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When the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently removed the Future Risk Index tool from its website, it not only took away a critical way to quantify the economic impacts of climate changeit also wiped out years of data from multiple federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, and the Environmental Protection Agency. But before all that data went offline, two software engineers were able to re-create the toolrebuilding it themselves and sharing it on their GitHub free of charge. The Trump administration has been scrubbing all sorts of information from government websites, from details about U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) work to pages that mention DEI to anything concerning climate change. FEMAs Future Risk Index was another recent casualty of those efforts. The tool, launched in December 2024, mapped the projected economic losses from climate change down to the county level, based on hazards like flooding, drought, heat waves, and wildfires under different emissions scenarios. In February, the map was quietly removed from the government website. But before that happened, Rajan Desai and Jeremy Herzog, who both work at the consulting firm Fulton Ring, were tipped off that it would likely come down. In preparation, they took screenshots and downloaded the available data so that they could rebuild it themselves. Though theyre not climate expertsDesais background is primarily in data science and Herzogs is in software engineeringDesai says they believed this could be one tangible way to actively fight the destruction thats happening at the federal level right now. Theyre not alone; online archivists, amateur or otherwise, have been rushing to save data sets, web pages, and tools from government websites amid the Trump administrations attacks. To Desai and Herzog, it was clear that the tool was important, and the result of months of work across agencies. There was basically about a year’s worth of taxpayer-funded resources that were put into this tool, and it’s ultimately for public consumption, Desai says. (FEMA did not return a request for comment about the tool or its removal.) The Future Risk Index was a supplement to FEMAs National Risk Index, an interactive map that shows which communities are most at risk from various climate hazards. (As of publication, that index is still on FEMAs website). But the Future Risk Index was different in that it included data on the effects of climate change, and how those hazards would become both more frequent and more severe over time. While the National Risk Index could show expected annual losses from climate hazards over the next few years, for example, the Future Risk Index took that further, all the way to mid-century, when the impacts of climate change will be even more extremewhen the sea level could rise more than 8 feet and global temperatures could be 3 degrees Celsius hotter on average. [Image: Fulton Ring] That made the Future Risk Index a crucial tool for people like tribal leaders, local and state elected officials, urban planners, and businesses, because it made the sometimes ambiguous effects of climate change into tangible economic impacts. Looking at Miami-Dade County, for example, the National Risk Index showed that the county could expect annual losses of up to $5.9 million from coastal floodingbut the Future Risk Index showed that by mid-century, even under a lower emissions scenario, those projected annual losses could skyrocket to $29 million. It also showed which hazards (wildfires or floods, for example) would be more or less impactful in a specific area, helping communities prioritize their resources and plan for the future. An internal FEMA worker first reached out to Desai about saving the tool; swift action was crucial. Though they were able to get a version up on their Github and quickly offer an alternative, Desai and Herzog are realistic about the limitations to this ad hoc way of preserving government projects. They took on the task for free, and plan to keep the tool free, but theyre also a small consulting firm with limited resources (Herzog is the cofounder, while Desai is a data scientist there); they cant do much more to advance the toollike allow it to get more granular than county-level datawithout funds. It’s also now, essentially, frozen: It preserves the data the government already gathered, but theres no ability to update it as things change. Thats a reality with any individual or small team of archivists doing this work, and theres a threat, they say, that only big companies with vast resources will keep sharing such data and making these useful tools. In an ideal world, the government would be maintaining data sets, Herzog says. But with those coming offline, the only institutions with the actual capabilities to fill the need and take this work further are giant, private companieswhich have already been acquiescing to the Trump administration (like Googles move to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on its maps). When Desai and Herzog were reading the documents associated with the climate data they downloaded, they saw clearly that FEMA workers interviewed people from every agency with every data set they collected from NOAA, from NASA, etc., Desai says. The amount of work that was poured into this . . . it would take me months to put together. That speaks to the greater loss of these government resources, and the limitation on the private sector to fill the gaps, attempting to replace the work that was being done by thousands of people who have now been fired. More than 200 FEMA workers have been dismissed since January, and NOAA could soon see more than 1,000 firingsin addition to the more than 800 workers who were already let go. The documents the pair downloaded from FEMA also didn’t include all the specifics on methodology; some information was even censored. All that institutional knowledge held by FEMA staffers gets lost tooeven as citizens try to rebuild tools and bring information back online. Even the best efforts that people are doing to archive this data, theres so much information thats lost, Desai says. There’s more information that’s in people’s heads that is just not documented, and we’re never going to know what that information loss looks like.
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Its a . . . well, weird job market out there, to put it diplomatically. If youve suddenly found yourself looking for work among what feels like a never-ending onslaught of layoffs, youre not alone. Now more than ever, standing out is essential to landing your dream job. In that spirit, LinkedIn Learning offers a variety of free courses that can help you sharpen your skills, boost your confidence, and navigate the job-seeking landscape with ease. Here are six free LinkedIn Learning courses that can assist you in finding a new job. Polish up your résumé This 2.5-hour course covers everything you need to know about creating a résumé that showcases your skills, experiences, and achievements effectively. You’ll learn how to format your résumé, choose the right keywords, and tailor it to different job applications.Additionally, the course provides tips on avoiding common mistakes and how to use action verbs to highlight your accomplishments. By the end, you’ll ideally have a polished résumé that sets you apart from other candidates. Ace your interviews Interviews can be nerve-wracking, but preparation is key to success. This 1.25-hour course offers expert advice on how to answer common interview questions confidently and effectively. You’ll learn how to research the company, understand the job requirements, and prepare responses to questions about your skills, experiences, and career goals. Also covered techniques for handling tricky questions, such as addressing gaps in your employment history or explaining why you left your previous job. Keep your wits about you Youve sent out hundreds of résumés. The fish arent biting. The ones that are result in rejection. Youre getting discouraged. This quick course is a half-hour pick-me-up that teaches you strategies for setting realistic goals, staying organized, and managing stress. It also provides techniques for building self-confidence, overcoming self-doubt, and staying motivated even when the going gets tough. Land a job on LinkedIn Love it or hate it, LinkedIn is still a powerful tool for job seekers. This hour-long course teaches you how to finesse your LinkedIn profile to make it more attractive to recruiters and hiring managers. You’ll learn how to create a compelling headline, write a professional summary, and showcase your skills and experiences. The course also covers strategies for networking with industry professionals, joining relevant LinkedIn groups, and utilizing the platform’s job search features. Land a job not on LinkedIn (or anywhere else) Not all job opportunities are advertised publicly, and many great positions are found through networking and personal connections. This half-hour course reveals strategies for tapping into the hidden job market, where you can discover unadvertised positions and reach out to potential employers directly. You’ll learn how to identify key contacts, craft persuasive outreach messages, and build meaningful professional relationships. The class also covers techniques for conducting informational interviews and leveraging your network to uncover hidden opportunities. Always be networking Even if youre not looking for a new job, building a strong professional network is more important than ever. This 40-minute course offers practical strategies for connecting with industry professionals, joining relevant online communities, and using social media to your advantage. You’ll learn how to create an engaging online presence, share valuable content, and participate in virtual events and discussions. Along with all that, youll get tips for maintaining and nurturing your network over time, ensuring that you have a solid support system as you navigate your career.
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Hundreds of thousands of peopleincluding meare heading to Austin, Texas, for the SXSW Conference and Festivals to learn, share, and meet others who are eager to propel business and culture forward. In perusing the lineup for this years conference, I was pleasantly surprised. In addition to Understood.orgs session, the agenda has half a dozen panels or meetups focused on some flavor of neurodiversityfrom the science behind neuroinclusive office design to learning to love your tricky brain. As a neurodivergent leader at Understood.org, I often find myself the lone neurodiversity advocate in professional settingscreatively connecting dots to make the business (as well as the moral and ethical) case for why people who learn and think differently shouldnt be overlooked at work, at school, and in the world. So, looking at the agenda, Im thrilled! Its incredible to see that people plan to proactively discuss people who learn and think differently at such an influential event. But Im also cautious. Because I dont want neurodiversity to get buzzword treatment. Weve seen it before: The viral business focus or philosophy that dominates headlines and conference agendas for a certain period of time and thenpoof! It disappears. Empathetic leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic-era. Fail smart before that. We cant let neurodiversity get labeled as a trend, because its not a trend. Neurodiversity is the future, and its critical for business growth. The future is grounded in neurodiversity Research shows that 53% of Gen Z identify as neurodivergent, and this revelation comes at a critical moment when Gen Z now outnumbers baby boomers in the workplace. This means that more than half of middle managersincluding those who will grow into future leaderslearn and think differently. Their neurodivergence may mean they have different expectations around ways of working, sharing information, and flexibility. Todays business leaders must understand the upcoming generation of talent so that they can unlock their full potential. This should also be a wake-up call for brands. Every brand leader is trying to better understand and penetrate the Gen Z market. Recognizing that more than half of these consumers identify as neurodivergent can potentially open up new opportunitiesfrom product development to marketing. Its estimated that neurodivergent consumers boast almost $2 trillion in spending power. In short, organizations are leaving talent and money on the table if they dont consider the neurodivergent population. Accessibility is a competitive advantage At a moment when there is sensitivity around language related to equity and opportunity, we must make sure accessibility remains. Accessibility helps everyone. Its often the first step toward building environments where people feel included, and its also an unlock for business growth. When people can access information easily, theyre enabled to do their best work. This is especially important for neurodivergent talent, who can offer creativity and unique problem-solving skills when granted the right support. In fact, Gartner research has shown that cognitively diverse and inclusive decision-making teams lead to exceeding financial goals for 75% of organizations. Its one of the reasons Understood.org leverages the principles of universal design in our operations. Universal design is a simple concept, whether its applied to architecture, education, or product design: If you design for the fringes, it benefits everyone. We know that using AI tools to take notes and provide captioning is beneficial to all, and that its particularly impactful for people with sensory or processing issues. We understand that using larger text sizes and bullet points in documents increases readability, and that these guidelines are especially helpful for our dyslexic talent. We adopted these practices so that the one-third of Understood employees who identify as neurodivergent dont need to ask for formal accommodations to do their job. Support is available to everyone and helps everyone. While language may change, the work to build accessible environments for your workforce or your customers shouldnt. Employers should view it for what it is: a competitive advantage, because it provides people with the opportunity to participate, engage, and play to their strengths. Where do we go from here? Im optimistic about neurodiversity being discussed openly at marquee events. Im encouraged by the inquiries we receive from leading companies wanting to be more supportive of neurodivergent employees or customers. I look at Google, which helped launch The Neu Project, and Hinge, which conducted in-depth research to improve the dating experience for users with ADHD. These brands get it. So, lets continue talking about neurodiversity at conferences. Lets continue celebrating the strengths while acknowledging the challenges. And lets continue to push organizations to embrace neurodiversitynot just with words, but with action. Those that do will reap the benefits to their bottom line and do right in their world. Nathan Friedman is copresident and chief marketing officer of Understood.org. The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more.
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