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Pencil doubles returns for brands with next generation ads created by AI

Stockwood Strategy

Online video ads can now be generated by artificial intelligence (AI), while learning what resonates with audiences, in order to deliver better results for brands. This innovation is being pioneered by Pencil, the Creative AI company, with the launch of its Machine Generated Creative (MGC) platform. US online sales reached almost $800 billion in 2020, up by 32% year-over-year fuelled by the pandemic*. Over ten million advertisers bought over $80 billion of Facebook ads last year, and research consultancy Nielsen has estimated that creative design can drive almost half of campaign performance. Learning Pencil’s MGC video ads, which are each unique and can be generated in 1 minute, have dozens of creative parameters which can be tracked and analysed through the Pencil platform. Using historic ad performance data, Pencil is able to understand what in the ad is resonating with customers. It can then generate new batches of ad ideas which are new and distinct, but which share winning characteristics with past winners. In this way Pencil learns what works while continuously exploring new ideas that might resonate with audiences. For example, a flashlight brand using Pencil may generate a first batch of ads and find that those pitching battery life outperform those pitching brightness. The brand may then generate more ads exploring how battery life is important when keeping a flashlight in the car for emergencies. Performance Pencil analysed over 100 campaigns that used MGC video ads over the past 6 months and found the best MGC ads delivered an average return on ad spend (ROAS) 2x that of other ads the brands were running. One brand’s MGC campaign delivered 7x higher ROAS. Will Hanschell, CEO and co-founder of Pencil commented: “Great ad campaigns are born from many creative ideas that are distilled down to a few. We are doing exactly this, extremely quickly, using AI. In launching MGC, we want to bring speed, insights and new ideas to marketing teams who care about both the creativity and the results of their ads - that means all marketing teams. Our platform uses the same brainstorm and refine process that creative teams have always used, which means creative teams can collaborate with the platform or use it to automate their day-to-day experimentation.” “Video ads have been dominating marketing campaigns around the world, even more so in 2020 as businesses have pivoted to ecommerce and social channels to engage new customers. The Pencil platform allows brands affordable access to the most powerful AI technology available today to deliver badly needed growth for their businesses, from day one.” Technology Pencil leverages proprietary technology to generate ad video, derive insights and make predictions, as well as integrating the OpenAI API to generate ad copy. The OpenAI API provides access to GPT-3, one of the world’s most powerful language models. Pencil is among the first companies approved to use it commercially. This approval requires strict criteria in AI safety and ethics. GPT-3 allows Pencil to go beyond generating product descriptions, and begin to generate entirely new narratives around a brand or product. For example, pitching a flashlight in an ad by first establishing that working in the dark can be dangerous. This makes Pencil’s ads more compelling to potential customers, and therefore more effective for brands. “Our ads are able to learn from what works for the people - like you or me - who see them and click on them. Our platform gives brands a tool to build a deep understanding of what’s working, what isn’t and what they should try next. We are generating ideas and campaigns that self-learn, providing brands with new insights and a way forward to grow their businesses. With the 2x better results we’ve already achieved at 10x less time and cost, we believe AI will be as fundamental to creativity in the future as the pencil was in the past.” adds Will Hanschell Ends *eMarketer, US Ecommerce Growth Jumps to More than 30% About Pencil Pencil is a Creative AI company on a mission to generate unexpected ideas that get results. Pencil generates ads that learn to perform, delivering the return on ad spend that helps brands scale their businesses. Pencil invented Machine Generated Creative (MGC), a new way of making ads that algorithmically optimises for creative novelty, brand relevance and return on advertising spend. It always starts from a human brief and it always involves total human editorial control. Pencil’s MGC platform generates ads in minutes and has been shown to generate ads that double returns for brands. Pencil was founded in 2018 with a team from Google, Facebook and Uber and is backed by Sequoia, Wavemaker Partners, Singapore Innovate and Entrepreneur First. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.trypencil.com/

January 12, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with Capitol Technology University

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence (CMMC-COE), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is proud to announce a Memorandum of Understanding & Engagement Agreement with Capitol Technology University. This unique partnership will extend efforts to advance the goals and objectives for improving the training and education of the workforce in support of cybersecurity protection and resilience along with supply chain risk management on behalf of the US Department of Defense (DoD) global Defense Industrial Base (DIB) network of contractors, suppliers, and vendors. The CMMC-COE partner network will share a wide range of capabilities from member organizations, including cyber standards frameworks, education, solution architectures, cyber mentoring, workforce, and other elements needed to scale to the demands of the entire DIB marketplace in the US and abroad consisting of over 400,000 contractors. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. "As a leader in cyber education, Capitol Technology University is excited to partner with the CMMC- COE," said Dr. Bradford Sims, President of Capitol Technology University. "This partnership will allow us to further CMMC implementation through enhanced education, training, and mentoring programs. These programs will advance CMMC implementation guidance issued by the DoD and will allow us to achieve the goals established in the National Defense Authorization Act." Capitol Technology University, located in Laurel, Maryland, is an independent institution that has focused on STEM education since 1927. Capitol Tech, the national winner of the 2020 SC Media Award for Best Cybersecurity Higher Education Program, offers hands-on courses taught by industry experts that lead to undergraduate and graduate degrees in emerging fields such as Mechatronics Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. In addition, Dr. Ron Martin, a Professor of Practice at Capitol Tech in a variety of fields including Access and Identity Management, has been appointed to the CMMC-COE Board of Advisors as Capitol Technology University's representative. Dr. Martin's expertise in identity credentialing will afford the organization access to an expert in this unique aspect of cybersecurity while the leadership position will also benefit Capitol Tech by providing the university a voice during meetings. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on Capitol Technology University, please visit https://www.captechu.edu/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

January 11, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

USDA Food Guideline Calls to “Make Every Bite Count”

Pocono Organics

The USDA’s 2020-2025 food guidelines highlight the need for Americans to eat more nutrient-dense foods to promote better health and fight the risk of chronic disease. Pocono Organics founder and president, Ashley Walsh, knows the power of using food as medicine from her personal health journey with gastroparesis which led her to starting one of the largest regenerative organic farms in North America. “I was diagnosed with gastroparesis in my late 20s,” said Walsh. “That means that my stomach is paralyzed and I can’t digest food properly. The doctors told me that they could help me by cutting out parts of my stomach, using feeding tubes, and putting me on a regimen of medications. Those weren’t options I was willing to accept. That started my journey with organic and more nutrient-dense foods. The powerful results of using food as medicine along with plant-based supplements were undeniable for me - instead of being sick five days a week, I was sick five days a month. I was also able to get off of all the medications I was taking for my health because of my stomach. “The problem was that I wasn’t able to get the nutrient-dense organic foods I needed. That’s when the vision for Pocono Organics came to life. I was thrilled to see the USDA theme because when you live with gastroparesis, every bite of food does count! And, when you consider that we rely on just four crops to provide 60% of our daily caloric intake, we have to explore and grow more nutrient-dense food options.” Pocono Organics, which opened to the public in June of 2020, spans more than 380 acres atop the iconic Pocono Mountains and grows regenerative organic produce for retailers, distributors, restaurants, and consumers. Regenerative organic agricultural practices make soil health the priority and include low-till methods and zero-use of chemicals and pesticides. Pocono Organics’ farming approach, in partnership with Rodale Institute, produces some of the cleanest and most nutrient-dense crops grown on earth – making them better for consumers – while also strengthening and healing the soil in which they are grown – which is better for our planet. “For more than 70 years, our partners at Rodale Institute have led the world in regenerative organic science and research that shows how healthy soil grows more nutrient-dense food,” Walsh continued. “Our vision, as a health and wellness organization, is to inspire people and heal the earth. The United Nations has reported that we have less than 50 farming cycles left before our soil is completely depleted of the nutrients needed to grow the food we need. So, we are not only facing issues of human health, but of soil health that will further impact humanity and the food we eat.” Pocono Organics is a Global Center for Research, Education, and Discovery, and is an agritourism destination. Visitors enjoy freshly picked ingredients and prepared meals from its café and are able to stock up with certified organic pantry items in the market. There are also regular in-person and virtual experiential series ranging from cooking masterclasses from executive chef and Food Network Chopped Champion, Lindsay McClain to wellness and food education programs for children. The Pocono Organics education team will also be offering virtual food label reading webinars to share tips on how to read package labels to know what you are really putting in your and your family’s bodies. Walsh and her team have recently launched one of the cleanest and one of the first regenerative organic grown, full-spectrum hemp extract product lines in the world. Pocono Organics’ CBD is the only line to carry the respected Rodale Institute logo on its products and packaging. Pocono Organics’ wellness products are CBD-abundant and harness the power of full-spectrum hemp extract to deliver a broader range of health-promoting cannabinoids. These wellness resources - available online and carried in retail outlets, spas, and numerous doctors’ offices across multiple states - are formulated in Pocono Organics' in-house lab to create artisanal, small-batch items including tinctures, creams, salve sticks, lip balms, and bath bombs. Pocono Organics Pocono Organics is a health and wellness organization with a mission to inspire people and heal the earth. The Global Center for Research, Education, and Discovery is one of the largest regenerative organic farms in North America. Located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, Pocono Organics has more than 380 acres of farm land and, at full build out, will have 120,000 square feet of greenhouse. Pocono Organics has a strategic partnership with Rodale Institute, the global leaders in Regenerative Organic Agriculture practices and research and is one of their largest research satellite facilities. Awarded the 2019 Environmental Innovator of the Year by the Green Sports Alliance, sustainability is a hallmark of Pocono Organics. The farm draws power from a 3MW, 25-acre solar farm and reclaims rain water from 70,000 square feet of roofs for irrigation. Pocono Organics also serves the local community through its Clean Food, Dirty Hands school education program and veterans in transition through a Veteran Farmer Training Program. In addition, the property includes an organic farmer’s market and café, and with a 56-room adjoining hotel, is an agritourism destination, and host location for annual festivals. Please visit www.PoconoOrganics.com to learn more about Pocono Organic’s mission and work. Contact Details Mike Mooney +1 704-361-9499 mike@poconoorganics.com Company Website https://www.poconoorganics.com/

January 08, 2021 08:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with SideChannel

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with SideChannel, an innovative tech-enabled advisory firm providing a wide range of risk management and cybersecurity capabilities working with small businesses, mid-market companies, non-profit corporations, venture capitalist portfolios, startups, municipalities and governments on how to protect their digital assets and bolster their cybersecurity posture. This unique partnership will extend efforts to advance the goals and objectives for improving supply chain security and cyber resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) global Defense Industrial Base (DIB) network of contractors, partners, and vendors. The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative partnership between SideChannel and CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor community and the information and communications technology community creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Source qualified CMMC/ cyber professionals to serve as advocates. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and SideChannel partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The range of capabilities offered by SideChannel, including its virtual and fractional Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) service, further strengthens the portfolio of technology partner providers supporting the CMMC Center of Excellence. SideChannel’s focus is on the delivery of vCISO services and expert level advisory, from former CISOs, to organizations that cannot attract, fund or retain a full-time employee. Their model provides a subscription to industry recognized experts that will build, guide, and mature any organization’s security program. SideChannel’s adoption by both large and smaller clients has led to significantly reduced risk, better aligned prioritization of resourcing and corrected budgets without sacrificing capabilities. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. “We are honored and excited about the opportunity to partner with the CMMC COE and support the critical efforts to protect our supply chain, to improve cybersecurity protection and better the resilience across the Defense Industrial Base globally,” said Brian Haugli, Managing Partner, SideChannel. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that includes resources and supports the overall effort including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more. This will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on SideChannel, please visit https://www.sidechannel.com About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

January 06, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Introducing Airbnb.org: A New Nonprofit To Connect People With Places To Stay In Times Of Crisis

YourUpdateTV

As communities around the world grapple with the devastating impacts of natural disasters and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Airbnb.org, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has dedicated itself to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis. Recently, Kristen Berlacher, the Head of Airbnb.org Programs, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to discuss the important initiative. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/yg0u4NmpGDg The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees and asylum seekers, and most recently, frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. From Australia to France, more than 100,000 hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 75,000 people in times of need. Going forward, Airbnb’s Open Homes and Frontline Stays programs will now be called Airbnb.org. Airbnb.org’s initial commitments include $2 million to support expanded partnerships with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE). Over the next two years, Airbnb.org will commit $1 million to cover stays for IFRC staff and volunteers supporting communities worldwide hit by COVID-19 and other humanitarian disasters. CORE will utilize Airbnb.org’s $1 million contribution to fund stays for frontline workers administering free COVID-19 tests, conducting contact tracing, providing flu shots and coordinating quarantine support resources in ten cities across the U.S. with the opportunity to launch in new cities as hotspots arise. When a vaccine becomes available, CORE will also use Airbnb.org funding to house relief workers traveling to vaccine distribution centers. How it works Airbnb.org will allow hosts on Airbnb to provide free and discounted stays to people impacted by emergencies, including natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. These stays, which provide alternative accommodation and shelter options, are especially helpful to government and nonprofit partners in a year where the COVID-19 pandemic has made housing vulnerable people in traditional congregate shelters extremely challenging. Hosts who support Airbnb.org by offering free stays or making recurring donations will receive a special badge on their profile to recognize their generosity and commitment to communities in need. To ensure community donations go further towards helping house people in times of crisis, Airbnb has pledged 400,000 shares of Airbnb stock to support the organization’s emergency response, natural disaster response and refugee programs. Airbnb co-founders Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nate Blecharczyk are committing $6 million to support partners and impacted communities. In addition, Airbnb will continue to provide ongoing operational support for Airbnb.org. Anyone who finds joy in helping others, who believes in kindness and is interested in helping by opening their homes or donating to this cause, can learn more at airbnb.org. About Kristen Berlacher: As Head of Airbnb.org Programs, Kristen leads a global team that supports the organization’s efforts to help people impacted by natural disasters, refugees and frontline responders fighting the spread of COVID-19. With a background in both corporate philanthropy and nonprofit management, Kristen oversees strategic partnerships, program operations and product integration with the goal of leveraging Airbnb’s unique assets to provide innovative housing solutions and livelihoods opportunities for vulnerable populations around the globe. Prior to Airbnb, Kristen led Hyatt Hotel Corporation’s global philanthropy programs focused on economic empowerment, disaster response and employee volunteerism. Before Hyatt, Kristen served as interim Executive Director for Working in the Schools, a nonprofit focused on literacy programming for vulnerable youth. Kristen holds a BA in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond, VA. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

January 05, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Jennifer Lang Financial Services To Help The Hardest-Hit Small Businesses Apply To Receive PPP Aid.

Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC

In a recent poll by the Coleman Report, 4 out of 5 SBA lenders polled say that over 75% of their borrowers have exhausted their PPP loans and 15% of lenders do not plan to participate in a 2nd draw program. For the next round of PPP, many small businesses will be seeking a lender for their first PPP loan or a new lender for their 2nd PPP loan. According to Jennifer Lang Financial Services, the new Bipartisan Emergency COVID Relief Act of 2020 will allow the hardest-hit small businesses to receive a second forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and other businesses to receive a first one. To prepare for the next stimulus package, business owners should consider gathering the requested documents, appropriately plan out their use of funds and submit swiftly. PPP funds are not endless and are expected to run out rapidly. Although the next round PPP application is not available yet, business owners can sign up now to apply, so that they are first in line for underwriting. Jennifer Financial Services has successfully helped guide business owners through the first round of the PPP program and is in an excellent position to help with this next round. They offer a streamlined application that will help small business owners calculate the allowable loan amount based on their payroll. They also have seasoned professionals on hand to help guide applicants through the PPP loan application process with participating banks and hedge fund partners. Small business owners seeking help applying for PPP loans can contact: https://www.jenniferlangfinancialservices.com/business-loans Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC. advises families and small business owners on their life insurance and safe retirement planning needs. They specialize in No-Market Risk Retirement Planning Strategies which include Annuities, IRA Conversions, 401K Rollovers, Indexed Universal Life Insurance (IUL), and Business Loans. Contact Details Jennifer Lang +1 877-487-8926 mail@jenniferlangfinancialservices.com Company Website https://www.jenniferlangfinancialservices.com

January 05, 2021 11:53 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Taiwan’s Academia Sinica, A Vibrant Hub with Over 100 Fully Funded Ph.D. Scholarships

Media Outreach

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 28 December 2020 - Academia Sinica, the preeminent research institution in Taiwan, announces the application for 2021 fall semester of its Taiwan International Graduate Program ( TIGP@AS ). The application is open until February 1st, 2021. TIGP@AS provides 12 interdisciplinary and funded programs ranging from physical sciences, life sciences to social sciences and the humanities. The all-English Ph.D. Program cooperates closely with Taiwan’s leading universities and provides superior scientific training courses. It is aimed to attract the top talents from around the world with ambition to grow personally and professionally. TIGP@AS offers competitive financial support for its students. All admitted students enjoy a monthly stipend of NTD 34,000 (about USD 1,100) for the first year. For those who perform well, this stipend will be extended to the 2nd and the 3rd year. In subsequent years, financial support will come from the thesis advisor. Besides, full-time TIGP Ph.D. candidates or students who have passed their qualifying exams with distinction are eligible to apply for the TIGP@AS Research Performance Fellowship. Awardees can receive an additional NTD 6,000 per month for one year. Through Academia Sinica’s substantial connections with first-rate institutions worldwide, TIGP@AS can make arrangements for students to visit and conduct research in renowned laboratories around the globe. The yearly Travel Grant Award of TIGP@AS encourages students to join important global symposiums. Other international exposure opportunities include attending seminars abroad, doing short-term research projects abroad, and participating in international meetings such as Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. Academia Sinica also invites distinguished scholars, entrepreneurial masters, and Nobel Laureates to visit the campus and share their unique stories on achieving success in their respective fields. To facilitate first-year students’ quicker adaptation to the local environments, TIGP@AS provides free-of-charge Mandarin language courses at the entry-level and a convenient and affordable fully-furnished dormitory. All the students of TIGP@AS will find their experiences at Academia Sinica and in Taiwan not only personally rewarding but also culturally enriching. Application is free of charge through TIGP@AS online system. For any questions, please visit the TIGP@AS official website or contact Ms. Huan-Yi Shen with the TIGP@AS Admission Office at tigp@gate.sinica.edu.tw. About TIGP@AS Started in 2002, TIGP@AS is a joint-effort between Academia Sinica and top research-leading universities in Taiwan. It integrates first-class facilities with outstanding faculty to offer interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs across a wide range of disciplines. All courses are conducted in English. After completing the graduation requirements, students receive certificates from Academia Sinica and degrees from the partner universities. TIGP@AS also periodically accepts applications to funded International Internship Program, which provides an opportunity for young talents to experience Academia Sinica's research environment. The 12 interdisciplinary programs within TIGP@AS are in cooperation with 11 top domestic universities as follows. You can click on the links to find out more details. 1. Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics 2. Molecular Science and Technology 3. Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences 4. Bioinformatics 5. Molecular and Cell Biology 6. Nano Science and Technology 7. Molecular Medicine 8. Earth System Science 9. Biodiversity 10. Interdisciplinary Neuroscience 11. Sustainable Chemical Science and Technology 12. Social Networks and Human-Centered Computing TIGP@AS is a genuinely international community with over 577 students from 44 countries. To date, more than 518 students have completed TIGP@AS's rigorous requirements and obtained Ph.D. degrees. In the past years, TIGP@AS students have published more than 1,717 research papers in top scholarly journals; many alumni have taken up teaching or research positions in world-renowned universities and academic institutions. TIGP@AS graduates also proved themselves qualified to contribute their expertise to the industry. Many of them are now working in internationally well-known companies such as Samsung and TSMC. Academia Sinica has recently launched its National Biotechnology Research Park as a biotech industry corridor linking Taiwan to the global market. Right next to the campus of TIGP@AS, the Park should shortly become a bridging platform of multidisciplinary research collaboration and occupational opportunities for the students. About Academia Sinica Founded in 1928 and funded by the Taiwan government, Academia Sinica has been a historically global leading research institution. It is Taiwan's national academy of sciences and serves as policy think-tank. Currently, Academia Sinica has more than 1,000 research fellows and specialists working in 32 research institutes on the campus. To expand its research link to top institutes globally, Academia Sinica has also established over 50 overseas and domestic research sites. Several recent research highlights include cellular and molecular imaging, novel mass spectrometry technologies, cancer vaccines and new drugs, structural biology, chemical dynamics, Alzheimer's disease research, ALMA-Taiwan Project, and Taiwan earthquakes research. Contact Details Huan-Yi Shen +852 3996 9731 tigp@gate.sinica.edu.tw Company Website https://www.sinica.edu.tw/en

December 28, 2020 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Velocity Global appoints ADP veteran Jim Birch to modernize International PEO payroll

Velocity Global

Velocity Global, the leading provider of global expansion solutions, today announced global payroll veteran, Jim Birch, as vice president of Global Payroll and Product Strategy. Birch joins Velocity Global to lead cutting-edge strategies to streamline Employer of Record payroll execution for midmarket and enterprise clients. Birch joins Velocity Global from ADP, a leader in global payroll solutions, where he led product management and the user experience for automated payroll processes across ADP’s Streamline-Celergo multicountry payroll services. For a decade prior, Birch grew operations at Celergo before ADP acquired it in 2018. “Jim applies his world class know-how to scale global payroll operations for our clients,” said José Montero, Velocity Global chief operating officer. “For an Employer of Record, global payroll requires intricate coordination with clients and their HR platforms. As remote teams drive the largest workforce shift in recent memory, Jim will connect our payroll operations with backend name-brand payroll platforms for our clients, and make our solutions more accessible to enterprises.” Clients rely on Velocity Global’s expertise and global infrastructure to hire internationally without the cost or complexity of setting up their own foreign legal entities. As a strategic partner offering International Professional Employer Organization (PEO) services, Velocity Global serves as an employer of record to manage in-country compliance, payroll, and benefits for its clients’ supported employees. “Payroll is equivalent to the last-mile delivery of a paycheck -- it must be frictionless for the employer and the supported employee,” said Birch. “Today, the International PEO model mainly serves growth companies as they expand globally with speed and limited investment. I am energized to scale our global payroll operations to connect with enterprise platforms as corporations seek that same flexibility.” For 15 years, Birch led and integrated global payroll processes; led IT network, software development, and product management; and managed client services and a global network of payroll providers. He held international assignments serving as managing director of Celergo’s London, Singapore & Hungary regional offices. Jim will report to Velocity Global’s Chief Operating Officer, José Montero. View a biography for Jim Birch and other leaders at Velocity Global. ABOUT VELOCITY GLOBAL Velocity Global helps companies grow globally. Founded in 2014, Velocity Global’s clients rely on its expertise and global infrastructure in 185 countries to hire compliantly around the world, increase revenue, scale efficiently, and access global talent. Named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall, Velocity Global is a strategic partner to its clients with comprehensive services led by its core offering of International PEO as well as Immigration, Entity Setup and Support, Global Talent Acquisition, and Consulting. Velocity Global is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with regional headquarters in Amsterdam and Singapore, and local employees in 14 countries. Contact Details John Hall +1 720-650-4348 johnhall@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

December 14, 2020 07:02 AM Mountain Standard Time

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Author Ken Kladouris Grants Wish During 2020 Make-A-Wish Virtual Hope Gala

Ken Kladouris

True giving knows no season, however, the holidays are annually a time filled with charitable fundraisers near and far. These events are vital to the health and survival of non-profits who are looking to close out the year financially sound, in order to support those they are dedicated to serving. While the pandemic of 2020 severely impacted the traditional way in which fundraising events were hosted, grit and determination proved to transform the experiences into virtual wonders. On November 14th, 2020 Make-A-Wish Orange County hosted their first ever virtual gala, raising $325,000 to fund approximately 40 wishes for critically-ill children, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Ken Kladouris, Partner and President of Platinum Wealth Group and author of “Get There” attended the virtual gala, continuing his annual tradition of granting a wish. The complete virtual gala can be viewed HERE. “The gift of a wish is that it transforms both the giver and the recipient. My heart is full knowing that a child will be able to experience the magic of a wish granted – which will elevate their hope for the future.” - Ken Kladouris About Ken Kladouris, CDFA: Ken Kladouris is an esteemed wealth advisor and published author who believes you should be living your life, by design. He is an active Partner and current President at Platinum Wealth Group and holds Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Series 3, 7, 24, 31 and 66 Registrations. Additionally, he holds a California Life and Health Insurance License. His first book, “Get There!” was developed as a tool that helps individuals discover the clarity they need to design their financial future. This resource was compiled following Kladouris’ own awakening. Becoming aligned with his “why”, he recognized his true purpose was to assist men and women across the globe in their pursuit of achieving enhanced joy, freedom and fulfillment. Learn More: KenKladouris.com | LinkedIn ### Contact Details Sterling Public Relations, Paula Steurer +1 949-200-6566 paula@sterlingpublicrelationsoc.com

December 10, 2020 03:55 PM Pacific Standard Time

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