College News

Jack Kilby STEM Day returns to Barton; Keynote Speaker is Google Earth and Maps Creator

photo of brian mclendon

November 18, 2021
Story by Joe Vinduska
Courtesy photo submitted

Brian McClendon, CEO of CVKey Project, and creator of Google Earth and Google Maps, will be the keynote speaker at the 17th Annual Jack Kilby Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Day (JKSD) from 10:15-11 a.m. Nov. 22 in the Fine Arts Auditorium. His speech is free and open to the public. 

McClendon is currently a Research Professor at the University of Kansas after spending two years at Uber leading their Maps and Business Platform efforts. For 10 years prior, Brian was a Vice President with Google and led the entire Geo business unit including Google Maps, Street View and Google Earth. He was a co-founder and angel investor in Keyhole, Inc., a geospatial data visualization company that was purchased by Google in 2004 which led to Google Earth. In the 1990s, Brian spent eight years at Silicon Graphics, designing 3D graphics workstations. He was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2015 and holds a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas.

JKSD is designed to increase student interest in STEM majors and careers by providing opportunities for high school students to participate in breakout sessions led by STEM professionals.  Hands-on activities related to each presenter’s field give students a chance to “try out a job.”   The day will close with an Academic Carnival and lunch for registered participants.

For more information, please contact Charlotte Cates at (620) 792-9331 or catesc@bartonccc.edu.