95. Lois Melbourne - Author, former co-founder & CEO of tech company

Ordinarily Extraordinary - Conversations with women in STEM

Lois Melbourne is the co-author of the newly released science-fiction novel, "Moral Code", a book about ethical artificial intelligence. Lois has also written two children's books and is the former co-founder and CEO of Acquire, a global technology company which provides talent management solutions.

Lois now calls herself the Chief Storytelling Officer - a great title! She has a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Episode Notes

Lois Melbourne's book, "Moral Code" is a book about the power of artificial intelligence and and an AI who's mission is to defend against child abuse and trafficking. The book features strong female STEM characters and is a wonderfully written, thought provoking science fiction novel. Lois shares how she got started writing fiction and her enjoyment that comes from this new career for her.

Lois spent nearly 20 years as the CEO of Acquire, a company she co-founded with her husband. They also co-authored "Moral Code" and work well together! Lois shares her career journey and how she navigated the technology space as a young, female CEO a couple decades ago and the challenges and opportunities it brought her.

Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio

Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check

Moral Code - Dr. Keira Stetson has two passions: ethical artificial intelligence—AI with a conscience—and creating technology that improves children’s lives. Trapped in an earthquake-flattened building with a half-dozen panicked five-year-olds, she fears the worst. When billionaire Roy Brandt leverages his mysterious nanite technology to rescue them, she’s both grateful and intrigued. Impressed by his prototype technology but alarmed at its potential for exploitation, Keira merges her company with Brandt’s. The merger gives Keira access to much-needed funds for the development of her own tech, and access to Brandt’s powerful minuscule robots. In turn, she and her AI assistant, Elly, embed Keira’s trademark Moral Operating System in Brandt’s nanite SmartDust to rein in its power. But Brandt’s technology has been kept secret for a reason. Though he’s adamant about using the Dust to improve life, not destroy it, corporate raiders and the military have other ideas. They want to weaponize Brandt’s nanites. Suddenly, everything Keira has worked for is in jeopardy. Exposed to the worst humanity has to offer, she and Elly must fight to use this newfound tech for good and keep it out of the wrong hands…before it’s too late. (https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Code-Lois-Melbourne-ebook/dp/B0B44H9FH7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=moral+code&qid=1668562601&sr=8-1)

Moral Code Available Now
https://www.amazon.com/product/dp/0997679204

Proceeds of Moral Code go to the following organizations: www.preventchildabuse.org and www.thorn.org.

The STEM Club Goes Exploring (My Future Story) https://www.amazon.com/STEM-Club-Exploring-Future-Story/dp/1626343039/ref=sr_1_2?crid=33SYV7698AOT0&keywords=lois+melbourne&qid=1668562707&sprefix=lois+melbourne%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-2)

Kids Go To Work Day (My Future Story) (https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Work-Day-Future-Story/dp/1626343861/ref=sr_1_3?crid=33SYV7698AOT0&keywords=lois+melbourne&qid=1668562707&sprefix=lois+melbourne%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-3)

A nanite is a microscopic robotic device, and a form of nanotechnology that was built by manipulating atoms. Nanites were small eno