What’s the Latest and Who Are the Players?
The AAAS S&T Policy Fellowships (STPF) is hosting a special in person panel discussion – Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Washington: What’s the Latest and Who Are the Players? This discussion will be the first in a series of events focusing on AI policy development. We hope you can join us!
Event Information
Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have spurred dynamic policy conversations around innovation, regulation, security, risk, ethics and many other issues. These complex policy conversations are evolving rapidly and involve many players operating within the U.S. federal government. Scientists who want to contribute to responsible, evidence-informed federal AI policies must understand who these players are, how they interact with each other, and how their missions and authorities relate.
This panel discussion will bring together scientists, technologists and policy experts who have worked in key agencies and offices that have been instrumental in developing AI policies. Their discussion will provide insights into what is happening now, how it relates to the Executive Order on AI and legislative proposals, who the key players are, and what scientists need to know to engage effectively in this rapidly evolving space.
Come for the panel (1.5 hours), stay for the networking! The STPF community is invited to this event, including current fellows, alumni, and partners.
Event Format: In-Person
By registering for this event, participants acknowledge and agree to the AAAS policies and health and safety guidelines available here: https://www.aaas.org/events/policies
Date: Thursday, November 30
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., including a networking reception
Location: AAAS Auditorium, 1200 New York Ave NW, Washington D.C. 20005
Mia Hoffmann
Prior to joining CSET, Mia worked at the European Commission and as a researcher in Brussels, where she studied AI adoption in the economy and its implications for jobs and workers. In this role she studied in particular the use of algorithmic management and workplace surveillance and its disproportionate impact on minoritized groups. Mia holds a M.Sc. in Economics from Lund University in Sweden and a B.Sc. in International Economics from the University of Tuebingen in Germany.
The Honorable Jerry McNerney
The Hon. Jerry McNerney draws upon 16 years of experience in Congress, together with an extensive technical knowledge of energy, technology and environmental policy, to position clients for growth opportunities.
Congressman McNerney served in leadership roles in the U.S. House of Representatives, including chairing the Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus, the WiFi Caucus, and the Grid Innovation Caucus. He served as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and with the Science, Space and Technology Committee.
With a Ph.D. in mathematics and 20 years in industry with a track record of developing cutting-edge technologies, Congressman McNerney offers clients a deep understanding of complex policy issues involving artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data privacy, energy, fusion, telecommunications and the environment.
Congressman McNerney is widely regarded as an accomplished leader in Washington and his home state of California. He has achieved bipartisan successes working with officials in the House, Senate and the White House. Through his experience in the private sector, academia and national laboratories, he has also forged industry relationships in energy, fusion, utilities and technology.
Dr. Fay Cobb Payton
Dr. Fay Cobb Payton is a Professor Emerita and was a Full Professor (with Tenure) of Information Technology/Analytics at North Carolina State University. She is a named University Faculty Scholar for her leadership in turning research into solutions to society’s most pressing issues. Her research interests include AI fairness/bias/ethics, health tech, data science and tech innovation/entrepreneurship. She is a Visiting Scholar and Special Advisor at Rutgers University.
She served as a Program Director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Computer, Information Sciences and Engineering (CISE) Directorate. She initiated the CISE Minority Serving Institution Research Expansion Program and worked on several initiatives, such as the Eddie Bernice Johnson NSF INCLUDES Program, Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science; AI Fairness, Equity, Accountability & Transparency Dear Colleague Letter; Research Expansion and Cloud Computing Dear Colleague Letter with partnerships with Amazon, Google and Microsoft; HBCU Excellence in Research; and others. She received the NSF Director’s Award in 2020. Currently, she serves as an NSF Expert
Dr. Payton is the co-chair DEI Committee for the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Education Board and a member of the ACM Diversity Council. She was an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow and worked with higher education leaders from the United States and Ghana on strategic collaborations and public-private partners and now serves on the ACE Council of Fellows Board. She is a member of the National Academics of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Committee on Advancing Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM Organizations: Beyond Broadening Participation. She led the NSF funding and support of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Consensus Study on Transforming Trajectories: Women of Color in Tech and now is a member of its dissemination team.
John (Jack) N.T. Shanahan
Lieutenant General John (Jack) N.T. Shanahan, United States Air Force, Retired, retired in 2020 after a 36-year military career. In his final assignment he served as the inaugural Director of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Artificial Center (JAIC). Jack served in a variety of operational and staff positions in various fields including flying, intelligence, policy, and command and control. He commanded at the squadron, group, wing, Agency, and Numbered Air Force levels. As the first Director of the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team (Project Maven), Jack established and led DoD’s pathfinder AI fielding program charged with bringing AI capabilities to intelligence collection and analysis.
Jack is a 2022 graduate of the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Master of International Studies program and serves on the NCSU School of Public and International Affairs Advisory Council. He is Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) Technology and National Security Program, and a member of the CNAS Defense Technology Task Force. He is also an advisor to the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) Defense Panel. Jack serves on a variety of AI-related committees, boards, and advisory groups, and as a consultant on the use of AI-enabled technologies for national security.
