THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Jim Goodnight, CEO of SAS

Curiosity, coding and kids

Driving the world forward

Many of our efforts at SAS to support education tap into the passionate curiosity of children. From GatherIQ to free options for learning SAS, we offer ways for young people to interact with and learn about the amazing potential of technology.

SAS was one of the founding companies of the Computing in the Core coalition, which evolved into the computer science advocacy group Code.org. Each year SAS participates in the group’s Computer Science Education Week and the Hour of Code, helping children to write simple code that navigates a Sphero robot through the learning course.

Computer programming jobs

Growing at twice the national average

But there aren’t enough graduates to fill these jobs that span industry, nonprofits and the public sector. People with a desire to help humanity can find a career to match that passion. But they have to start somewhere.

Albert Einstein credited his success not to his undeniable genius, but to his curiosity. What an empowering statement about human potential.

Curiosity is at the core of what we do at SAS

SAS encourages our employees to follow their curiosity as well. It’s what drove Jared Petersen, who leads our text analytics and cognitive computing development teams, to analyze his own MRI after a life-threatening health issue. His team is now applying AI to medical imaging to improve disease treatment.

Curiosity pushed Ed Summers, Director of Accessibility at SAS, to explore how sound could convey charts and graphs to the visually impaired. His team’s work is opening opportunities in data science and analytics to students and people who may never have considered such careers.

My own curiosity inspired me to pursue computer science after seeing an IBM Selectric typewriter typing by itself. I had to know how it worked. I enrolled in the only computer course NC State offered at the time, and that led to my future in software. Jim Goodnight CEO SAS

Education Outreach

Education gives each new generation the power to change what’s possible. Around the world, SAS supports education initiatives that promote learning for all and build a global community of innovators.

Read the full article

< Back

Racial inequalities in NYC housing

Next >

Why leaders must cultivate curiosity in 2021