Code.org, EY, and Microsoft help students build tech skills and balance the world’s ocean ecosystems
EY collaborates with Code.org and Microsoft to promote ocean education through the application of AI, machine learning, and coding for World Oceans Day 2023.
The preservation and protection of our oceans is critical for the world’s future. To raise awareness and interest in this issue in advance of World Oceans Day on June 8, the global EY organization — a leader in assurance, tax, transaction, and advisory services — has teamed up with Microsoft and Code.org to promote classroom activities around how technology can be utilized to solve complex problems related to the ocean ecosystem.
The UN World Oceans Day was declared in 1992 and formally established in 2008 as a day to raise awareness and mobilize action to protect the world’s oceans and the diverse ecosystems and economies they support. This collaboration further supports the UN Strategic Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.
Sponsored by EY Ripples, Code.org’s new CS Connections “Simulating a Marine Ecosystem” module teaches students the impacts of overfishing. By utilizing basic programming skills, students will create ecosystem simulations as they restore balance to a digital marine life ecosystem on the verge of overfishing. The module provides students with a hands-on experience that will help them understand the challenges faced by marine life due to overfishing and the importance of preserving the ecosystem.
“We are excited to collaborate with Code.org and Microsoft to promote ocean education and technology,” said Andy Baldwin, EY Global Manager Partner, Client Services. “Through Code.org’s educational activities, we want to inspire the next generation of ocean conservationists to use technology to solve the world’s greatest challenges.”
Through the EY Ripples program, EY staff are devoting their time to SDG-focused projects, bringing together the combined skills, knowledge, and experience of the global EY network in pursuit of one shared vision: to positively impact one billion lives by 2030.
The global EY organization and Microsoft are also teaming up to further promote Code.org’s AI for Oceans activity, a Microsoft-sponsored interactive lesson that teaches students about artificial intelligence, machine learning (ML), and bias. Using video game-like features, students can train a virtual robot to clean up the ocean with ML techniques. The AI for Oceans activity is a great way to introduce students to the power of AI and how it can be used to solve real-world problems.
Both modules are aimed at providing students with a basic understanding of computer science as well as a deeper understanding of the importance of preserving and protecting life below water. They will enable students to develop the skills required to tackle complex problems and explore the possibilities of using technology for ocean conservation.
The global EY organization and Microsoft have been committed to helping bridge the digital divide since their formal social impact alliance was formed in May 2022, with the aim to accelerate impact by joining forces to improve access to digital learning and technologies to youth and underserved communities.
“This expanded collaboration with EY and Code.org continues to underscore the importance of partnership across the private and non-profit sector to upskill and educate our youth, creating a more equitable digital economy and a more sustainable future,” says Jean-Philippe Courtois, Executive Vice President and President, National Transformation Partnerships at Microsoft.
By leveraging the power of technology, the global EY organization, Microsoft, and Code.org hope to provide students with the tools required to make a difference in the world.
