First and foremost, the world is a small place. The relationships forged at a party like SummerMash are not fleeting occurrences. They are friends, colleagues, and mentors that you will hopefully continue to develop repertories with over time. Working in PR especially, I am often reminded of the immediacy of a conversation, the superficial motivation to meet someone simply to say that you now “know” them, and the consistent pressure to sell ideas and products. It is a strategy perhaps successful for some, but no less disturbing to me as an on-looker.

As a young professional, I find myself observing these interactions and vowing to change not only this perception, but this process. There are so many wonderful individuals in this industry that do not behave this way, and that understand this small world mentality. We should strive to remain transparent and speak as peers. In the burgeoning world of startups especially, no one is going anywhere. If you are not given the opportunity to forge a relationship at one party, there will be many more.

Second, the barrier between personal and professional is broken. This is something that was echoed in my SXSW ‘10 panel this year, but given the influx of contacts initiated via social networks, we can no longer “escape” back into our personal lives. As startups, especially, we often find ourselves so enamored by the work that we are doing, that we literally become our work. There is much debate on whether or not this is actually necessary to succeed, but I would argue that stepping outside of your professional boundaries and encouraging the growth of unique personal attributes can actually be used to your advantage.

This is not to say, exploit your personal talents and ambitions for the success of your professional career, so please do not misunderstand. Instead, I am merely suggesting that we re-think this separation. Being able to discuss interests outside of the workplace may not only improve your work/life balance, but can also provide more substance to relationships with clients, with colleagues, with journalists, etc. By being yourself and expressing your unique insights or quirky characteristics, work becomes not simply a place of professional encounters and milestones, but a place to grow out of, and nurture your own personal growth and goals.

And finally, honesty is often overlooked. I personally find this to be one of the hardest practices to adopt as I despise not knowing an answer, or being perceived as unprepared. But, admitting that you do not know what something means or you haven’t met the person everyone is talking about is not the end of the world. In fact, being honest and asking for help will not only benefit your lack of knowledge on this particular subject, but says something much more about you as a person.

Not knowing is natural. As I have only recently begun my professional career, for example, there are many things I do not know. And as hard as I try to prepare, to research, or to ask questions, I will still not know. Overcoming this fear of “not knowing” will likely be a long journey, but is something I truly believe in. It is not a weakness, but instead, a strength to trust that your community will respect you even more for your honesty, and will help you learn what you do not know.

I consider myself so incredibly lucky to be on this professional path, working with talented individuals, constantly meeting inspiring guys and gals, and being able to travel to places that I love dearly. The startup community is truly unique and I look forward to many more lessons learned and problems solved.

BTW, if you’d like to view photos from SummerMash SF, check out Ken Yeung’s full album HERE or guest’s mobile uploads HERE.

During our SXSWi panel on March 12th, Dr. Corinne Weisgerber, Jenn Deering Davis, Matthew Weber, and I will be presenting a well rounded discussion/debate of the controversial effects of technology in romantic, work, and family relationships.

A quick note: These are solely my opinions and do not represent the entire panel. In fact, we expect several areas of disagreement within the panel discussion, ensuring that all angles are addressed.

Consider the multiples stages of a relationship:

1. Research and Development

You lock eyes and suddenly she begins walking towards you. There’s an awkward exchange of names and basic interests, but when she glances toward her friends 5 minutes later and says she has to go, you are left empty handed. No worry. You know her name. You know what city she lives in. So you grab your iPhone, google her name, and find her on Facebook.

Instant connection.

Later that night, you search through her Facebook photos, read her Twitter feed, and even find an article about her in the local newspaper. By this point, you’ve decided she isn’t your type and the fact that she left without giving you her number, is obviously a positive thing.

This is the type of digging we are now accustomed to. Gone are the days of “blind” dates. After all, a quick profile glance will tell you where he grew up, if he’s religious, and even what his ex looks like.

Establishing a connection no longer depends on face to face interaction. A relationship may begin in person, over the phone, on a dating website, or even in a video game.

2. Labeling

Thanks to Facebook, we now have a way to publicly define our relationships. We know the date, the time, and whether our networks “like” our pairing. Friends of mine have even decided to make the day they went “Facebook public” their official anniversary day.

3. Honeymoon Phase

We’ve all seen it. Kissing photos, loving tweets, “The Two of Us” albums on Flickr. Depending on your feelings towards social networks, this may be a positive or negative sentiment. But, regardless of your opinion, there is no denying that intimacy is evolving.

While this does not apply to every relationship, it is an entirely new form of romantic communication, increasing in frequency on a daily basis. Simply look around a restaurant and you will see couples engaging on their iPhones as they wait for service, a couple laughing as they both check-in on Gowalla, or the unmistakable “aww” as she reads his tweet about “going to dinner with the most beautiful girl I know.” These actions are second nature to many, and pose the question:

“Are we missing opportunities within our romantic relationships as we attempt to please an ambiguous social audience?”

4. Conflict

Understanding technology’s power in your life becomes instantly recognizable at the onset of conflict. We no longer turn to journals or confidantes in times of upset, but instead post public status updates, angry comments, or spiteful photos. Our most personal feelings and struggles are plastered across multiple social networks, whether we initiate it or not.

Research is brimming with examples of suggested etiquette in a break-up or divorce. And yet, even de-friending, un-following, and un-tagging will not erase the emotional pain. Nor will it remove the temptation to search them out at a later time.

If you have a personal experience you’d like to share, please feel free to leave a comment. Or if you disagree with my statements, let me know!

As an independently organized event, TEDxATX mirrored the official TED presentation format, but emphasized local talent and inspiration. Hosted in the iconic KLRU studio on UT Campus (famous for its production of Austin City Limits), the theme was PLAY BIG and sought to foster an environment of collaboration amongst a handful of Texas’ unique minds and hearts.

While each and every presentation struck a chord, I’d like to highlight five personally inspiring discussions:

1. [Rip Esselstyn]

Inspired by the deteriorating health of his fellow firefighters, Rip transitioned a firehouse of meat-loving Texans to a plant-based diet known as the Engine 2 Diet. Unlike short-term solutions that we witness daily, Rip’s suggestions reflect an overall shift in both body and soul. Coincidentally, as I was enjoying a late dinner with  friends at 24Diner, Mary Olivar (resident Healthy Eating Specialist at Whole Foods) was seated at the table next to ours and leaned over to let me know that she worked with Rip on the book and would love to help navigate an integration of the diet into my everyday life. Needless to say, if you are interested in learning more about the Engine 2 Diet, I would highly reccomend stopping by Whole Foods to meet with Mary!

2. [Steven Tomlinson]

As a well known spirit here in Austin, Steven spoke to a topic near and dear to my heart: balancing unique and all intensive interests within the constraints of a “career” driven mindset. After presenting his own anecdotal acceptance of passions in theatre, in business, and in religion, Steven encouraged the audience to consider that perhaps,

“You don’t need a career; you need a calling.”

While my own interests vary from communication studies to the tech industry to acting, I often question each specific component’s function in relation to the others. It is no secret that academia and business conflict, but hearing Steven speak reaffirmed my pursuit to meld the two environments. In addition, Steven emphasized the importance of maintaining a personal ritual each day, in an effort to remain grounded in oneself. As he explained, a lack of personal awareness often manifests in bitter jealousy, anger, stress, etc. Given his aptitude for performing, it was not surprising to here attendees say that Steven had stolen the stage Saturday. Wonderful, wonderful presentation overall.

3. [Chris Mueller]

According to Chris,

“Creating a human genome is like recreating 6% of Google’s index.”

Intriguing analogy aside, the future of gene sequencing faces a host of obstacles with statistics like that. And yet, Chris effectively illustrated the basics of sequencing, while emphasizing the potential for medical developments once genetic analysis begins.

4. [Mark Rolston]

I fully admit it. I was at the edge of my seat during the entirety of Mark’s presentation. Augmented reality? Yes, please. Centering around the controversy of humanity’s fading line between reality and alternate reality, Mark presented the following video:

One example discussed was the incessant tagging process, evident in applications such as Google Maps, Yelp, etc. The question, therefore, is whether this information transcends the actual physical experience of being at the tagged location. Or, as Mark phrased it, given the opportunity,

“Would you replace your eye with a camera?” (seen HERE)

Personally, I find value in both arguments. As a nerd, I immediately say “heck yes!” but as a communication researcher, I understand the implications associated with this “bionic existence.” Needless to say, this was one of my favorite discussions and I look forward to others’ reactions.

5. [Mark McKinnon]

In an entirely genuine manner, Mark explained that his own personal ambitions led him away from his duties as a husband and father. And it was only after his wife’s battle with cancer that he began to understand the importance of each day with the ones you love. While each and every talk was inspiring, I felt renewed to end the evening with a reminder that maintaining one’s personal relationships is not only an essential act, but will continue to fuel all subsequent professional and philanthropic acts as well.

Overall, the event exceeded my expectations in providing inspiring and innovative speakers. However, given the controversy over Saturday’s limited seating, I was disappointed to see handfuls of open seats as the day progressed. While it is understandable that attendees have commitments outside of the conference, I could not help but think of the many applicants turned away initially, and how much they would have benefited from the day’s community. For although I am fortunate to be a member of Austin’s vibrant tech community, I was pleased to walk into a room full of strangers on Saturday. I know that seems odd, but it is truly a testament to the organizers that attendees varied in industry and expertise. If I am fortunate enough to attend next year’s event, I only hope that audience engagement improves as I am confident that the speakers will be as (if not more!) wonderful as they were this weekend.

If you missed Saturday’s live-stream, check out the full list of speakers and stay tuned to the TEDxATX website for videos soon!

Our panel proposal can be read in full detail HERE, but to put it simply, our goal is to discuss the implications of three types of relationships: Familial, Professional, and Romantic. This video highlights one of those categories by following the evolution of a romantic relationship, online.

The relationship in this video will not appear unusual and it most certainly does not represent the downfall of interpersonal communication as our title may suggest. However, what is interesting about the evolution of this relationship is how public it is, how engaged both members are online, how social networks affect bonding and separation, and how desensitized we have become as a community to each of these phenomenons:

(If you’re on your iPhone, watch the YouTube version HERE)

If chosen, we hope to bring attention to the dynamic shift occurring in interpersonal relationships. We will discuss research in the field of communication as well as examine what positive and negative repercussions we can expect in the future as technology continues to progress.

We all engage in interpersonal relationships, whether it be with your spouse, your parent, your boss, or your child. Technology will help us do this, but it will also change the rules by which we play. Help us get to SXSWi 2010 and we’ll help you understand these changes and how to use them to your advantage. Thank you to everyone for the continued support and we look forward to seeing you in Austin this March!

UPDATE: We were accepted! If you’re attending SXSW this year, please check out our panel, Friday at 3:30pm in room 12AB at the Austin Convention Center. More info here.

“Is Technology Weakening Interpersonal Relationships?” from Ashley Brown on Vimeo.

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural Ignite San Diego. Hosted at Hive Co-Working Space and sponsored by Airdale Brewery, the event was standing room only in the chic, warehouse style digs. If you’re not familiar with Ignite, it’s a specific presentation format limited to 5 minutes and 20 slides.

While I am very familiar with the enthusiastic tech community within Austin, I was curious to check out the culture in my own hometown. Needless to say, I was blown away by the vision and passion behind each presentation.

Three presentations specifically interested me:

1. “Reverse Engineering the Brain, Online” by Stephen Larson

Larson is a Ph.D candidate in Neuroscience at UCSD and discussed the potential of combining both neuroscience and computer science to provide the academic and public communities with more information and a better understanding of the human brain. As soon as he mentioned developing a “Google Map of the Brain,” I was sold.

UPDATE: Stephen’s project is now live! Check it out: http://wholebraincatalog.org

2. “F*ck the Recession: 20 People Doing 20 Great Things” by Dave Brown

Brown’s presentation drove energy through the crowd as he walked to the front of the room and exclaimed, “I don’t know about you, but I’m f*cking tired of hearing about this recession!” As cheers subsided, Brown proceeded to highlight 20 people and products that are working through the turbulent economy  and making a positive impact within their own lives as well as the lives of those around them. One great example was the “Do Good” iPhone App.

3. “Classifying Twitter Engagement” by David Horn

As if reading my own mental frustrations with Twitter measurement, Horn discussed metrics for determining the overall impact of a Twitter user when calculated against his/her input and output. Horn’s metrics (complete with unqiue variables) suggested a more realistic and practical measure of influence. This analysis, based on “engagement,” gave me further hope that users’ “follower” counts will diminish in importance.

Overall the evening was engaging and lighthearted. I am excited to have had the opportunity to experience the culture of San Diego’s tech scene and I look forward to future collaborations with wonderful businesses, entrepreneurs, and students in the area.

Want more? Check out the complete list of last night’s Ignite San Diego speakers here.

Two details surrounding this case specifically concern me. First, the accused is a celebrity (MC Hammer’s cousin and frequent guest on the “Hammertime” television show). Therefore, this story will not only be spread as news, but will most likely be twisted into an emotionally painful campaign, harming the victim and her family. In addition, Twitter will now be associated with the likes of Myspace and Facebook, reiterating what we may have chosen to previously ignore-social networks can be dangerous.

This statement is not a revelation, but we often forget what potential implications our communication systems have. Recently, discussions of an absence of Twitter use amongst teens began to suggest privacy as the primary concern. Clearly, there is reason for concern. However, Facebook is no safer in my opinion. The only way to ensure safety is to educate children and young adults about social media use and levels of incorporation into daily life. I am eager to watch the fall out of today’s disheartening news. Will Twitter’s reputation be affected or will it simply be viewed as the fault of users not practicing safety online?  While Twitter currently boasts a practicality and intrigue that other networks have lost, its association with events such as this may lead to its own discredidation.