Podcasts about Technology policy

In the second installment of The Nuclear Threshold mini-series, we turn from missile defense to the human side of nuclear risk — the people, protocols, and split-second judgments that determine whether nuclear weapons are ever used. While deterrence is often framed as a stable system, history tells a far messier story: false alarms, malfunctioning sensors, training tapes mistaken for real attacks, and leaders operating under extreme pressure.Our guest, Dr. Steve Fetter — Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Maryland, former Assistant Director in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and member of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board — walks us through how nuclear launch authority actually works inside the U.S. system. We explore why the president has sole authority, why that concentration of power is riskier than most Americans realize, and how “launch-on-warning” creates a decision window measured in minutes.Steve breaks down famous near-miss incidents, the vulnerabilities of command-and-control systems, and his proposal to require concurrence from other top officials before any nuclear order is carried out. The conversation is grounded, accessible, and quietly unsettling — a reminder that deterrence relies on human beings who can make mistakes.This episode asks a deceptively simple question with civilization-level implications:How safe is a system that depends on one person getting everything right?

From August 9, 2024: On today's episode, Lawfare's Fellow in Technology Policy and Law Eugenia Lostri speaks with Senior Privacy Engineer at Netflix and former Army Reserve intelligence officer, Lukas Bundonis. They talked about the relationship between law enforcement and tech companies, what that relationship looks like in the U.S. and other countries, and the different ways in which that communication can be politicized.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From November 29, 2023: Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard a great deal over the last year about generative AI and how it's going to reshape various aspects of our society. That includes elections. With one year until the 2024 U.S. presidential election, we thought it would be a good time to step back and take a look at how generative AI might and might not make a difference when it comes to the political landscape. Luckily, Matt Perault and Scott Babwah Brennen of the UNC Center on Technology Policy have a new report out on just that subject, examining generative AI and political ads.On this episode of Arbiters of Truth, our series on the information ecosystem, Lawfare Senior Editor Quinta Jurecic and Lawfare's Fellow in Technology Policy and Law Eugenia Lostri sat down with Matt and Scott to talk through the potential risks and benefits of generative AI when it comes to political advertising. Which concerns are overstated, and which are worth closer attention as we move toward 2024? How should policymakers respond to new uses of this technology in the context of elections?To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we talk about Google's new plan to build data centers in space. Then, we're joined by Dean Ball, a former adviser at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Ball worked on the Trump administration's A.I. Action Plan, and he shares his inside view on how those policies came together. Finally, Professor Mark Humphries joins us to talk about a strange Gemini model that offered mind-blowing results on a challenging research problem. Guests:Dean Ball, senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation and former White House senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence and emerging technologyMark Humphries, professor of history at Wilfrid Laurier UniversityAdditional Reading: Towards a Future Space-Based, Highly Scalable A.I. Infrastructure System DesignWhat It's Like to Work at the White House Has Google Quietly Solved Two of AI's Oldest Problems? We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Global heating continues, despite the increased use of renewable energy sources and international policies attempting otherwise. Even as emissions reduction efforts continue, our world faces more extreme weather, sea level rise, and human health impacts, all of which are projected to accelerate in the coming decades. This raises an important but controversial question: at what point might more drastic interventions, like geoengineering, become necessary in order to cool the planet? In this episode, Nate interviews Professor Ted Parson about solar geoengineering (specifically stratospheric aerosol injection) as a potential response to severe climate risks. They explore why humanity may need to consider deliberately cooling Earth by spraying reflective particles in the upper atmosphere, how the technology would work, as well as the risks and enormous governance challenges involved. Ted emphasizes the importance of having these difficult conversations now, so that we're prepared for the wide range of climate possibilities in the future. How does stratospheric aerosol injection actually work? What is the likelihood that a major nation (or rogue billionaire) might employ this approach in the next thirty years? What ethical, moral, and biophysical concerns should we consider as we weigh the costs and benefits of further altering Earth's planetary balance?    About Ted Parson: Edward A. (Ted) Parson is Dan and Rae Emmett Professor of Environmental Law and Faculty Director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the University of California, Los Angeles. Parson studies international environmental law and policy, the societal impacts and governance of disruptive technologies including geoengineering and artificial intelligence, and the political economy of regulation.  His most recent books are The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change (with Andrew Dessler), and A Subtle Balance: Evidence, Expertise, and Democracy in Public Policy and Governance, 1970-2010. His 2003 book, Protecting the Ozone Layer: Science and Strategy, won the Sprout Award of the International Studies Association and is widely recognized as the authoritative account of the development of international cooperation to protect the ozone layer. In addition to his academic positions, Parson has worked and consulted for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Office of Technology Assessment of the U.S. Congress, the Privy Council Office of the Government of Canada, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).    Show Notes and More Watch this video episode on YouTube   Want to learn the broad overview of The Great Simplification in 30 minutes? Watch our Animated Movie.   ---   Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future Join our Substack newsletter Join our Hylo channel and connect with other listeners  

Brief Summary: The program focused on a discussion with Roger Launius, a retired NASA historian, about his book covering NASA's history from its origins as NACA to the present day. The conversation explored NASA's relationship with commercial space industry, historical organizational changes, and the challenges of accessing NASA's historical records and archives. The discussion also covered various technical and political aspects of space exploration, including decision-making processes, military roles in space, and the evolution of NASA's approach to partnerships and innovation. Roger shared his thoughts on the future of space exploration, expressing uncertainty about the timeline for lunar missions and human presence on Mars. Space Show team participants included myself, John Jossy, Bill Gowan, Marshall Martin, John Hunt, Dr. Ajay Kothari, and Phil Swan.Detailed Summary: As host I welcomed Dr. Roger Launius back to the Space Show to discuss his new book, “From NACA to NASA to Now.” Launius explained that the book, published in 2025, provides a concise history of NASA from its origins as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1915 to its transformation into NASA in 1958. He highlighted the ongoing role of NASA's legacy research centers in aeronautical research today. Launius also discussed the evolution of the aerospace industry, emphasizing that the distinction between “old space” and “new space” is complex and not clearly defined. He noted that private sector activities in space have a long history, dating back to the 1950s, and that NASA's approach to commercial partnerships has evolved over time, particularly with the creation of separate entities to handle launch services in the 1990s.Bill Gowan and Roger discussed the evolution of NASA's relationship with commercial space, noting that while NASA has always relied on commercial industry for spacecraft design and construction, there has been a shift towards non-cost-plus contracts. Roger highlighted that while NASA innovations have contributed to commercial space advancements, the designs are not entirely independent of NASA's influence. They also explored the partisan nature of NASA's early years, with Roger explaining that the Apollo program faced political challenges from both the left and right, and was subject to budget cuts after its initial success.The discussion focused on the impact of the government shutdown on NASA's historical resources and archives. Roger explained that while NASA facilities are currently closed, their websites and online historical resources remain accessible, though not updated. He detailed the complex federal records system, noting that most NASA records are stored at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and other federal record centers across the country, with access often delayed by years, especially for recent or classified materials. Marshall inquired about accessing Elon Musk's communications with NASA and the President, to which Roger clarified that such recent records would not be available in the National Archives yet and suggested using interviews and publicly released documents for journalistic research on recent events.Roger explained that separating historical facts from salesmanship in space exploration is a challenging task due to the varied motivations behind statements. He emphasized the importance of understanding these motivations and balancing contradictory perspectives. David inquired about the feasibility of modernizing old Apollo lunar lander plans, to which Roger confirmed that NASA possesses extensive technical drawings and records of past hardware in federal records centers and has historically allowed access for analysis. Roger also described the difficult transition from NACA to NASA in 1958, highlighting resistance from the military, particularly over the transfer of the von Braun team and the Army Ballistic Missile Agency's resources, which was a prolonged and contentious process.Our discussion addressed historical NASA consolidations and organizational changes, with Roger explaining that efforts to close or merge NASA facilities have been ongoing since the 1960s, though political opposition from congressional delegations has typically prevented closures. The conversation also covered the history of the National Space Council, which was established in 1958 but became less active after the 1960s, particularly under Nixon, before being revived by the Trump administration. John Hunt raised questions about military roles in space, noting how the Army developed its own ballistic missile programs while the Air Force maintained separate capabilities, highlighting ongoing challenges in service roles and missions.Roger explained that Space Council issues are now handled through the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the White House. He discussed the difficulty in finding detailed information about NASA's decision-making process for certain projects, such as the Mars Sample Return mission. Roger mentioned that some individuals, like George Lowe and Bob Siemens, kept detailed records of meetings and decisions, which are now available at Rensselaer and MIT respectively. David asked if there would be a “post-NASA era,” to which Roger responded that there is no known impetus for such a transition. The conversation also touched on the public and intellectual resistance to using Nazi engineers, like Wernher von Braun, in the early American space program, and the debate within the federal government about this issue.Roger discussed the history of supersonic flight, clarifying that Chuck Yeager did not demand a million dollars to fly the X1 and that Slick Chalmers flew multiple supersonic flights. He also addressed a controversy about whether the F-86 pilot beat Yeager's speed record, noting that the evidence was unreliable. Roger emphasized the importance of data-driven decision-making in engineering, using examples from the Challenger disaster and flight readiness reviews. Marshall inquired about decision-making processes, and Roger highlighted the need for comprehensive data and proper training in engineering education.The group discussed historical space program decisions, focusing on the Challenger launch and the X-30 National Aerospace Plane program. Roger explained that while data existed showing risks of cold-weather launches, the decision-making process was complex and the data wasn't presented clearly, leading to the catastrophic failure. The discussion also covered the X-30 program, which was announced by Reagan in the 1980s but ended in the early 90s due to technological challenges and cost concerns, though some research continued.Roger discussed the NACA's contributions to aeronautics, highlighting its approach to research and development. He explained how the NACA hired young engineers and provided them with advanced research tools, such as the variable density wind tunnel, which led to significant advancements in airframe and wing design. Roger also mentioned the NACA's involvement in rocket research during World War II, which eventually led to the establishment of NASA and the transition of key personnel to the new space agency.Roger discussed his friendship with Dr. John Anderson and shared details about a 2009 incident involving Mike Griffin and Laurie Garver at a launch party for John Logsdon's book. He explained that Mike Griffin expressed concerns about Laurie Garver's involvement in the Constellation program, emphasizing her need to step back from technical details. Roger also highlighted Laurie Garver's significant role in transitioning NASA to the commercial crew program, advocating for private sector involvement in space exploration. The conversation touched on the challenges NASA faced in the 1990s, including the cancellation of the X-33 program and the search for alternatives to the Space Shuttle.Concluding Summary: The meeting featured an interview with Roger, a retired NASA historian, who discussed his book on the history of NASA and its predecessor organizations. Roger shared his plans for future conferences and mentioned his current residence in Auburn, Alabama. The discussion also covered the availability of Roger's book for free download from NASA. The conversation ended with thanks to the show's sponsors and participants, and a reminder about an upcoming open lines session.Special thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223 (Not in service at this time)For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.com for instructions and access.The Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:Tuesday, 11-11-25; 7 PM PDT, 10 PM EDT:Bob Zimmerman returns with space news and updates plus a look at space 2025. Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

On our 300th episode, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talks about her return to Stanford after years in government and the impact she sees rapidly advancing technologies having on democracy and public policy. She says the future demands greater collaboration among industry, academia, and government to ensure promising fields like quantum computing and AI are used for the greatest good—in education, medicine, and the sciences. We are in a race that we must win, Rice tells host Russ Altman on this special episode of Stanford Engineering's The Future of Everything podcast.Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu.Episode Reference Links:Stanford Profile: Condoleezza RiceConnect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionRuss Altman introduces guest Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State and a professor of political science and political economy at Stanford University.(00:04:08) Returning to StanfordWhy Condoleezza returned to academia after serving as Secretary of State.(00:04:50) Higher Education & Public TrustPotential factors impacting universities' connection to the broader public.(00:07:31) Why Research Still MattersThe importance of curiosity-driven, federally funded university research.(00:09:32) Hoover's Emerging Tech InitiativeAn outline of the Hoover Institution's Tech Initiative and its policies.(00:12:11) Uniting Scientists & PolicymakersHow engineers and researchers are engaging with policy and ethics.(00:13:41) The Race For InnovationEmerging themes and key enablers in the technology innovation race.(00:19:17) Industry in the LeadHow private companies are now the primary drivers of innovation.(00:22:02) Global Tech & National InterestsThe tension between globalized tech firms and U.S. policy interests(00:24:35) AI & EducationUsing AI as a tool to enhance teaching and critical thinking in students.(00:28:30) Students Driving PolicyThe contribution students are making to Hoover's tech policy work.(00:29:23) Future In a MinuteRapid-fire Q&A: hope, innovation, time, humanity, and alternate careers.(00:31:09) Conclusion Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At WSJ's Tech Live, Jessica Mendoza sits down with Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to discuss the pivotal moment in the U.S.-China AI race, how he thinks AI should be regulated, and whether or not the AI boom might be a bubble.  Further Listening: - Is the AI Boom… a Bubble? - How a $1.5 Billion Settlement Could Alter the Course of AI  - The Nvidia CEO's Quest to Sell Chips in China Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we sit down with Farlina Said, Fellow and Team Lead in the Cyber and Technology Policy programme at Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Malaysia) to explore all things cyber security, including how we should distinguish between cyber security and cyber stability. Ms. Said discusses the cyber security landscape in 2025, including the challenges that countries face when looking to defend themselves against cyberattacks, as well as the international communities' difficulty in regulating the international rules of the cyber domain. She also touches on what gives her hope for the future when looking at these issues. Finally, we discuss ASEAN and whether Canada is in a place to partner with ASEAN countries on this issue, and within the Indo-Pacific region more broadly. 

Nearly two months after calling on the Office of Management and Budget to bar use of xAI's Grok chatbot in government, a coalition of advocacy groups is pressing its case further after the General Services Administration struck a deal with Elon Musk's AI company to deploy Grok across the federal government. In a letter sent Wednesday to OMB Director Russell Vought, the advocacy groups reiterated their concerns in the wake of the GSA OneGov deal, along with recent comments from Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “OMB is entrusted with ensuring that AI systems procured by the federal government meet the highest standards of truth-seeking, accuracy and neutrality,” the letter, led by Public Citizen, stated. “Grok has repeatedly demonstrated failures in these areas and Director Kratsios himself has confirmed that such behavior is the precise type that Executive Order 14319 was designed to prevent.” The letter refers to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in July that seeks to prevent “woke AI,” or ideological biases in models that are used by the federal government. The groups argued in their August letter to Vought that the use of Grok contradicts this order, given its past controversies with spewing antisemitic and pro-Hitler content. Weeks after the letter was sent, GSA inked a deal with xAI to offer Grok models to the government for a nominal cost. Under the deal, federal agencies can buy Grok 4 and Grok 4 Fast for 42 cents until March 2027. The White House appears to be moving forward with plans to redesign federal government websites, registering a new government domain — techforce.gov — this week. The new URL, which was first discovered Thursday by a bot tracking new government domains, leads to a sign-in page that states “National Design Studio” and “Tech Force” at the top. It includes a form for users to submit their email and receive a code to access the website. Records maintained by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency show the domain was registered Oct. 24 and last changed Wednesday. The domain registration comes more than two months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order launching an “America by Design” initiative focused on both digital and physical spaces. A new National Design Studio and chief design officer will lead the initiative and coordinate agency actions. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

This week's guest says, “ The purpose of science and technology research, in the military, is to make the fight unfair.” So what's standing in our way? Laura Winter speaks with Richard Joseph, the 36th Air Force Chief Scientist, who has a CV that includes the Strategic Defense Initiative, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and NASA.

This episode was originally recorded on October 18th at the Progress Conference in Berkeley. Because of the federal shutdown, Director Kratsios called in virtually.Michael Kratsios is Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the president's top science and technology advisor. In the first Trump administration, Kratsios was US Chief Technology Officer, and later acting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, where he championed emerging tech like AI, quantum, and autonomous systems in defense.Given constraints in the topics Kratsios could speak on, my questions focused on understanding the administration's AI and science policy. We talked about the recent AI Action Plan: what AI can do for America and the world, and how the administration plans to ensure US leadership. We discuss the administration's vision for gold standard science, and whether the structures we use to fund science need to change. We also touched on how the second Trump administration differs from the first, and Kratsios's take on AI safety.Thanks to Harry Fletcher-Wood and Katerina Barton for their light edits for length and clarity in the transcript and audio, respectively, and for a tight turnaround. The White House has not yet cleared the full video for publication, but we'll share it here if it is cleared.The full transcript for this conversation and many others is available at www.statecraft.pub. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.statecraft.pub

Lawfare Fellow in Technology Policy and Law Eugenia Lostri sits down with Esteban Carisimo, a Postdoctoral Researcher at Northwestern University to talk about the digital repression in Venezuela after the recent elections. Carisimo co-authored a recent report on the effects of the Venezuelan crisis on internet infrastructure. They discuss how internet censorship impacts the protests, how Venezuela's infrastructure compares to other countries in the region, and what the path to recovery looks like.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new report from the password management company NordPass is challenging the idea that federal institutions are more secure than local governments against cybersecurity threats. The study, conducted by NordPass and threat exposure management platform NordStellar, found a total of 53,070 passwords belonging to U.S. civil servants were exposed in public sources since the beginning of 2024. Of the impacted institutions, NordPass found the Department of Defense had 1,897 total exposed passwords, 222 of which were unique. The State Department had 15,272 total exposed passwords, 190 of which were unique, while the U.S. Army had 1,706 exposed passwords, 167 of them unique. The Department of Veterans Affairs also ranked among the top five most-affected institutions, with 1,331 total password exposures, 53 of which were unique. Seven passwords of White House employees were also compromised, according to the study. A State Department spokesperson told FedScoop the agency is “committed to cybersecurity across the department.” They said the agency has instituted multi-factor authentication and regularly rotates credentials. A Biden-era director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy slammed the Trump administration's cuts to research and development funding Wednesday, warning of adverse effects to areas such as artificial intelligence. Arati Prabhakar said during a panel held by Harvard's Kennedy School: “Today what we are in the middle of is an assault on the public investment in research unlike anything we have seen in our country's history.” Prabhakar specifically pointed to the Trump administration's moves to withdraw support from certain projects, its removal of federal workers at research agencies, its attacks on universities, reversal of immigration policies that bring talent to the U.S., and the administration's budget proposal that sought to cut federal R&D spending by roughly $44 billion. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Every major technological revolution has come with a bubble: railroads, electricity, dot-com. Is it AI's turn? With investments skyrocketing and market valuations reaching the trillions, the stakes are enormous. But are we witnessing a genuine revolution—or the early stages of a spectacular crash?Princeton professor Arvind Narayanan joins Luigi Zingales and Bethany McLean to explain why he believes AI's transformative impact is overstated. Drawing on his book AI Snake Oil, co-authored with Sayash Kapoor, Narayanan argues that capitalism's incentives can distort technological progress, pushing hype faster than reality can deliver. They examine how deregulation, geopolitical competition, and private control over data shape the trajectory of AI's development.They also explore what could happen if the bubble bursts: massive market shocks, exposed structural weaknesses in the economy, and a wave of painful restructuring that could echo the dot-com crash—but on a far larger scale. It's a conversation that cuts through the hype and asks what's at stake when an entire economy bets on one technology. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From January 19, 2024: Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached a settlement with location data broker X-Mode Social. X-Mode collects over 10 billion location data points from all over the world every day, and sells it to clients in a range of industries, like advertisers, consulting firms, and private government contractors. The FTC argued that the data broker was conducting unfair business practices, including selling people's sensitive location data.To discuss the FTC settlement and its implications, Lawfare's Fellow in Technology Policy and Law Eugenia Lostri sat down with Justin Sherman, Founder and CEO of Global Cyber Strategies and a Senior Fellow at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy. They talked about the FTC's groundbreaking decision to list sensitive locations about which X-Mode cannot sell data, the likelihood that we will see further FTC action against data brokers, and the persistent need for comprehensive privacy legislation to better address harms.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behavioral health was left out of the digital revolution in healthcare; now a $20 million federal initiative is changing that story. In this episode, Talisha Searcy, Senior Advisor within the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy, and Kacie Kelly, Chief Innovation Officer at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, discuss the Behavioral Health Information Technology Initiative. Talisha explained that BHIT is a $20 million partnership between ASTP and SAMHSA focused on standardizing behavioral health data, advancing EHR adoption, and improving integration with physical health. Kacie highlighted that behavioral health was left out of the HITECH Act, creating long-standing gaps in infrastructure, funding, and data standards that BHIT now aims to address. Talisha emphasized the importance of interoperability and the USCDI+ for behavioral health, with pilots testing real-world data exchange and toolkits to help providers adopt these standards. Both emphasized the importance of collaboration across federal agencies to ensure alignment, as well as opportunities for innovators and the private sector to engage in shaping policies, particularly in areas such as interoperability and AI. Locally, Talisha noted how technology like telehealth is already improving access and care coordination in communities, despite workforce shortages. Tune in to hear from national leaders on how BHIT is setting new standards, driving innovation, and opening doors for providers and innovators in the behavioral health field! Resources: Connect with and follow Talisha Searcy on LinkedIn. Follow the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy on LinkedIn and visit their website.  Connect with and follow Kacie Kelly on LinkedIn. Follow the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute on LinkedIn and visit their website. Learn more about the HeadsUp service here.

A fantastic episode with one of the founding minds behind Broadband, Jason Livingood and I chat about luck, experience, the shifting landscape of broadband speed and content, and the good work of people like the late Dave Taht that has changed the way we treat the “old ideas” of how Internet services should be delivered.

NASA astrophysicist and JPL Exoplanet Science Ambassador Anjali Tripathi joins Andy, Jesse and Matt to talk about exoplanets and the different ways of finding them including radial velocity, transits and gravitational microlensing, the challenges of studying planetary atmospheres, why telescopes are built in deserts or in space, Anjali's time at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, science communication projects like the Logic 44ever rap video, the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, dark matter, lasers in astronomy, Halloween at the White House, the odd “smells” of other planets and how to take a virtual tour of JPL.

In this Berkeley Talks episode, renowned marine ecologist Jane Lubchenco discusses how a persistent narrative that the ocean is “too big to fail” has led to its degradation. While many now believe its problems are “too big to fix,” Lubchenco explains why we need to embrace a new narrative: That it's too central to our future to ignore.“There is a historic narrative about the ocean, one that has framed the way people have talked about the ocean and have treated the ocean for almost all of human history,” Lubchenko told the audience at a UC Berkeley event in March. “The ocean, for thousands and thousands of years, was seen as so immense, so endlessly bountiful that people thought it must be infinitely resilient and impossible to deplete or disrupt.”But now, she said, the impossible has happened — “it's depleted, it's disrupted, it's polluted, it's warmer, it's more acidic, it's deoxygenated" — and we need to create a new narrative, one that acknowledges that a healthy ocean is central to a just and prosperous future on Earth. While she admits there are “huge challenges,” Lubchenco stresses that there are solutions that already exist that can be scaled up, like enabling sustainable aquaculture, reforming fisheries management, employing nature-based blue carbon ecosystems and creating and strengthening marine protected areas.“This ocean that we have, that connects us all, that feeds us all, is at the center of climate change solutions, health solutions, food security, recreational opportunities,” she said. “This is really all one ocean. It is possible to use it without using it up. We're not there yet. But given what I've said, it's not impossible. And I think that these findings and these actions and these results are leading to the emergence of a new narrative for the ocean.”Lubchenco spoke at Berkeley on March 13, 2025, as part of the Martha Charles M. and Martha Hitchcock Lectures series. This lecture was one of two given by Lubchenco for the series, together titled “Agency, Urgency, and Hope: Science and Scientists Serving Society.” Watch the event on the UC Berkeley Graduate Lectures YouTube page. Lubchenco is former deputy director for climate and environment in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Wayne and Gladys Valley Professor of Marine Biology and University Distinguished Professor at Oregon State University.Listen to the episode and read the transcript on UC Berkeley News (news.berkeley.edu/podcasts/berkeley-talks).Photo by Daniel J. Schwarz for Unsplash.Music by HoliznaCC0. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From June 28, 2024: On June 26, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Murthy v. Missouri—the “jawboning” case, concerning a First Amendment challenge to the government practice of pressuring social media companies to moderate content on their platforms. But instead of providing a clear answer one way or the other, the Court tossed out the case on standing. What now? Lawfare Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Wittes discussed the case with Kate Klonick of St. Johns University School of Law and Matt Perault, Director of the Center on Technology Policy at the University of North Carolina.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Werbach interviews Dean Ball, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation and one of the key shapers of the Trump Administration's approach to AI policy. Ball reflects on his career path from writing and blogging to shaping federal policy, including his role as Senior Policy Advisor for AI and Emerging Technology at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he was the primary drafter of the Trump Administration's recent AI Action Plan. He explains how he has developed influence through a differentiated viewpoint: rejecting the notion that AI progress will plateau and emphasizing that transformative adoption is what will shape global competition. He critiques both the Biden administration's “AI Bill of Rights” approach, which he views as symbolic and wasteful, and the European Union's AI Act, which he argues imposes impossible compliance burdens on legacy software while failing to anticipate the generative AI revolution. By contrast, he describes the Trump administration's AI Action Plan as focused on pragmatic measures under three pillars: innovation, infrastructure, and international security. Looking forward, he stresses that U.S. competitiveness depends less on being first to frontier models than on enabling widespread deployment of AI across the economy and government. Finally, Ball frames tort liability as an inevitable and underappreciated force in AI governance, one that will challenge companies as AI systems move from providing information to taking actions on users' behalf. Dean Ball is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, author of Hyperdimensional, and former Senior Policy Advisor at the White House OSTP. He has also held roles at the National Science Foundation, the Mercatus Center, and Fathom. His writing spans artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, bioengineering, infrastructure, public finance, and governance, with publications at institutions including Hoover, Carnegie, FAS, and American Compass. Transcript https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zLLOkndlN2UYuQe-9ZvZNLhiD3e2TPZS/view America's AI Action Plan Dean Ball's Hyperdimensional blog  

Sriram Krishnan is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and former senior product leader at tech giants like Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter (now X), and Snap. Born in Chennai, India, he began his career at Microsoft before moving to Silicon Valley, where he contributed to product development at leading companies and later transitioned to venture capital as a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz from 2021 to 2024, focusing on consumer and enterprise investments. In December 2024, President-elect Donald Trump appointed him as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, tasked with advancing U.S. dominance in AI amid global competition. Krishnan co-hosted "The Aarthi and Sriram Show" podcast with his wife Aarthi Ramamurthy, interviewing tech leaders and exploring innovation topics. A prolific writer and speaker, he advocates for immigration reform to attract global talent, ethical AI development, and bridging technology with policy to foster economic growth. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://betterhelp.com/srs This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. https://bruntworkwear.com – USE CODE SRS https://calderalab.com/srs Use code SRS for 20% off your first order. https://meetfabric.com/shawn https://shawnlikesgold.com https://helixsleep.com/srs https://www.hulu.com/welcome https://ketone.com/srs Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order. https://moinkbox.com/srs https://patriotmobile.com/srs https://rocketmoney.com/srs https://ROKA.com – USE CODE SRS https://ziprecruiter.com/srs Sriram Krishnan Links: X personal - https://x.com/sriramk X official - https://x.com/skrishnan47 Website - https://sriramk.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What priorities should shape U.S. innovation policy at the national level? Historically, the federal government has adopted a "light touch" approach, with legislation often focused on reducing barriers so that smaller entrepreneurs can prioritize innovation over regulatory compliance. Big tech companies often hold a competitive advantage including resources, capital, and political influence that small-scale entrepreneurs lack. How can policymakers design legislation that ensures fair competition between Big Tech and little tech? Do acquisitions of little tech companies by Big tech promote innovation or constrain the development of emerging ideas? How can policymakers foster innovation for smaller scale initiatives through legislation, competition regulation, and support for emerging firms? Join the Federalist Society’s Regulatory Transparency Project and host Prof. Kevin Frazier for an in-depth discussion of the “Little Tech Agenda” with special guest Jennifer Huddleston, Senior Fellow in Technology Policy at the Cato Institute.

In this episode, we sit down with Bill Davenport, Senior Director for Connectivity and Technology Policy at Cisco, and Matt Swartz, Distinguished Engineer at Cisco, to discuss Cisco's recent petition to the FCC to enable 6 GHz Wi-Fi on cruise ships. Modern cruises operate like floating cities, utilizing thousands of access points that support tens of thousands of connected devices for both passengers and crew. We talk about how technology has evolved the cruise industry, and how updated regulations could enhance passenger experiences, crew communications, and ship operations. Listen to learn more about how the petition is charting a new course for connectivity.For Wi-Fi AllianceFor Membership InfoGeneral Contact

Send us a textSchedule an Rx AssessmentSubscribe to Master The MarginHow do you tackle one of healthcare's biggest challenges from behind the pharmacy counter?That's the question at the heart

Improving the security clearance background investigation process continues to be a major priority for government and industry. Several provisions in the fiscal 2026 national defense authorization bill are aimed at expanding the pool of clear talent for more on these efforts federal news networks. Justin Doubleday spoke with the Vice President of Technology Policy and Government Relations at the Professional Services Council, Tim Brennan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Scaling Laws, Dean Ball, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation and former Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, joins Kevin Frazier, AI Innovation and Law Fellow at the University of Texas School of Law and a Senior Editor at Lawfare, and Alan Rozenshtein, Associate Professor at Minnesota Law and Research Director at Lawfare, to share an inside perspective of the Trump administration's AI agenda, with a specific focus on the AI Action Plan. The trio also explore Dean's thoughts on the recently released ChatGPT-5 and the ongoing geopolitical dynamics shaping America's domestic AI policy.Find Scaling Laws on the Lawfare website, and subscribe to never miss an episode.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a senior policy adviser in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dean Ball helped write President Donald Trump's recently released AI Action Plan. This week, Ball left the administration and plans to continue shaping AI policy from outside the White House. On POLITICO Tech, Ball joins host Steven Overly to discuss the government's role in regulating artificial intelligence, Trump allowing China to buy American microchips, and whether the rush of AI investment will lead to a market bubble. Steven Overly is the host of POLITICO Tech and covers the intersection of politics and technology. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy and producer of POLITICO Tech. Music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com Intro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/0KEjTXFuS0/ Outro: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/MHh0nBFuwg/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America’s new AI Action Plan — announced by the White House in July and framed by three pillars of accelerating innovation, building national AI infrastructure, and projecting U.S. leadership abroad — promises more than 90 separate federal actions, from fast-tracking approvals for medical-AI tools to revising international export controls on advanced chips. Supporters hail its light-touch approach, swift development of domestic and foreign deployment of AI, and explicit warnings against “ideological bias” in AI systems. In contrast, some critics say the plan removes guardrails, favors big tech, and is overshadowed by other actions disinvesting in research. How will the Plan impact AI in America? Join us for a candid discussion that will unpack the Plan’s major levers and ask whether the “innovation-first” framing clarifies or obscures deeper constitutional and economic questions. Featuring: Neil Chilson, Head of AI Policy, Abundance Institute Mario Loyola, Senior Research Fellow, Environmental Policy and Regulation, Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment, The Heritage Foundation Asad Ramzanali, Director of Artificial Intelligence & Technology Policy, Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator, Vanderbilt University (Moderator) Kevin Frazier, AI Innovation and Law Fellow, University of Texas School of Law

Join us on Scaling Laws as we delve into the intricate world of AI policy with Dean Ball, former senior policy advisor at the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy. Discover the behind-the-scenes insights into the Trump administration's AI Action Plan, the challenges of implementing AI policy at the federal level, and the evolving political landscape surrounding AI on the right. Dean shares his unique perspective on the opportunities and hurdles in shaping AI's future, offering a candid look at the intersection of technology, policy, and politics. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that explores the strategic steps America can take to lead in the AI era. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-time Trump administration vet Lynne Parker has exited as principal deputy director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy following the release of the administration's AI plan. In a LinkedIn post Tuesday, Parker said she was “passing the torch” and had fulfilled her mission of helping the Trump administration “hit the ground running,” citing the launch of AI innovation and education initiatives as well as drone-focused policy, and the administration's “gold standard” science initiative. She said she plans to return to her retirement in Tennessee. Parker joined the administration in January, working alongside OSTP Director Michael Kratsios. In addition to her OSTP title, she was also named executive director of the President's Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Parker had returned to the current Trump administration after serving as deputy CTO and founding director of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on her departure. In addition to Parker, OSTP senior policy advisor Dean Ball also recently announced he was leaving the White House following the release of the administration's anticipated AI Action Plan last month. Ball rejoined the Foundation for American Innovation, a technology-focused think tank formerly known as the Lincoln Network, as a fellow focused on AI policy and governance models for emerging technology. The cloud management company Box is the latest agency to strike a deal with the General Services Administration to offer its artificial intelligence services to the federal government at a fraction of the normal price. The GSA said in an announcement Wednesday that federal agencies can buy Box's Enterprise Plus for Government software for up to 75% off and the company's Enterprise for Advanced Government software discounted by up to 65% of the listed price for a year-long term. The announcement follows a series of other deals with major AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic that aim to increase the use of AI across the federal government. Like the other OneGov collaborations, the GSA said Box's AI platform will help boost productivity at agencies, automate workflows and assist with tasks like document generation, e-signatures and forms. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

On July 30, the CSIS Wadhwani AI Center hosted Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for a discussion breaking down the recently released AI Action Plan and discuss the Trump administration's vision for U.S. AI leadership and innovation amid strategic competition with China.  As the thirteenth Director of the White House OSTP, Mr. Kratsios oversees the development and execution of the nation's science and technology policy agenda. He leads the Trump administration's efforts to ensure American leadership in scientific discovery and technological innovation, including in critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology. In the first Trump administration, he served as the fourth Chief Technology Officer of the United States at the White House and as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering at the Pentagon. Watch the full event or read the transcript here: Unpacking the White House AI Action Plan with OSTP Director Michael Kratsios 

Alondra Nelson is arguably the most important sociologist of science in America. She isn’t just a brilliant researcher of how race and racism has shaped public health in America, nor just a thoughtful, savvy tech policy maker. She is also someone with a gift for communicating research and ideas on these huge, important matters in […]

How do you define success as an entrepreneurial author? Is it when your book opens doors and sparks conversations? Books should make people think, “I need to talk to them.” That might lead to a speaking invitation, a consulting opportunity, a new client, or a connection you never saw coming. The more clearly you show up in your expertise, the more those doors start to swing open. I'm on a mission to help entrepreneurs figure out how to turn their book into a business asset, not just a business card. If you're curious about what your book might open up for you, I invite you to schedule a complimentary 30-minute book launch brainstorming session at www.BookLaunchBrainstorm.com. Let's explore what's possible. Now, I'm excited to introduce three authors who know this journey well. Dan Gingiss is the author of “Becoming The Experience Maker: Turn Everyday Interactions into Remarkable Customer Experiences,” which shows businesses how to transform ordinary customer interactions into powerful word-of-mouth marketing opportunities. Deborah Stine wrote “From Expertise to Impact: A Practical Guide to Informing and Influencing Science and Technology Policy,” a guide that helps scientists, engineers, and health professionals use their knowledge to shape public policy and create real-world change. Helen Holton wrote “Intentional Leadership: How to Drive Leaders, Visions, and Teams Forward,” a thoughtful, practical book for leaders who are ready to lead with clarity, purpose, and renewed energy. Please join me in welcoming Dan, Deborah, and Helen.  In this episode, we discuss the following:

From July 23, 2024: Alan Rozenshtein, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and Senior Editor at Lawfare, and Matt Perault, the Director of the Center on Technology Policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, sat down with Alexander Macgillivray, known to all as "amac," who was the former Principle Deputy Chief Technology Officer of the United States in the Biden Administration and General Counsel at Twitter.amac recently wrote a piece for Lawfare about making AI policy in a world of technological uncertainty, and Matt and Alan talked to him about how to do just that.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The outcome of FTC v. Meta could reshape the social media landscape as well as U.S. merger policy. For the first time, the government is seeking to unwind two acquisitions more than a decade old, Facebook's purchase of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. In its complaint, the Federal Trade Commission alleges that Facebook sought to eliminate threats to its social networking monopoly and ultimately harmed consumers through increased user ad loads and decreased quality and user privacy. Meta argues that the social media market is flush with competitors, including X, Snapchat, and TikTok, and that its investments helped both Instagram and WhatsApp expand rapidly. The trial concluded on May 27, 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and a decision is expected anytime. Join this FedSoc Forum as we discuss the case and its potential impact.Featuring:Slade Bond, Chair, Public Policy and Legislative Affairs Practice, Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLPJennifer Huddleston, Senior Fellow, Technology Policy, Cato InstituteProf. Todd Zywicki, George Mason University Foundation Professor of Law, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason UniversityModerator: Asheesh Agarwal, Consultant, American Edge Project and U.S. Chamber of Commerce--To register, click the link above.

(0:00) The besties introduce the day with Jacob Helberg (9:08) Michael Kratsios, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (18:24) Chris Power, Hadrian (35:15) Jake Loosararian, Gecko Robotics (44:37) Shyam Sankar, Palantir (1:00:33) Paul Buchheit, Y Combinator (1:13:35) Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the Small Business Administration Thanks to our partners for making this happen: NYSE : https://www.nyse.com Visa: https://usa.visa.com Follow the besties: https://x.com/chamath https://x.com/Jason https://x.com/DavidSacks https://x.com/friedberg Follow on X: https://x.com/theallinpod Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theallinpod Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theallinpod Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allinpod Intro Music Credit: https://rb.gy/tppkzl https://x.com/yung_spielburg Intro Video Credit: https://x.com/TheZachEffect

From December 28, 2022: In the last few weeks, over a dozen U.S. states have banned TikTok from government devices, citing national security concerns. A similar bill was included in the omnibus spending bill, requiring the social media video app to be removed from the devices used by federal agencies. But addressing the concerns over how the Chinese government could coerce TikTok's parent company to get access to Americans' data raises interesting questions about the existing data protection and privacy frameworks in the U.S.To discuss what is going on, Lawfare's Fellow in Technology Policy and Law Eugenia Lostri sat down with Caitlin Chin, a fellow with the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who has been closely following these developments. They discussed why TikTok is considered a national security threat to the United States, why a ban might not be the right solution to this problem, and her recommendations for what a comprehensive data protection framework should look like.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the United States, state legislatures are key players in shaping artificial intelligence policy, as lawmakers attempt to navigate a thicket of politics surrounding complex issues ranging from AI safety, deepfakes, and algorithmic discrimination to workplace automation and government use of AI. The decision by the US Senate to exclude a moratorium on the enforcement of state AI laws from the budget reconciliation package passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump over the July 4 weekend leaves the door open for more significant state-level AI policymaking.To take stock of where things stand on state AI policymaking, Tech Policy Press associate editor Cristiano Lima-Strong spoke to two experts:Scott Babwah Brennen, director of NYU's Center on Technology Policy, and Hayley Tsukayama, associate director of legislative activism at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

How This Is Building Me, hosted by world-renowned oncologist D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, is a podcast focused on the highs and lows, ups and downs of all those involved with cancer, cancer medicine, and cancer science across the full spectrum of life's experiences. In this episode, Dr Camidge sat down with Catharine Young, PhD, who is currently a senior fellow at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Young was formerly the assistant director of Cancer Moonshot Policy and International Engagement in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in Washington, DC. Camidge and Young, a South African–born scientist, discussed Young's journey from Johannesburg to Charlotte, North Carolina. Young shared that after undergrad, where she majored in biology, she joined a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, sparking her passion for research. This led her to pursue a PhD in biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri, focusing on the brain's role in regulating blood pressure. Catherine noted the challenges of changing labs mid-PhD and her eventual decision to step away from academia. During her postdoc, Young was inspired by her advisor's science policy fellowship, leading her to pursue a fellowship herself. She was matched with the US Department of Defense, working on chemical and biological threat reduction in former Soviet states and West Africa during the Ebola outbreak. Though she described the experience was eye-opening, she eventually shifted career paths, realizing that long-term government work wasn't the right fit for her career goals. From there, Young worked for the British Embassy in Washington, DC, bridging UK and US science priorities. She then joined the Biden Cancer Initiative, continuing the Cancer Moonshot's momentum through its ups and downs. Young reflected on how her variety of experiences led her to launch the Cancer Moonshot to new heights as she worked to advance cancer research and patient care through cancer-related policy and global engagement. Young concluded by highlighting her passion for continuing to expand medical treatment access worldwide.

How This Is Building Me, hosted by world-renowned oncologist D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, is a podcast focused on the highs and lows, ups and downs of all those involved with cancer, cancer medicine, and cancer science across the full spectrum of life's experiences. In this episode, Dr Camidge sat down with Catharine Young, PhD, who is currently a senior fellow at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Young was formerly the assistant director of Cancer Moonshot Policy and International Engagement in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in Washington, DC. Camidge and Young, a South African–born scientist, discussed Young's journey from Johannesburg to Charlotte, North Carolina. Young shared that after undergrad, where she majored in biology, she joined a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, sparking her passion for research. This led her to pursue a PhD in biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri, focusing on the brain's role in regulating blood pressure. Catherine noted the challenges of changing labs mid-PhD and her eventual decision to step away from academia. During her postdoc, Young was inspired by her advisor's science policy fellowship, leading her to pursue a fellowship herself. She was matched with the US Department of Defense, working on chemical and biological threat reduction in former Soviet states and West Africa during the Ebola outbreak. Though she described the experience was eye-opening, she eventually shifted career paths, realizing that long-term government work wasn't the right fit for her career goals. From there, Young worked for the British Embassy in Washington, DC, bridging UK and US science priorities. She then joined the Biden Cancer Initiative, continuing the Cancer Moonshot's momentum through its ups and downs. Young reflected on how her variety of experiences led her to launch the Cancer Moonshot to new heights as she worked to advance cancer research and patient care through cancer-related policy and global engagement. Young concluded by highlighting her passion for continuing to expand medical treatment access worldwide.

From February 16, 2024: The EU has finally agreed to its AI Act. Despite the political agreement reached in December 2023, some nations maintained some reservations about the text, making it uncertain whether there was a final agreement or not. They recently reached an agreement on the technical text, moving the process closer to a successful conclusion. The challenge now will be effective implementation.To discuss the act and its implications, Lawfare Fellow in Technology Policy and Law Eugenia Lostri sat down with Itsiq Benizri, counsel at the law firm WilmerHale Brussels. They discussed how domestic politics shaped the final text, how governments and businesses can best prepare for new requirements, and whether the European act will set the international roadmap for AI regulation.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt welcomes Dr. Saralyn Mark, a world-renowned leader in women's health, space medicine, and innovation in gender-specific design. Dr. Mark is an endocrinologist, geriatrician, and former Senior Policy Advisor at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She's advised organizations such as NASA and the Department of Health and Human Services, and is the founder of iGIANT, a groundbreaking nonprofit accelerating gender-specific innovation across sectors, from health to space exploration. Dr. Mark is also the author of the fascinating book, Stellar Medicine: A Journey Through the Universe of Women's Health, and today we'll be exploring how insights from space can transform human health here on Earth, the importance of gender in space exploration, and much more. www.linktr.ee/Interplanetary Hosts: Matt Russell Music: Matt Russell / Iam7

Renaissance Philanthropy — in my opinion, the most exciting S&T philanthropic venture in the US — is getting a one-year check-in. Kumar Garg first appeared on the show right before I went on paternity leave, and now we're back for round two. Before founding Renaissance Philanthropy, Kumar worked in the Obama Office of Science and Technology Policy and spent time at Schmidt Futures. We discuss… How Renaissance ⁠catalyzed⁠ over $200 million in philanthropic funding in its first year, The goals of the organization and how it has responded to Trump's S&T funding cuts, What sets Renaissance apart from traditional philanthropic organizations, and lessons for China-focused research foundations, AI applications in education, from tutoring to dyslexia screening, Donor psychology, “portfolio regret,” and how to build trust within a philanthropic network. Thanks to ElevenLabs for sponsoring this episode. Check out the ElevenReader text-to-speech app here. Outro music: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Cannonball Adderley (YouTube Link) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To kick off our big 15 year anniversary celebration, we're re-sharing two stories from the storytellers you, the fans, voted as your favorite stories. And the best part? You can see these storytellers, along with the other fan favorites, take the stage live on June 3, 2025, at Caveat in New York City during our special anniversary show and fundraiser. Learn more and grab your tickets here. Part 1: Maryam Zaringhalam's scheme to cheat her way into the smart class makes clear a huge flaw in the education system. Part 2: On the first day of grad school for her PhD, a fellow student tells Bianca Jones Marlin that she doesn't really belong there. Maryam is a molecular biologist by training who traded in her pipettes for the world of science policy and advocacy. She's on a mission to make science more open and inclusive through her work both as a science communicator and policymaker. She's a Senior Producer for the Story Collider in DC and previously served as the Assistant Director for Public Access and Research Policy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 2023 to 2024. She has a cat named Tesla, named after the scientist and not the car. You can learn more about her at https://webmz.nyc. Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin is a neuroscientist and postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Dr. Richard Axel, where she investigates transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, or how traumatic experiences in parents affect the brain structure of their offspring. She holds a PhD in neuroscience from New York University, and dual bachelor degrees from St. John's University, in biology and adolescent education. As a graduate student, her research focused on the vital bond between parent and child, and studied the use of neurochemicals, such as the “love drug” oxytocin, as a treatment to strengthen fragile and broken parent-child relationships. Dr. Marlin's research has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Scientific American, and Discover Magazine's “100 Top Stories of 2015.” Dr. Marlin aims to utilize neurobiology and the science of learning to better inform both the scientific and educational community on how positive experiences dictate brain health, academic performance, and social well being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To kick off our big 15 year anniversary celebration, we're re-sharing two stories from the storytellers you, the fans, voted as your favorite stories. And the best part? You can see these storytellers, along with the other fan favorites, take the stage live on June 3, 2025, at Caveat in New York City during our special anniversary show and fundraiser. Learn more and grab your tickets here. Part 1: Maryam Zaringhalam's scheme to cheat her way into the smart class makes clear a huge flaw in the education system. Part 2: On the first day of grad school for her PhD, a fellow student tells Bianca Jones Marlin that she doesn't really belong there. Maryam is a molecular biologist by training who traded in her pipettes for the world of science policy and advocacy. She's on a mission to make science more open and inclusive through her work both as a science communicator and policymaker. She's a Senior Producer for the Story Collider in DC and previously served as the Assistant Director for Public Access and Research Policy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 2023 to 2024. She has a cat named Tesla, named after the scientist and not the car. You can learn more about her at https://webmz.nyc. Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin is a neuroscientist and postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Dr. Richard Axel, where she investigates transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, or how traumatic experiences in parents affect the brain structure of their offspring. She holds a PhD in neuroscience from New York University, and dual bachelor degrees from St. John's University, in biology and adolescent education. As a graduate student, her research focused on the vital bond between parent and child, and studied the use of neurochemicals, such as the “love drug” oxytocin, as a treatment to strengthen fragile and broken parent-child relationships. Dr. Marlin's research has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Scientific American, and Discover Magazine's “100 Top Stories of 2015.” Dr. Marlin aims to utilize neurobiology and the science of learning to better inform both the scientific and educational community on how positive experiences dictate brain health, academic performance, and social well being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: May 31, 2024 On this special edition of Siliconsciousness, we have an in-depth conversation with Arati Prabhakar, the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. We discuss the current state of the administration-wide effort to adapt to the complex realities of age of Artificial Intelligence. Prabhakar also details evolving objectives and challenges for the effort. A must-listen on a wide range of vital topics. Join us. This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lennart Heim, a researcher and information scientist at RAND Corporation, joins Azeem Azhar to unpack a provocative claim: China is catching up with US AI capabilities, but it doesn't matter. Timestamps: (00:00) Episode trailer (01:19) Lennart's core thesis (03:26)   Why compute matters so much (07:31)  The investment split between model R&D and model execution (11:18)  How test-time compute impacts costs (16:14) The geopolitics of compute (21:32) Why does the U.S have more compute capacity than China? (25:01)  The trade-off between economic needs and national-security needs (31:54)  How technology change might shift the battlegrounds (35:33)  Dealing with compute and power concentration (48:19)  Concluding quick-fire question  Lennart's links: Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ohlennartPersonal blog: https://heim.xyz/Azeem's links:Substack: https://www.exponentialview.co/Website: https://www.azeemazhar.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azharTwitter/X: https://x.com/azeemThis was originally recorded for "Friday with Azeem Azhar", a new show that takes place every Friday at 9am PT and 12pm ET. You can tune in through Exponential View on Substack. Produced by supermix.io and EPIIPLUS1 Ltd

The TAKE IT DOWN Act is the first major U.S. federal law to squarely target non‑consensual intimate imagery (NCII) and to include a component requiring tech companies to act. Long handled via a patchwork of state laws, it criminalizes NCII at the federal level—both authentic images and AI-generated digital forgeries—and requires that platforms remove reported NCII within 48 hours of notification by a victim or victim's representative. TAKE IT DOWN passed with wide bipartisan support—unanimously in the Senate, and 409-2 in the House. Melania Trump championed it, and it is expected that President Trump will sign it. And yet, some of the cyber civil rights organizations that have led the fight to mitigate the harms of NCII over many years have serious reservations about the bill as passed. Why?Lawfare Contributing Editor Renée DiResta sits down with Mary Anne Franks, President and Legislative & Technology Policy Director at the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, and Eugene L. and Barbara A. Bernard Professor in Intellectual Property, Technology, and Civil Rights Law at the George Washington Law School; Becca Branum, Deputy Director of the Free Expression Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology; and Adam Conner, Vice President, Technology Policy at the Center for American Progress to unpack what the bill does, why it suddenly cruised through on a rare bipartisan wave of support, and whether its sweeping takedown mandate will protect victims or chill lawful speech. This is a nuanced discussion; some of the guests support specific aspects of the bill, while disagreeing about the implementation of others. Expect clear explanations, constructive disagreement, and practical takeaways for understanding this important piece of legislation.More resources:TAKE IT DOWN Act Legislative Summary and TextBecca Branum and Tom Bowman's letter urging changes to TAKE IT DOWN prior to passageCyber Civil Rights InitiativeSenate press release upon House signing, including list of 120 supporting organizationsTo receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.