Philadelphia Ranked 10th ‘Best City for Women in Tech,' But Still Room to Grow
By Alison Burdo | Philadelphia Business Journal ••
Efforts to draw tech companies and talent, and keep them in the Philadelphia region have been a top priority in recent years, yet for every women in the local industry, there are two men, according to a new report. The disparity is something one local organization has been working to whittle away for the past 17 years.
Girls Exploring Tomorrow's Technology, a day-long event at West Chester East High School in West Chester, Pa., returned on Saturday, March 25 -- part of its ongoing efforts to show girls from grades 5th through 10th about the opportunities that could land in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.
Last year, more than 600 girls from more than 100 schools took part in GETT, which brought leaders of STEM-related firms and universities from around the state and region – mostly women – to present. The 2016 event even included a helicopter landing from Sikorsky, which produces S-92A and S-76D helicopters as a division of Lockheed Martin.
“The GETT program inspires hundreds of girls each year by encouraging them to explore careers in STEM, and learn from dozens of successful female role models who work in a variety of technology-related fields,” said Gary Smith, president and CEO of the Chester County Economic Development Council, which presents GETT.
Despite ranking 10th on its "Best Cities for Women in Tech in 2017" list, Philadelphia has a tech industry made up of mostly men. Women occupy just 32.3 percent of the computer and mathematical jobs in the market, SmartAsset said. The study analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau, taking the 59 largest U.S. cities that had enough tech workers to offer reliable data on the industry.
TAIT
TAIT
With digital technology being incorporated into live events, attendants' expectations of a "good show" are evolving.
TAIT
With this in mind, the Red Hot Chili Peppers teamed up with stage-designing company TAIT to bring their eclectic, groovy music to life for "The Getaway Tour." In turn, TAIT created "the largest, automated, kinetic light installation in concert touring history," according to the company's website.
TAIT
"From my perspective over the years, events have turned into experiences," said Chief Creative Officer of TAIT Adam Davis. "Concert-goers aren't looking for just a performance anymore, but an experience."
TAIT
TAIT creates the wavy, scenic effects for the legendary band using roughly 1200 LED light fixtures called "Nano Winches."
TAIT
Each Nano Winch is the size of a toaster and can move individually or in arrays for dramatic moving light displays from a cable that hangs above the crowd.
TAIT
It takes about two and a half hours to install the lights, and about one and a half hours to take down the installation.
TAIT
The floating LED lights are capable of moving any direction at 10 feet per second. Engineers make this possible using a software called "TAIT Navigator."
Daniel Stamm/NBC10
The software syncs the Nano Winches to the live music. A team of software engineers took weeks to create the pre-programmed choreography for the computerized Nano Winches at TAIT's rehearsal space.
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The software lets the Nano Winches know what to do and when to do it. In this photo, a RHCP song cues the floating LED lights to form the band's iconic logo.
TAIT
"By incorporating this digital technology to the concert, we create a unique energy in the room and are able to display certain emotions and enhance the music," Davis said.
Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP
TAIT has used the technology for other high-profile clients, including Beyonce, U2, Taylor Swift, and the 2012 London Olympic ceremonies. The company will return to the Wells Fargo Center to service Cirque du Soleil during their visit March 8 to 12.
Getty Images
Meanwhile, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will continue showcasing the Nano Winches at "The Getaway Tour" through Oct. 10.
