Alexis Ohanian

Lessons learned from 4 years of letting readers choose the front page of the web

Where the future of news is headed and why not even Wolf Blitzer's beard's Twitter account can change that. Suggestions for how to keep (restore) journalism's vital position within a well-informed democracy -- using technology. And how to ride a narwhal while doing it!

Why technology - that is, technologists - are a reason to be hopeful this century. How businesses need to remember to make something people want, and that they don't need Business Degrees to know that. And why getting that CS degree was such a frakking brilliant decision.

About Alexis Ohanian

After graduating from the University of Virginia in June 2005, Alexis Ohanian started reddit.com with Steve Huffman. A history and business double major, he has found countless opportunities to use his knowledge of post-WWII German history while running an Internet startup. In October of 2006, their company was acquired by Condé Nast, where he is now a product manager. Along with managing product, he also doodles the reddit mascot. A "social" news website, reddit lets readers - not editors - decide what goes on the front page by simply voting content up or down. The model has proved popular thus far, as roughly seven million people visit reddit a month.

Time and Location

Friday, October 16th at 5:00 PM in 1404 Siebel Center