DHS S&T Conference: two panels worth attending

Next week MountainRunner will be chairing two panels at the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Stakeholder’s Conference at the Reagan Convention Center in Washington, D.C. 

On Tuesday, May 22, at 4p is “Science as Diplomacy”. On the panel is:

The panel description:

Science and technology are ubiquitous in the modern world. S&T transcends political and cultural divides and fosters long lasting relationships based on networking and collaboration both domestically and internationally. Understanding the value of these relationships, as channels for global cooperation and democracy building, and utilizing them have effects beyond the initial contact.

Working with foreign scientists, as well as their communities, either here or abroad, not only taps into and develops additional research and development capacity, it also promotes changes in commercial, academic, infrastructure, and legal system that form the foundation of democratic institutions, creating a win-win for people and societies and S&T. Polls continue to show American science and technology are admired by countries that increasingly oppose American politics. S&T is thus a bridge to continue a connection or to establish new communication channels to policy and decision makers and their advisors.

This panel brings together a variety of perspectives to discuss science as diplomacy and its use not only as a direct source of S&T in the pursuit of national security, but also as a means of foster security beyond our borders through bottom-up pressures to democratize.

On Wednesday, May 23, at 4p is the panel “Blogging for Technology: Science and the New Media”. On this panel:

Panel Description:

Blogs are an additional forum for creating awareness of and collaboration on science and technology. Subject matter experts (and the not so expert) share and often debate new ideas, policies, and highlight items otherwise lost or ignored by the media. Forming a dynamic and informal web of information and knowledge, blogs provide both immediacy and longevity. Information located in academia, government, industry, media, and other blogs are linked together to create and facilitate informal multidisciplinary research and discussion.

This panel includes both providers and consumers of the blogosphere and will look at how bloggers change the discussion and create awareness of S&T in the context of national security.

Both panels are the real deal with heavy hitters in their fields. Each will be giving a 10min presentation and then we’ll have Q&A. My role as chair is to stay out of their way, they are the ones you want to listen to. Let me know if you plan on attending.