Tech Foundations for Government Staff | Institute for Technology Law & Policy

Tech Foundations for Government Staff

Georgetown Law’s Tech Foundations for Government Staff program (formerly called Tech Foundations for Congressional Staff) is an immersive program covering foundational concepts and new developments in current and emerging technologies.

Join fellow government staffers for in-depth conversations with technologists, practitioners, and academics about key areas of technology policy. Presentations will cover how various technologies work; how they’re being deployed; the policy questions they raise; and how businesses, policymakers, and civil society are addressing those questions in the real world.

Tech Foundations is designed to comply with government ethics rules. If you have questions about your ability to participate, please contact the appropriate ethics committee. Available to government attendees only.

Upcoming Tech Foundations Events

August Recess Program | August 6-8, 2024 | Georgetown Law Campus, Washington, D.C. (In-Person Only)

What: Spotlight on Artificial Intelligence – A three-day, in-person deep dive into how machine learning technologies work, current theories of AI regulation, and top AI areas of consideration at the federal level. The program will conclude with a careers roundtable focused on tech policy jobs in government.

Who: This program is intended for Congressional, federal agency, and White House staff.

When:

Complete this form to be notified as soon as registration opens!

Tech Foundations 2023

When: August 8–10, 2023

Who: Congressional and agency staffers, with program faculty including:

John Bansemer, Director of CyberAI Project and Senior Fellow, Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown School of Foreign Service
Dyllan Brown-Bramble, Associate, Latham & Watkins, Senior Fellow, Internet Law and Policy Foundry
Julie Cohen, Mark Claster Mamolen Professor of Law and Technology, Georgetown University Law Center
Mary Pat Dwyer, Academic Program Director, Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy
Eric Einhorn, former Chief of Staff to Sen. Brian Schatz
Kara Graves, Partner, Wilkinson Barker Knauer
Diane Holland, Partner, Wiley
Lisa Hone, Chief Counsel, Innovation Data & Commerce Committee at Energy & Commerce Committee (Minority staff)
Margaret Hu, Taylor Reveley Research Professor and Professor of Law, William & Mary Law School
Narda Jones, Chief of Staff, FCC; former Director of Legislative Affairs, White House Office of Science and Technology; former Senior Technology Policy Advisor, Senate Commerce Committee
Natalie Kates, former CTO, White House Covid Response Team
Cynthia Khoo, Senior Associate, Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology
Brenda Leong, Partner, Luminos
John Lin, Senior Counsel, House Energy and Commerce Committee
Jonathan Mayer, Assistant Professor, Princeton University Department of Computer Science and School of Public and International Affairs
Paul Ohm, Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center
Gabrielle Rejouis, Legal Fellow, United for Respect/Athena Coalition and Adjunct Faculty, Georgetown University
Natalie Roisman, Executive Director, Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy
Ridhi Shetty, Policy Counsel, Center for Democracy and Technology
Neel Sukhatme, Associate Dean for Research and Academic Programs, Anne Fleming Research Professor, Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center
Jamie Susskind, Legislative Director, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn
Jason Tashea, Founding Director, Judicial Innovation Fellowship

Full Agenda

DAY ONE | Tuesday, August 8

Breaking It Down: The Foundational Hows and Whys of Platforms, Decentralized Finance, Biometrics, and Generative AI

9:30 am–10:00 am: Registration/check-in

10:00 am–10:10 am: Welcome

10:10 am–11:30 am: An Overview of Disaggregated Data Architectures – How They Work and Why They Matter So Much

11:30 am–11:45 am: Break

11:45 am–12:45 pm: The Promise and Problems of Biometrics

12:45 pm–1:15 pm: Boxed lunches provided; group introductions

1:15 pm–2:00 pm: Lunch Discussion | Understanding Alternatives to Centralized Tech Platforms – Decentralized Finance and Web3 (boxed lunch provided)

2:00 pm–2:15 pm: Break

2:15 pm–3:00 pm: The Rise of Generative AI

DAY TWO | Wednesday, August 9

Making it Equitable: Expanding Access and Advancing Inclusion

12:30 pm–1:00 pm: Registration/check-in

1:00 pm–2:00 pm: Technology That Serves People Through All Branches and Levels of Government

2:00 pm–2:30 pm: Networking Break

2:30 pm–3:30 pm: The Civil Rights and Liberties Side of AI and Data Privacy

3:30 pm–3:45 pm: Break

3:45 pm–5:15 pm: Driving Broadband Access Through Better Spectrum Policy

5:30 pm: Tech Policy Happy Hour with the Georgetown Tech & Society Initiative

DAY THREE | Thursday, August 10

Putting It Together: The Path Forward

9:30 am–10:00 am: Registration/check-in

10:00 am–10:30 am: Operationalizing Your Takeaways From Tech Foundations

10:30 am–11:15 am: AI – What Now?

11:15 am–11:30 am: Break

11:30 am–12:15 pm: Data Privacy – What Now?

12:15 pm–1:00 pm: Platform Regulation – What Now?

1:00 pm–1:15 pm: Break

1:15 pm–3:00 pm: Lunch Roundtable/Panel: Career Tips From Senior Tech Policy Congressional Staff