Search UX Innovations with Bing and Google — SDForum Search SIG

On Tuesday, September 29th, join Bing, Google, Yahoo! and your fellow Search SIG members and guests for a lively conversation on innovations in search user experience.

Time: 6:30 – 9 pm. Location: Microsoft Silicon Valley Conference Center, 1065 La Avenida Building 1, Mountain View, CA

Free for SDForum Members. $15 at the door for non-members.

Dinner will be provided at no additional charge by Microsoft.

Confirmed Panelists:

Sean Suchter [quasi-German for “searcher”] runs Microsoft’s Search Technology Center – Silicon Valley. Sean has nearly eleven years experience in web search and previously ran the Yahoo! Search Technology team, where he was responsible for all aspects (engineering, research and product management) of the algorithmic side of Yahoo! web search. Previously to working on web search, Sean did speech recognition research. Sean holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Applied Science from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA.

Johanna Wright is the Director of Product Management responsible for Web Search.  She oversees the development of Google‘s search user interface and features and was the initial product lead on Universal Search, having driven it from inception to launch. Prior to Google, Johanna worked at a number of software start-ups in New York City. Johanna holds an MBA from UCLA and a BA in Mathematics from Barnard College.

Dr. Larry Cornett is the vice president of the Yahoo! Search consumer products division. In this capacity, he is primarily responsible for the Yahoo! web search experience and heads up a multinational team of product managers, designers, and developers focused on creating a world-class search experience.

Prior to this role, Dr. Cornett was a Director at eBay, where his team focused on multiple products for Tailored Shopping Experiences, Platform, and International sites. Earlier in his career, he was a designer at Apple Computer, where he worked on the Finder, OS, and International software; and IBM, where he worked on database and development tools. He was also the principal consultant for MindSpan Design, an interaction design agency where he worked on desktop, web, and mobile solutions for a variety of clients.

Dr. Cornett received his Ph.D. from Rice University, where he designed and developed a coaching system for training software users. He holds multiple patents, which include design work on web-based products and hardware solutions.

Safa Rashtchy

Moderator Safa Rashtchy is well known for his expertise on search and for hosting the teen panel at Web 2.0 Summits and for his prescient investor analysis on the search space as Piper Jaffrey’s Managing Director for Global Internet Media.

Oct 9th. The Search for Better Health: Empowering Consumer Health

Panelists:

• Yahoo‘s Director of Product Management, Don Chennavasin
• RightHealth/ Kosmix‘s RightHealth Product Manager, Saumil Mehta
• Healthline‘s Chairman and CEO, West Shell

Moderator: Matthew Holt, The Health Care Blog and The Health 2.0 Conference

Date:	Thursday, October 9, 2008
Time:	6:30pm – 9:00pm
Location:	Microsoft Silicon Valley Conference Center
Street:	1065 La Avenida, Building 1
City/Town:	Mountain View, CA

From health search engines and widgets to social networks and web med journals, consumers have access to more medical information than ever before. A recent PEW report estimates 75-80% of all Internet users have searched online for health info. In fact, 75% of e-patients with a chronic condition say their last health search affected a decision about how to treat an illness or condition.

How consumers search for health data and interact with information in cyberspace is changing the way we live. From developing healthier habits to asking better questions with their doctors and controlling online medical records, the web is empowering patients around the globe.

In this discussion, Health 2.0 experts from Kosmix’s RightHealth, Healthline, Yahoo! and others will discuss the rising popularity of online health information sites, and its impact on the medical field. This panel, moderated by Matthew Holt of the Health 2.0 conference, will also provide insight into health user behavior, lessons learned and plans for the future.