Steven Levy, who got his Master’s Degree from Penn State in 1974 recently returned from a trip to Iraq.  Serving as the embedded journalist for a delegation made up of executives from major technology companies, Levy published an article about his experience.

His article describes how representatives from Google, Twitter, YouTube, Wordpress and AT&T among others were outfitted with body armor and helmets to travel outside the Green Zone (the part of Baghdad heavily fortified with military forces).

The idea is to use the brains of this small collective to give ideas to Iraqi government officials, companies and users that will help it rebuild. Iraq is short on the mojo that widespread internet can bring and the fast-track economic jolt that entrepreneurs feed on.

During their trip, the delegation met with students and professors from Iraqi universities like the University of Baghdad and the University of Technology.  They also had the opportunity to visit the National Museum of Iraq which houses artifacts from ancient Mesopotamian civilizations.  In meeting with top Iraqi officials including the Deputy Prime Minister and the President, the delegation discussed how to bring technology to the war-torn country.  The biggest barriers to implementing technology in Iraq are the lack of security, lack of infrastructure and the lack of reliable electricity.

[HT: Penn Stater Magazine]