Justin Elgen Long, "The Dub", is an American businessman and skier who currently resides in British Columbia, Canada. He is known for being the youngest person to ski Mount Stanley in Africa[1][2] as well as for founding the Amelia Earhart DNA Project. Long currently dedicates himself to the technology industry in Vancouver and is the grandson of aviator and author Elgen Long.
Justin Long | |
|---|---|
 Long in front of Canada Place in Vancouver, BC. | |
| Born | San Diego, California, United States |
| Nationality | American, Canadian |
| Other names | The Dub |
| Occupation(s) | Skier, businessman |
| Years active | 2006–present |
Early life and education
editLong was born in San Diego[3] and was a resident of the Reno-Lake Tahoe area. He graduated with honors from Galena High School in Reno, Nevada and spent his early years skiing in Lake Tahoe.[4] Long received a degree in Health Sciences and Business from Simon Fraser University.[5]
Defining work
editThe Amelia Earhart DNA Project
editIn February 2011, Long approached Dr. Dongya Yang at Simon Fraser University with letters written by Amelia Earhart.[6] His actions started the Amelia Earhart DNA Project, where Long currently provides support through logistics and funding.[7] The letters were obtained through his grandfather Elgen Long when he realized that the seals on the envelopes were very likely to contain cells left over after Amelia licked them.[8][9] The Amelia Earhart DNA project will create the first full genetic profile of the disappeared aviator and be used to examine many of the claimed theories of her disappearance.[10]
Automation of Tinder Dating App
edit
In early February 2015, an Internet bot that Long developed to intelligently automate the Tinder dating app went viral worldwide.[11] The project, named Tinderbox, was more intelligent than previous attempts to build automated bots on Tinder since it used the Eigenfaces algorithm and machine learning techniques to learn who Long found attractive. Additionally, the bot automated chats to help filter conversations of interest and determine which Tinder matches were truly interested.[12]
Snow4Innocents Africa
editTo bring awareness to children's health in southern Uganda in 2010, Long created the Snow4Innocents campaign and became the youngest person to simultaneously climb and ski Mount Stanley, Africa.[13][14] He was the first skier to use the new southern Rwenzori route from Kilembe trekking over 80 km on foot. Long successfully completed the climb and was acknowledged by figures including the Vice President of Uganda at the opening of Holy Innocents Children's Hospital.[15] In the process he also planted an NHL Canucks flag on the mountain in an idea voted by contestants in an online contest.[16] The campaign was a collaboration between Long and Holy Innocents Children's Hospital and received support from Children's Hospital Oakland, Newschoolers.com, IonEarth, and Oakley.[17][18]
Other work
editFrom 2007 to January 2011, Long was known as the Executive Director of ACG Corp., a small PR and design agency in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. After four years servicing clients internationally, Long sold the agency to Blue Lotus Creative, another Vancouver agency.[19]
References
edit- ^ Walsh, Sean Collins. "Galena grad skis for African awareness" Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine, Reno Gazette Journal, Reno, 6 August 2010.
- ^ Breen, Erin. "KTVN Reports Snow4Innocents", KTVN, Reno, 5 August 2010.
- ^ Bell, Diane. "Search for Amelia Earhart focuses on her DNA", San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego, 23 February 2011.
- ^ Walsh, Sean Collins. "Galena grad skis for African awareness" Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine, Reno Gazette Journal, Reno, 6 August 2010.
- ^ Terhune, John. "Amelia Earhart's DNA sought from letters", CBC News, Vancouver, 22 February 2011.
- ^ Than, Ker."Amelia Earhart Spit Samples to Help Lick Mystery?", National Geographic, New York, 18 February 2011.
- ^ Earhart DNA Project. "About the Earhart DNA Project"[permanent dead link].
- ^ Bains, Camille. "Scientist hopes to extract Amelia Earhart’s DNA from her letters", Canadian Press, Vancouver, 21 February 2011.
- ^ Mullen, Frank. "Man chases DNA link to Amelia Earhart mystery", USA Today, Reno, 28 February 2011.
- ^ Shore, Randy. "SFU forensic researcher to study Amelia Earhart's DNA to resolve mystery", Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, 21 February 2011.
- ^ Meyer, Robinson. "The Robot that Knows When to Swipe Right", The Atlantic, New York, 13 February 2015.
- ^ Cush, Andy. "Dude Builds Tinder Bot to Automate Swipes Based on Facial Recognition" Archived 2015-07-08 at the Wayback Machine, Gawker, New York, 11 February 2015.
- ^ Stewart, Megan. "Entrepreneurs sakte and ski for African development" Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine, Vancouver Courier, Vancouver, 1 September 2010.
- ^ Luckow, Diane. "2010 Summer Sojourners", SFU News, Burnaby, 22 July 2010.
- ^ Snow4Innocents."About the Cause" Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Sumal, Karm. "Canucks Atop Africa", Vancity Buzz, Vancouver, 7 July 2010.
- ^ "Oakley Helps (s4i)" Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine, Freeskier Magazine, Vancouver, 27 April 2010.
- ^ Long, Justin. "Skiing Uganda", Newschoolers.com, Vancouver, 29 August 2010.
- ^ McCay, Gabriel. "Blue Lotus Creative Acquires Social Media Agency", PRWeb, Vancouver, 28 April 2011.
External links
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