rather than focusing on the distant future, they devote themselves to scanning the horizon for emerging technologies and disruptive shifts in human behavior, thereby sharing a compelling vision of tomorrow’s opportunities.