Tech Refactored: Recent Episodes
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
In the final episode of Tech Refactored, Gus looks back on some of the staff's favorite episodes and interviews. Until next time, there is never enough time.
TwitterGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
The Nebraska Technology and Governance Center, Cinema 16, and Ash Eliza Smith, Robert Twomey and NovySan from the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts organized and co-hosted a one-day intensive AI film-making Hackathon in April 2023 where creatives offered up speculative visions of the future and emergent system designs to offer us clues and strategies of ways that we can shape an interspecies future. In this episode, Gus highlights the process and creative workflows throughout the day, and also sits down with Ash and Robert to discuss the hackathon.
This special episode of Tech Refactored is co-produced by a student fellows group consisting of Lauren Bruning, Diego Villalpando, Baba Yussif, and Niloofar Mansoor. Niloofar joins Gus for a conversation with Mrinal Rawool, a PhD student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Mrinal, Niloofar, and Gus discuss large language models such as Chat GPT, examining how they work, use cases, and the impacts these models have in society.
In this special episode of Tech Refactored, Salome Perez and Amy Barry, both student fellows at the NGTC, host the show to discuss the role of software in agriculture. Salome and Amy are joined by George Grispos, Assistant Professor in Cybersecurity at UNO, and Santosh Pitla, Associate Professor in Advance Machinery Systems at UNL. Together they examine the many cybersecurity challenges faced in the agriculture space.
Samantha Zyontz, an Assistant Professor at Boston University School of Law, returns to the podcast to expand on the conversation about CRISPR from an episode of Tech Refactored released in February of 2021. Despite the dispute over who owns the IP, companies have been developing products and technologies that use CRISPR. Samantha and Gus discuss these technologies, how the IP is affecting innovation, and much more.
Asaf Lubin, Associate Professor of Law at Indiana University, joins the podcast to discuss commercial spyware. Asaf and Gus examine how countries around the world use spyware, new technologies within spyware, and how it's developed and sold by private companies.
Jerry Hudgins, Professor and Chair of the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joins the podcast to discuss small modular nuclear reactors. The Nebraska Public Power District recently received approval to study potential sites across the state for these reactors. Jerry and Gus discuss what small modular nuclear reactors are, how they work, and how they can complement the usage of existing renewable energy sources.
Kathy Kleiman joins the podcast to discuss her recent book, Proving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World's First Modern Computer. Kathy and Gus start their conversation with background on the ENIAC computer itself – how it was funded, what its purpose was, and how it worked. Kleiman then explains the extraordinary story of the six women who were hired to program the ENIAC.
Eric Alston joins the podcast to discuss the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, marking the largest failure of a United States bank since 2008. Eric and Gus examine why and how this happened, the regulatory oversight of banks, and much more.
Marc Scribner, a Senior Transportation Policy Analyst at Reason Foundation, joins the podcast to discuss the East Palestine train derailment. Marc outlines potential causes of the incident and debunks some of the finger pointing claims on Twitter before shifting gears to train regulation more broadly. Gus and Marc also discuss new technologies being implemented into modern trains and rail systems.
Matthew Tokson, Law Professor at the University of Utah, joins the show to discuss a range of issues around privacy in public spaces, your own backyard, and more.
Christine Wittich, a Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor at the University of Nebraska, joins the show to continue our discussion on earthquakes from last week, but this time from a structural engineering perspective. We initially planned to discuss Christine's research on the usage of social media by state departments of transportation during emergencies, but given Christine's expertise on structural engineering and the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria, we discuss both topics during this episode.
On February 6th, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in Turkey and Syria, causing widespread damage across the region and tens of thousands of fatalities. Cara Burberry, a structural geologist and Professor in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Nebraska, joins the show to explain what causes earthquakes.
Heike Hofmann, Professor of Statistics at Iowa State University, joins the show to discuss forensic bullet matching. Hofmann explains how bullet striations are created, how she uses statistical analysis when matching bullets, how she became involved in this field, and much more.
Natalia Alamdari, a reporter for Flatwater Free Press, joins the podcast to discuss her recent article, Crypto needs cheap energy. It found a whole bunch in Nebraska. The article explores recent developments in cryptomining across Nebraska, focusing on a facility in Kearney that uses as much energy annually as the entire city itself. Natalia and Gus discuss the challenges these types of facilities present to communities.
What's on the horizon for the NTIA's $42 billion BEAD Program (Broadband Equity Access and Deployment) in 2023? Mike Romano, the Executive Vice President of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association, joins Gus to discuss BEAD and developments in communication policy including municipal broadband legislation, rural telecom carriers perspectives on national security and robocalls, and more.
Gus is joined by Baher Abdulhai, a Professor in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto. Together they explore a range of topics including how AI can be used to pace traffic and mitigate congestion, autonomous vehicles, increasing efficiency on roadways through advanced traffic management, simulations for dynamic transportation networks, and emerging technologies in the field.
Shane Tews, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Gus to examine several contemporary tech policy issues as we move into 2023. Together they discuss the BEAD program, antitrust, Section 230, the CHIPS Act, cybersecurity, Chat GPT, AI, and more.
Gus is joined by Justin Bradley, co-director of NIMBUS Lab at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. From using drones to monitor beavers in Alaska, to taking soil samples on the great plains, Justin and his team at NIMBUS are developing innovative ways to use drones as a research tool. Together they discuss autonomous operation of drones in swarms, interacting with the physical environment, and the challenges presented as he develops these technologies.
Zvi Rosen, Professor at the Southern Illinois University School of Law, joins Gus to discuss copyright law. Rosen, a copyright expert, shares some history on copyright law before turning to the main focus of the conversation: how copyright law applies to computer software.
Jess Miers, Legal Advocacy Counsel at Chamber of Progress, joins Gus to discuss trust and safety on the internet. Together they examine content moderation policies, business and technical decisions made by online platforms, and Section 230. Prior to joining the team at Chamber of Progress, Miers worked as a Policy Analyst at Google. She discusses her experiences working with Google's engineering teams on policy issues, and how she shaped her own career path starting at Santa Clara University School of Law.
Eric Goldman, Law Professor at Santa Clara University, joins the show to discuss Section 230 as he and Gus examine its origins, and also four current SCOTUS cases that could potentially impact the future of the internet. Together they also touch on Emoji Law and how Internet Law is changing over time.Goldman runs the award-winning Technology & Marketing Law Blog, and has long been a go-to source on Internet Law. Goldman is also the Associate Dean for Research, Co-director of the High Tech Law Institute, and Supervisor of the Privacy Law Certificate.
Open source is everywhere – over 97% of software uses it in some capacity. It's free to use, but who creates it and why? Who maintains it? What are the security concerns? Kyle Langvardt fills in as host to discuss open source software with Chinmayi Sharma, Scholar in Residence at the Strauss Center, and Lecturer at the University of Texas. Together they examine many of the topics addressed in Sharma's paper, "Tragedy of the Digital Commons".
On this episode of Tech Refactored, Gus is joined by Nebraska College of Law Professors Kyle Langvardt and James Tierney. Together they discuss the latest confusing and controversial happenings with Twitter – the blue check mark, content moderation, and Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform from a corporate governance perspective. Later in the episode, they shift the conversation to the FTX debacle and cryptocurrency, and discuss what parallels may exist between Twitter and FTX.
On this episode, Gus talks with Jeff Prince, Professor of Business Economics at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. Together they examine topics from multiple papers written by Jeff including his most recent work, "Do People Around the World Care Whether Their Data Are Stored Locally". Later in the episode, they discuss Jeff's time at the FCC, where he previously served as the Chief Economist.
This episode is a rerun that initially aired on September 22, 2021. This rerun comes on the heels of Google's recent developments in its AlphaFold AI program, as it has predicted the 3D structure of every known protein.Gus is joined by Nicole Buan and Juan Chi, both researchers at the University of Nebraska, who help us understand what this means for their field.
This special episode of Tech Refactored is co-produced by a student fellows group consisting of Lauren Bruning, Diego Villalpando, Baba Yussif, and Niloofar Mansoor. Niloofar joins Gus for a conversation with Mrinal Rawool, a PhD student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Mrinal, Niloofar, and Gus discuss large language models such as Chat GPT, examining how they work, use cases, and the impacts these models have in society.
TwitterNiloofar Mansoor @NiloofarMansoor
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
In this special episode of Tech Refactored, Salome Perez and Amy Barry, both student fellows at the NGTC, host the show to discuss the role of software in agriculture. Salome and Amy are joined by George Grispos, Assistant Professor in Cybersecurity at UNO, and Santosh Pitla, Associate Professor in Advance Machinery Systems at UNL. Together they examine the many cybersecurity challenges faced in the agriculture space.
TwitterSalome Perez
Santosh Pitla
Gus Hurwitz
Samantha Zyontz, an Assistant Professor at Boston University School of Law, returns to the podcast to expand on the conversation about CRISPR from an episode of Tech Refactored released in February of 2021. Despite the dispute over who owns the IP, companies have been developing products and technologies that use CRISPR. Samantha and Gus discuss these technologies, how the IP is affecting innovation, and much more.
TwitterSamantha Zyontz @SZyontz
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
LinksTech Refactored Episode 9 - CRISPR's Cluster of IP: A Regularly Interspaced Short Podcast
Asaf Lubin, Associate Professor of Law at Indiana University, joins the podcast to discuss commercial spyware. Asaf and Gus examine how countries around the world use spyware, new technologies within spyware, and how it's developed and sold by private companies.
TwitterAsaf Lubin @AsafLubin
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
Jerry Hudgins, Professor and Chair of the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joins the podcast to discuss small modular nuclear reactors. The Nebraska Public Power District recently received approval to study potential sites across the state for these reactors. Jerry and Gus discuss what small modular nuclear reactors are, how they work, and how they can complement the usage of existing renewable energy sources.
TwitterGus Hurwitz@gushurwitz
LinksNPPD Beginning Siting Study for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors
Kathy Kleiman joins the podcast to discuss her recent book, Proving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World's First Modern Computer. Kathy and Gus start their conversation with background on the ENIAC computer itself – how it was funded, what its purpose was, and how it worked. Kleiman then explains the extraordinary story of the six women who were hired to program the ENIAC.
Twitter
Kathy Kleiman @KleimK
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
LinksProving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World's First Modern Computer | Kathy Kleiman
ENIAC Programmers Project
Eric Alston joins the podcast to discuss the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, marking the largest failure of a United States bank since 2008. Eric and Gus examine why and how this happened, the regulatory oversight of banks, and much more.
Twitter
Eric Alston @IncompleteRules
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
NGTC @UNL_NGTC
Marc Scribner, a Senior Transportation Policy Analyst at Reason Foundation, joins the podcast to discuss the East Palestine train derailment. Marc outlines potential causes of the incident and debunks some of the finger pointing claims on Twitter before shifting gears to train regulation more broadly. Gus and Marc also discuss new technologies being implemented into modern trains and rail systems.
TwitterMarc Scribner @marcscribner
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
LinksReason Foundation
"Freight rail deregulation: Past experience and future reforms" by Marc Scribner
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Matthew Tokson, Law Professor at the University of Utah, joins the show to discuss a range of issues around privacy in public spaces, your own backyard, and more.
TwitterMatthew Tokson @mtokson
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
LinksThe Carpenter Test as a Transformation of Fourth Amendment Law Matthew ToksonTelephone Pole Cameras Under Fourth Amendment LawMatthew Tokson
Christine Wittich, a Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor at the University of Nebraska, joins the show to continue our discussion on earthquakes from last week, but this time from a structural engineering perspective. We initially planned to discuss Christine's research on the usage of social media by state departments of transportation during emergencies, but given Christine's expertise on structural engineering and the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria, we discuss both topics during this episode.
TwitterGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
UNL College of Engineering @NebEngineering
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center @UNL_NGTC
LinksChristine Wittich BioNebraska Governance and Technology Center
On February 6th, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in Turkey and Syria, causing widespread damage across the region and tens of thousands of fatalities. Cara Burberry, a structural geologist and Professor in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Nebraska, joins the show to explain what causes earthquakes.
TwitterCara Burberry @DeformationRox
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center @UNL_NGTC
LinksNebraska Governance and Technology Center
Heike Hofmann, Professor of Statistics at Iowa State University, joins the show to discuss forensic bullet matching. Hofmann explains how bullet striations are created, how she uses statistical analysis when matching bullets, how she became involved in this field, and much more.
TwitterHeike Hofmann @heike_hh
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center @UNL_NGTC
LinksAutomatic Matching of Bullet Land Impressions by Heike Hofmann
Comparison of Three Similarity Scores for Bullet LEA Matching by Heike HofmannThe X FilesNebraska Governance and Technology Center
Natalia Alamdari, a reporter for Flatwater Free Press, joins the podcast to discuss her recent article, Crypto needs cheap energy. It found a whole bunch in Nebraska. The article explores recent developments in cryptomining across Nebraska, focusing on a facility in Kearney that uses as much energy annually as the entire city itself. Natalia and Gus discuss the challenges these types of facilities present to communities.
TwitterNatalia Alamdari @nataliaalamdari
Flatwater Free Press @flatwaterfreep
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center @UNL_NGTC
LinksNatalia Alamdari's Office Hours
Donate to Flatwater Free Press
Subscribe to the Flatwater Free Press Newsletter
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
What's on the horizon for the NTIA's $42 billion BEAD Program (Broadband Equity Access and Deployment) in 2023? Mike Romano, the Executive Vice President of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association, joins Gus to discuss BEAD and developments in communication policy including municipal broadband legislation, rural telecom carriers perspectives on national security and robocalls, and more.
TwitterMike Romano @MikeRomanoNTCA
NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association @NTCAconnect
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
NGTC @UNL_NGTC
LinksNTCA-The Rural Broadband Association
The NTIA's BEAD Program
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Gus is joined by Baher Abdulhai, a Professor in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto. Together they explore a range of topics including how AI can be used to pace traffic and mitigate congestion, autonomous vehicles, increasing efficiency on roadways through advanced traffic management, simulations for dynamic transportation networks, and emerging technologies in the field.
TwitterCivil & Mineral Engineering, U of T@civminGus Hurwitz@GusHurwitz
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center @UNL_NGTC
LinksDepartment of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Shane Tews, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Gus to examine several contemporary tech policy issues as we move into 2023. Together they discuss the BEAD program, antitrust, Section 230, the CHIPS Act, cybersecurity, Chat GPT, AI, and more.
Shane Tews @ShaneTews
Gus Hurwitz @GusHurwitz
American Enterprise Institute @AEItech
NGTC @UNL_NGTC
LinksExplain to Shane (Shane Tews' Podcast)
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Gus is joined by Justin Bradley, co-director of NIMBUS Lab at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. From using drones to monitor beavers in Alaska, to taking soil samples on the great plains, Justin and his team at NIMBUS are developing innovative ways to use drones as a research tool. Together they discuss autonomous operation of drones in swarms, interacting with the physical environment, and the challenges presented as he develops these technologies.
Follow Justin Bradley on Twitter @jmb275
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksNIMBUS Lab
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Zvi Rosen, Professor at the Southern Illinois University School of Law, joins Gus to discuss copyright law. Rosen, a copyright expert, shares some history on copyright law before turning to the main focus of the conversation: how copyright law applies to computer software.
Follow Zvi Rosen on Twitter @zvisrosen
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksNebraska Governance and Technology Center
Jess Miers, Legal Advocacy Counsel at Chamber of Progress, joins Gus to discuss trust and safety on the internet. Together they examine content moderation policies, business and technical decisions made by online platforms, and Section 230. Prior to joining the team at Chamber of Progress, Miers worked as a Policy Analyst at Google. She discusses her experiences working with Google's engineering teams on policy issues, and how she shaped her own career path starting at Santa Clara University School of Law.
Follow Jess Miers on Twitter
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter
Follow Chamber of Progress on Twitter
Follow NGTC on Twitter
LinksChamber of Progress
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Eric Goldman, Law Professor at Santa Clara University, joins the show to discuss Section 230 as he and Gus examine its origins, and also four current SCOTUS cases that could potentially impact the future of the internet. Together they also touch on Emoji Law and how Internet Law is changing over time.
Goldman runs the award-winning Technology & Marketing Law Blog, and has long been a go-to source on Internet Law. Goldman is also the Associate Dean for Research, Co-director of the High Tech Law Institute, and Supervisor of the Privacy Law Certificate.
Follow Eric Goldman on Twitter @ericgoldman
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksTechnology & Marketing Law Blog
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Open source is everywhere – over 97% of software uses it in some capacity. It's free to use, but who creates it and why? Who maintains it? What are the security concerns? Kyle Langvardt fills in as host to discuss open source software with Chinmayi Sharma, Scholar in Residence at the Strauss Center, and Lecturer at the University of Texas. Together they examine many of the topics addressed in Sharma's paper, "Tragedy of the Digital Commons".
Follow Chinmayi Sharma on Twitter @ChinmayiSharma
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
Links
"Tragedy of the Digital Commons" by Chinmayi Sharma
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
On this episode of Tech Refactored, Gus is joined by Nebraska College of Law Professors Kyle Langvardt and James Tierney. Together they discuss the latest confusing and controversial happenings with Twitter – the blue check mark, content moderation, and Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform from a corporate governance perspective. Later in the episode, they shift the conversation to the FTX debacle and cryptocurrency, and discuss what parallels may exist between Twitter and FTX.
Follow James Tierney on Twitter @JamesFTierney
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
LinksNebraska Governance and Technology Center
On this episode, Gus talks with Jeff Prince, Professor of Business Economics at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. Together they examine topics from multiple papers written by Jeff including his most recent work, "Do People Around the World Care Whether Their Data Are Stored Locally". Later in the episode, they discuss Jeff's time at the FCC, where he previously served as the Chief Economist.
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
LinksHow Much is Privacy Worth Around the World and Across Platforms | Jeff Prince and Scott WallstenNebraska Governance and Technology Center
This episode is a rerun that initially aired on September 22, 2021. This rerun comes on the heels of Google's recent developments in its AlphaFold AI program, as it has predicted the 3D structure of every known protein.
Gus is joined by Nicole Buan and Juan Chi, both researchers at the University of Nebraska, who help us understand what this means for their field.
Follow Nicole Buan on Twitter @nicolebuan
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksOne of the Biggest Problems in Biology Has Finally Been Solved, Scientific AmericanNGTC Website
Gus is joined by Mark Koyama, Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University. Together they examine many of the topics addressed in Mark's recently released book, How the World Became Rich: The Historical Origins of Economic Growth, including the role of legal institutions in economic growth, how culture and diversity impact economic growth, and much more.
Follow Mark Koyama on Twitter @MarkKoyama
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksHow the World Became Rich: The Historical Origins of Economic GrowthNebraska Governance and Technology Center
Wayne Bennet, President and Founder of TeamWorx Team Building, joins Gus to discuss his experiences in team building. Together they explore building and battling robots as a team building exercise, staying ahead of the curve as an entrepreneur, and much more.
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksTeamWorx Team Building
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Peter Swire, Professor of Law and Ethics at Georgia Tech, joins Gus to discuss a range of topics centered around cybersecurity, the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach, and the recently announced Privacy Shield Agreement.
Follow Peter Swire on Twitter @peterswire
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow Nebraska Governance and Technology Center on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksThe Effects of Data Localization on Cybersecurity by Peter Swire and DeBrae Kennedy-Mayo
NGTC Website
Mailyn Fidler, NGTC Faculty member and Assistant Professor of Law at Nebraska College of Law, joins Gus Hurwitz to discuss a range of topics centered around international cybersecurity issues. Mailyn and Gus explore the colonial history of various African nations and how that has shaped their approach to technology regulation, the position of Africa in global discussions about technology and cybersecurity, and much more.
Follow Mailyn Fidler on Twitter @mailynfidler
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow Nebraska Governance and Technology Center on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
Links
Infrastructure, Law, and Cyber Stability: An African Case Study by Mailyn Fidler
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Lisa Benjamin, Law Professor at Lewis & Clark Law School, joins Gus to discuss many of the topics addressed in her recent article, "EVs as EJ". Together they examine charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, mining of rare minerals in the United States and the 150 year old statute that governs this activity, and the positive and negative climate and environmental justice impacts that EVs bring.
Follow Lisa Benjamin on Twitter @DrLisaBenjamin
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow Nebraska Governance and Technology Center on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksEVs as EJ by Lisa Benjamin
James Coleman, Law Professor at SMU's Dedman School of Law, joins Gus to discuss strategic energy reserves. Together they examine what a modern strategic energy reserve looks like, how prices in different sectors are regulated, the need for geographically distributed storage, and much more.
Follow James Coleman on Twitter @EnergyLawProf
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow Nebraska Governance & Technology Center on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksEnergy Law Professor Blog
Nebraska Governance & Technology Center
Author and Law Professor at Washington and Lee University, Josh Fairfield, joins Gus to discuss social and hard technologies, and topics from Fairfield's books: "Runaway Technology: Can Law Keep Up?" (2021) and "Owned: Property, Privacy, and the New Digital Serfdom" (2017).
Follow Josh Fairfield on Twitter @JoshFairfield
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksNebraska Governance and Technology Center
NGTC faculty member and Assistant Professor at Nebraska College of Law joins Gus Hurwitz to discuss two of her recent articles, “The Silicon Ceiling” which focuses on the use of automated human evaluation and matching systems in education, hiring, and employment, and “Big Proctor” which examines the roll of online proctoring systems on student privacy and education.
Professor Zeide's forthcoming articles will be linked on the NGTC website upon publishing.
Follow Elana Zeide on Twitter @elanazeide
Follow Gus Hurwitz on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
Blake Reid joins Gus Hurwitz to discuss a range of contemporary media regulation issues. Blake is a Clinical Professor at Colorado Law where he serves as the Director of the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic (TLPC) and as the Faculty Director of the Telecom and Platforms Initiative at the Silicon Flatirons Center. Blake and Gus explore a range of topics including social media legislation, common carriage regulation, first amendment challenges in creating a balanced media ecosystem, and much more.
Follow Blake on Twitter @blakereid
Follow Gus on Twitter @GusHurwitz
Follow NGTC on Twitter @UNL_NGTC
LinksThe Incoherence of Common Carriage Law by Blake E. Reid
In the first episode of Season 3, Gus is joined by Nebraska Governance and Technology Center faculty member and First Amendment scholar, Kyle Langvardt. Together they examine how platforms and media are regulated, the similarities between ride sharing apps and newspaper from a First Amendment perspective, and much more.
Follow us on Twitter @unl_ngtc
LinksNebraska Governance and Technology Center
Gus is joined by Neil Chilson, a senior research fellow for technology and innovation at Stand Together. Prior to his current role, Neil was the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) chief technologist. Together they discuss the FTC’s recently released ANPR (Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) on commercial surveillance and data security.
Follow Neil on Twitter @neil_chilson
LinksNeil Chilson
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Text of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding the Commercial Surveillance and Data Security
Gus is joined by Charlotte Tschider, an Assistant Professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. With a focus on the global health care industry, Charlotte specializes in information privacy, cybersecurity law, and artificial intelligence. In this episode, Gus and Charlotte discuss a range of topics centered around artificial intelligence in medical devices, who regulates these devices, how companies are using artificial intelligence to make better devices, and more.
Follow Charlotte on Twitter @cybersimplesec
LinksBeyond the Black Box by Charlotte Tschider
AI's Legitimate Interest: Towards a Public Benefit Privacy Model by Charlotte Tschider
Enhancing Cybersecurity for the Digital Health Marketplace by Charlotte Tschider
Privacy and Accountability in Black-Box Medicine by Roger Allan Ford, W. Nicholson Price ll
Medical AI and Contextual Bis by W. Nicholson Price ll
Universal Paperclips
Host | Executive Producer - Gus Hurwitz
Producer - James Fleege
Music - Collin McCarthy
Tech Refactored is part of the Menard Governance and Technology Programming Series hosted by the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
NGTC Twitter - @UNL_NGTC
NGTC Instagram - @UNL_NGTC
Gus is joined by Kristian Stout, the Director of Innovation Policy at the International Center for Law & Economics. An expert in telecommunications and Internet governance, Kristian provides insight into the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, as he and Gus discuss the challenges of connectivity, how the program is being implemented, and weigh in on the good, bad, and the ugly.
For a deeper dive into the Broadband Map Project discussed in this episode, check out our previously released episode with Sarah Oh Lam, “Mapping Broadband Connections Across America.”
As mentioned in this episode, you can find Kristian’s “Guiding Principles & Legislative Checklist for Broadband Subsidies” here.
Kristian Stout is the ICLE’s Director of Innovation Policy. Kristian has been a Fellow at the Internet Law & Policy Foundry, as well as the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Prior to practicing law, Kristian was a technology entrepreneur and a lecturer in the Computer Science Department at Rutgers University. Kristian has also served on the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee for the Federal Communications Commission.
Follow Kristian on Twitter: @kristianstout
Links
Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
Tech Refactored is on a short summer vacation. We can't wait to bring you Season Three of our show beginning in August 2022, but as we near 100 total episodes our team needs a beat to rest and recharge. While we're away, please enjoy some summer staff favorites. The following episode was originally posted in April 2022.
On this episode Gus is joined by Joshua Tucker, Professor of Politics and co-Director of the Center for Social Media and Politics at New York University. Joshua joined our center earlier in the month for a guest discussion on his recent book with our faculty fellows. That conversation is explored more broadly today as we focus on his work on the effects of social media on democracy, and his recently published book, co-edited with Stanford’s Nathaniel Persily, Social Media and Democracy: The State of the Field. Join us as we travel through Russia, Facebook, and state of our democracy.
Tech Refactored is on a short summer vacation. We can't wait to bring you Season Three of our show beginning in August 2022, but as we near 100 total episodes our team needs a beat to rest and recharge. While we're away, please enjoy some summer staff favorites. The following episode was originally posted in May of 2021.
On this episode we’re joined by Virginia Postrel to discuss her book, The Fabric of Civilization, How Textiles Changed the World. As the book’s description explains, “since the first thread was spun, the need for textiles has driven technology, business, politics, and culture” and in this episode we touch on all of that… plus a little college sports.
Tech Refactored is on a short summer vacation. We can't wait to bring you Season Three of our show, beginning in August 2022, but as we near 100 total episodes our team needs a beat to rest and recharge. While we're away, please enjoy some summer staff favorites. The following episode was originally posted in February of 2022.
Best selling author Brian Christian joins the podcast to discuss machine learning and his latest book, The Alignment Problem. Brian and Gus cover the alignment problem - when what we intend to teach machines to do, isn’t what they do - and the many challenges and concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and machine learning. This episode was the first featuring a speaker from this semester’s speaker series, a part of the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center’s Fellows Program. Coming later this season is Christopher Ali on rural broadband, and Anita Allen on race and privacy.
Elsbeth Magilton interviews Kiersten Haugen (Federal Aviation Administration) and Jessica Noble (NanoRacks LLC) about what's new in space law, including what space law encompasses and the latest rules for commercial companies operating in space. Coming later in July please enjoy some "reruns" and staff favorites from our first two seasons. We'll be back with new episodes in August!
Kiersten Haugen is an Attorney at the Federal Aviation Administration, with the Commercial Space Law Branch. Before joining the FAA she was an Assistant District Counsel with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. She graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2016, and during her time here she interned with the General Counsels to the Secretary of Defense and the Department of the Army. Welcome Kiersten!
Jessica Noble is general counsel for NanoRacks, an aerospace company focused on in-space platforms for commercial, research, and educational activities on the International Space Station and beyond, as well as providing support for satellite integration and deployment. Prior to NanoRakcs, Jessica was with LMI Advisors, advising communications companies on regulatory and policy frameworks. She started her legal career as a trial attorney at the New Mexico District Attorney’s Office and is a graduate of the University of Florida and the Catholic University School of Law.
The episode you’re about to hear is being hosted by our student fellows. Our Student Fellows are an interdisciplinary group, representing colleges and specializations across the University of Nebraska. Jeffrey Owusu-Ansah (Law) and Mei Fong Looi (Business) interview Center faculty Professor Kyle Langvardt on how the United States can promote the principal of free speech in a global environment and how the first amendment operates generally on social media and online platforms.
Professor Kyle Langvardt joined the University of Nebraska College of Law faculty in July 2020 as a member of the Nebraska Technology & Governance Center. He is a First Amendment scholar who focuses on the Internet’s implications for free expression both as a matter of constitutional doctrine and as a practical reality. His written work addresses new and confounding policy issues including tech addiction, the collapse of traditional gatekeepers in online media and 3D-printable weapons. Professor Langvardt’s most recent papers appear in the Georgetown Law Journal, the Fordham Law Review and the George Mason Law Review.
Related Topic Articles Collected by Jeff and Mei:
- https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/social-platforms-are-facing-more-regulation-in-more-regions-but-is-it-pro/611525/
- https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Opinion/ContentRegulation/APC.pdf
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/committed-to-comply-with-local-laws-work-constructively-with-governments-sundar-pichai-on-new-social-media-rules/articleshow/82995341.cms
- https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/exclusive-facebook-removes-more-russia-posts-claiming-childrens-hospital-bombing-2022-03-16/
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/05/russia-facebook-block-putin-ban-roskomnadzor/
- https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-hate-speech-internet-netzdg-controversial-legislation/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/technology/facebook-deletion-center-germany.html
On this episode Gus is joined by Professor Rob Hevery, a law professor at Albany Law School, where he researches and writes about technology, law, and society, covering topics such as the internet, drones, robots, AI, and human augmentation. He is also a 2022 Fellow with the Center for Quantum Networks, where he is researching policy-making surrounding development and implementation of the Quantum Internet. And that is our topic on this episode: quantum networking, law, and innovation. Hang on, it’s a wild ride.
Episode Notes:
Robert Heverly is a tenured associate professor of law at Albany Law School, where he has taught since 2010. Professor Heverly has also taught at Michigan State University College of Law and at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, and was a Resident Fellow with the Information Society Project at Yale Law School (where he retains an affiliation). Prof. Heverly is a 2022 Fellow with the Center for Quantum Networks, where he is researching policy-making surrounding development and implementation of the Quantum Internet. Prof. Heverly researches and writes about technology, law, and society, covering topics such as the internet, drones, robots, AI, and human augmentation. He teaches classes in Torts, cyberspace law, copyright law, and unmanned aerial vehicles. His article, “More is Different: Liability of Compromised Systems in Internet Denial of Service Attacks” was recently published in the Florida State University Law Review. Prof. Heverly was Chair of the AALS Internet and Computer Law Section and was the Reporter for the Uniform Law Commission’s “Uniform Tort Law Relating to Drones Act.” He holds a J.D. from Albany Law School and an LL.M. from Yale Law School.
Links:
- Center for Quantum Networks (CQN): https://cqn-erc.org/
- About quantum networks: https://cqn-erc.org/about/
The episode you’re about to hear is being hosted by our student fellows. Our Student Fellows are an interdisciplinary group, representing colleges and specializations across the University of Nebraska. Morgan Armstrong and Mitchell Clark spoke with Dr. Casey Handmer and Laura Cummings about the increase of satellites placed in lower earth orbit and how the congestion impacts space operations, communications, and our daily lives.
Casey was born and raised in Australia, where he completed undergraduate studies in mathematics and physics. Emigrating to the US in 2010, he earned a PhD in theoretical physics, followed by stints at Hyperloop One and NASA JPL. In 2021 he founded Terraform Industries to capture atmospheric carbon and convert it into cheaper natural gas at gigaton scale.
Laura is a Colorado native and University of Colorado graduate, with degrees in Astronomy and International Affairs. After transplanting to the East Coast, Laura earned her law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. Today, Laura is the Regulatory Affairs Counsel for Astroscale U.S., supporting policy advocacy and overseeing licensing of Astroscale’s upcoming geostationary servicing satellite – LEXI.
The episode you’re about to hear is being hosted by our student fellows. Our Student Fellows are a diverse and interdisciplinary group, representing colleges and specializations across the University of Nebraska. Paige Ross (Law), Ece Baskol (Business), and Alicia Christensen (Law) spent the academic year examining Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally provides immunity for website platforms for third-party posted content. They spoke with Mailyn Fidler who works on issues at the intersection of technology and the law. Starting in the fall of 2022, she will be an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law. Her research focuses on constitutional rights, criminal procedure, and intellectual property. Fidler is a graduate of Yale Law School, Oxford University and Stanford University.
Note, due to connection issues Ece Baskol's voice is not included in this episode. Ece was an integral part of this project and another student was able to ask her questions. The Center and her team thank her for her contributions to this process.
You can find Professor Fidler's articles and work on her website: https://mailynfidler.com/research/
Brian L. Frye joins us on the podcast to discuss, among many things, law professorship, legal scholarship, and the need for making nuanced academic material more accessible and understandable for the everyday person. Gus and Brian also explore the idea of what it looks like when conceptual art and legal scholarship overlap.
Brian L. Frye is the Spears-Gilbert Professor of Law at the University of Kentucky College of Law, as well as a filmmaker, and artist.
The episode you’re about to hear is being hosted by two of our student fellows. Our Student Fellows are a diverse and interdisciplinary group, representing colleges and specializations across the University of Nebraska. Our fellows, Josh Lee and Garrett Wirka invited professor William H. Widen on the show to explore the topic of self-driving cars, hazards and the law. Widen is a Professor of Law at the University of Miami School of Law, where he currently teaches commercial law, contracts, and other business subjects. His research has focused on Autonomous vehicles and how this technology is affecting society.
The episode you’re about to hear is being hosted by two of our student fellows. Our Student Fellows are a diverse and interdisciplinary group, representing colleges and specializations across the University of Nebraska. Our fellows, Izu Mbaraonye and David Ornelas invited professor Mirzo Abdurakhmonov on the show to explore the topic of lobbying. Abdurakhmonov is an Assistant Professor of Management at the University of Nebraska college of business, where he conducts research on corporate political activities, business-government interaction, and strategic leadership. The discussion in this episode delves into the basics of lobbying, political influence, and more.
Show Notes:
Strategic Risk and Lobbying: Investigating Lobbying Breadth as Risk Management
Unpacking Firm External Dependence: How Government Contract Dependence Affects Firm Investments and Market Performance
Congressional testimony as an indicator of firm political influence
When the Cat's Away, the Mice will play: A Model of Corporate Regulatory Compliance
How do cities and states decide what roads have rails or barriers? Who designs those? What roadside factors lead to crashes? The researchers who are asking these questions are technologists, engineers, and quite literally life savers. Cody Stolle is a research professor in the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering at the University of Nebraska. He is also a researcher with the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, part of the Mid-America Transportation Center. He studies, among other things, vehicle impacts, crashworthiness, and occupant safety. Episode Notes: Learn more about the grant the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center gave to Cody’s team to support a project on automated vehicles: https://ngtc.unl.edu/news/teach-me-interview-series-cody-stolle-connected-and-automated-vehicles
Penn Law Professor Anita L. Allen joins us on the podcast to talk to Gus about race and privacy in the past, present and future. Anita also discusses her latest paper, Dismantling the “Black Opticon”: Privacy, Race, Equity, and Online Data-Protection Reform, which touches on the ongoing bias and discrimination African-Americans have faced, and continue to face, as it relates to discriminatory oversurveillance, discriminatory exclusion, and discriminatory predation.
Valerie Jones is founder of the Public Insight Lab, she's also a fellow and grantee at the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center. She sits down with Gus to talk about this new interdisciplinary research lab, which will fuel social media research on campus using state-of-the-art social and digital media analytics software. Faculty affiliated with the lab engage with researchers across campus to enhance existing and future research projects with social and digital media analysis.
Researchers interested in engaging in the Public Insight Lab user group, working with the lab on current projects, or including the lab in project proposals can contact the Public Insight Lab at publicinsightlab@unl.edu.
Most professionals will tell you, career paths are rarely a straight line. On this episode guest co-hosts Elana Zeide and Elsbeth Magilton welcome our advisory board member, Sue Glueck. Glueck is the Senior Director of Academic Relations for Microsoft Corporation’s legal department where she works on AI and ethics, the future of work, privacy, and a myriad of other topics. In March 2022 she met group of law and graduate students at Nebraska about figuring out “Life After Graduation.” She spoke with us about her journey and her current interests at Microsoft - including quantum computing!
Sue provided some additional links for listeners! Check them out here:
The book I mentioned on Quantum Policy is Law and Policy for the Quantum Age (cambridge.org) co-authored by Professor Chris Hoofnagle at Berkeley Law and Simson L. Garfinkel. I mentioned misinformation/disinformation and the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public (https://www.cip.uw.edu) - specifically a class created by two of the professors titled “Calling Bullshit.” Now it’s a book! Calling Bullshit by Carl T. Bergstrom, Jevin D. West: 9780525509202 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books. Microsoft has a website that features the tech policy work of over 170 scholars - it’s a great way to get to know the latest in tech policy - Technology | Academics | Policy - / (techpolicy.com). You can follow on Twitter at TAP (@TAPolicy) / Twitter. Here’s an article about AI I didn’t mention but think everyone interested in AI policy should read: Moral Crumple Zones: Cautionary Tales in Human-Robot Interaction (pre-print) by Madeleine Clare Elish
Every day it seems cybersecurity is in the news. From data breaches to ransomware to national security, these incidents have become a feature of every day life. And they affect everything from individuals and small businesses to nation-state actors. On this episode we’re joined by Asaf Lubin to help us understand the challenges of cybersecurity generally and, in particular, the role of cybersecurity insurance in addressing some of these concerns.
Asaf is an Associate Professor of Law at Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a Fellow at IU’s Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research. His research includes the regulation of cybersecurity harms, liabilities, and insurance as well as policy design around governmental and corporate surveillance, data protection, and internet governance.
In this episode Gus talks to Rezaul Mahmood, a professor at the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is also an applied climatologist and the director of the High Plains Regional Climate Center.
In 2021, Dr. Mahmood received a supplemental grant from the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center, a program designed to provide supplemental research funding to teams that are already engaged in active internally or externally funded research at the University of Nebraska. These grants encourage researchers developing new technologies to consider potential policy aspects of their research and are meant, in the longer term, to facilitate new interdisciplinary collaborations.
Dr. Mahmood’s research conducted in conjunction with his NGTC funding “will comprehensively identify and review academic and industry literature examining connections between policies and impact on land use land cover change LULCC, with a focus on how agricultural policies, RFS and trade agreements may influence LULCC in the agricultural sector of Nebraska.
Episode Notes:
The Great Plains Irrigation Experiment
In the third episode in this series we again speak with Ash Eliza Smith on their project called “Flyover Fictions,” that pairs scientists with artists to create digital books. For the second half of the episode, Professor Kyle Langvardt sits down with one of these pairs, Joshua Herr and Yasaman Sheri , whose digital project is titled, “Desert Skin & Microbial Glyphs.” This is the final episode in the series that will explore the digital books in the Flyover research platform.
Click here to listen to episode 1. Click here to listen to episode 2.
Checkout all the projects: https://www.flyoverfictions.com
Joshua Herr is a biologist with broad interdisciplinary interests, focused mainly on the genomics and metagenomics of microbial interactions. His main interests center around understanding the symbiosis of mycorrhizal-plant interactions, but he follows interesting research questions where ever they may exist. Josh's research is generally environmental and laboratory studies, although he utilizes computational and bioinformatic techniques heavily.
Yasaman Sheri is Designer & Director investigating the creative inquiry of technology and biology. Her research explores interfaces of sensing, perception and aesthetics of simulation. She is an advocate for diversity in technology and builds platforms and tools that support artistic practice in Life Sciences.
On this episode we explore what leadership and innovation look like in the industry and in academia focused on the tech sector. Matt Perault is the director of the Center on Technology Policy at University of North Carolina’s School of Information & Library Science. He previously led the Center on Science & Technology Policy at Duke University. Before returning to academia, Matt was a director on the public policy team and the head of the global policy development team at Facebook. He covered issues ranging from antitrust to law enforcement to human rights and oversaw the company’s policy work on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
Alec Stapp is the co-founder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress, a recently-launched think tank dedicated to accelerating scientific, technological, and industrial progress while safeguarding humanity’s future. Gus spoke with Alec Stapp about how he thinks about the goals of his his think tank and modern challenges in advancing scientific, tech, and industrial progress.
Dr. Ali joins the podcast to talk about his book, Farm Fresh Broadband: The Politics of Rural Connectivity. He was part of our spring speaker series, visiting Nebraska for a joint event with the Rural Reconciliation Project. His work provides an analysis of U.S. broadband policy and the rural–urban digital divide, with a proposal for a new national rural broadband plan.
Ep Notes: Related Topic Research/Articles:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/06/opinion/rural-broadband-fcc.html https://www.benton.org/blog/everything-you-wanted-know-about-broadband-were-afraid-ask https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/15203 https://lpeproject.org/blog/the-legacy-of-the-rural-electrification-act-and-the-promise-of-rural-broadband/
In the second episode in this series we again speak with Ash Eliza Smith on their project called “Flyover Fictions,” that pairs scientists with artists to create digital books. Gus also sits down with one of these pairs, Andrea González Garrán and Shannon Bartelt-Hunt , whose digital project is titled, “Flush.” This is the second episode in a series of 3 that will explores the digital books in the Flyover research platform.
Click here to listen to episode 1.
Checkout all the projects: https://www.flyoverfictions.com
Shannon Bartelt-Hunt is professor and department chair in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNL. She is an environmental engineer whose work focuses on the occurrence and effects of contaminants in agricultural systems.
Andrea González Garrán is a designer with a background in architecture and a strong focus in editorial innovation, experimental publishing, physical and online platforms and cross media formats. Her research focuses on spatial politics, infrastructure and landscape in a playful manner.
Last year Congress allocated $48 billion, as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to broadband (internet) access. But more than the money, we need to know where we need broadband before we can build it. Our guest for this episode, Sarah Oh Lam, talks to us about the Tech Policy Institute’s (TPI) Broadband Map Project.
Follow Sarah on Twitter: @sarahecon
Related Topic Research/Articles: Comments filed with NTIA
State of Broadband Report
TPI Broadband Map
Best selling author Brian Christian joins the podcast to discuss machine learning and his latest book, The Alignment Problem. Brian and Gus cover the alignment problem - when what we intend to teach machines to do, isn’t what they do - and the many challenges and concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and machine learning. This episode is the first featuring a speaker from this semester’s speaker series, a part of the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center’s Fellows Program. Coming later this season is Christopher Ali on rural broadband, and Anita Allen on race and privacy.
Ash Eliza Smith is one our center fellows, a professor in emerging media arts, a speculative artist, a designer, and a researcher. She is leading a project called, “Flyover Fictions” that pairs scientists with artists to create digital books.
On this episode we speak with Ash and interview one of these pairs, Santosh Pitla and Parrr Geng, whose digital project is titled, “Codex Nebolusian.” This is the first episode in a series of 3 that will explore the digital books in the Flyover research platform.
Show Notes: Read Codex Nebolusian: https://parrr.net/Codex-Nebolusian
View and explore the Flyover Fiction books: https://www.flyoverfictions.com/fictions
Santosh Pitla is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Santosh’s research is in the area of agricultural robotics, control architectures for safe and secure operation of autonomous equipment, and tractor power characterization for multiple field operations.
Parrr Geng grew up in the Yangtze River Delta and now lives in Berlin, Germany. She currently works as an artist who builds conceptual worlds, designs characters and creates immersive environments through video games and illustrated stories.
We’re revisiting the supply chain with a new focus: the pharmaceutical industry. Joining us is Leon Xu, an Assistant Professor in the Supply Chain Management & Analytics Department at the University of Nebraska. Leon and Gus dive into the significant challenges facing the U.S. healthcare system, such as drug shortages, the opioid crisis, and exorbitant drug prices — all of which can find their root causes in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Related Articles Provided by our guest: Drug and Vaccine Approval:
https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/pdf/10.1287/msom.2019.0822?casa_token=XU7ZOalyna8AAAAA:nefmZh0s6MqSwBVpdZHNYIE2bWcapIrYp0Djgwga4691_xF6jIStDkuwGvNYOI4zFe15zJODHfY https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-covid-19-vaccine
Drug Shortage:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7378009/
Hospital Staff Shortage:
https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/patient-flow/5-hospitals-temporarily-permanently-closing-services-because-of-staffing-shortages-2.html
Drug Pricing:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/02/president-biden-announces-prescription-drug-pricing-plan-in-build-back-better-framework/
On this episode Jennifer Huddleston, the director of Technology and Innovation Policy at the American Action Forum, comes back on the show to discuss some of the latest antitrust bills shaking up the business and tech world this month, and we learn more about the legislative process on how a bill becomes law and the committee processes. Jennifer joined us in June 2021 to discuss some of these bills at their initial introduction, and you can find that discussion here. While a great episode for extra details, it is not necessary background for this one.
This week we’re joined by Derek Bambauer, a professor of law at the University of Arizona, where he teaches Internet law and intellectual property. We’re discussing his latest paper with Michael Risch on the rise of algorithm-driven decision making enabled by Big Data. Derek explains what algorithms are, how they work, and we get into the depths of why people trust (or don’t trust) algorithms.
Episode Notes: You can find their paper ‘Worse Than Human?’ online.
This week we're featuring an episode from Girls Code Lincoln, a local nonprofit which we support in their endeavor to empower girls to learn more about STEM and technology.
Elsbeth Magilton and Aakriti Agrawal profile Hollywood starlet Hedy Lamarr and interview Ash Banaszek, Associate of User Experience, at Union Pacific Railroad about their career, education, failures, and successes.
Each month they profile a historical woman in STEM and introduce listeners to a coder in or from the Midwest.
Girls Code Lincoln is a community organization in Lincoln Nebraska that focuses on teaching 4th-9th grade girls coding and confidence through free weekly clubs, as well as public events to promote technology literacy across the community.
Theme music is 'Then it Went Like' by Grace Mesa.
Lysandra Marquez is a producer (and a Girls Code Lincoln volunteer and teacher).
All Episodes Delete Edit S2E22 - Revisiting Culturally Rerouting The Oregon Trail MM January 05, 2022 Nebraska Governance and Technology Center Season: 2 Episode: 22 Description
As we plan a few forthcoming Tech Refactored projects for our listeners, we re-visit one of our favorite episodes--Culturally Rerouting the Oregon Trail. We'll be back with new episodes soon!
Original description: We're discussing the role of video games in shaping popular understandings of history - specifically the game a generation of adults played as kids, The Oregon Trail. Each of our guests, Margaret Huettl and Katrina (Katie) Phillips, drew on their expertise with Native American history and culture in consulting on the popular reboot of the game and joined us to talk about the experience. Note, William Bauer from the University of Nevada, also advised on the reboot, but was unavailable for this podcast.
On this episode Elsbeth welcomes Jona Van Deun, the executive director of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative. The collaborative is a a business-led workforce initiative committed to convening leaders from government, education, and not-for-profit organizations across the state to develop, attract, and retain tech-talent and entrepreneurs to Nebraska.
Note: Tech Refactored is on winter break! There will be no new episode next week as our team spends time with their families--see you in 2022!
Valerie Jones is founder of the Public Insight Lab, she's also a fellow and grantee at the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center. She sits down with Gus to talk about this new interdisciplinary research lab, which will fuel social media research on campus using state-of-the-art social and digital media analytics software. Faculty affiliated with the lab engage with researchers across campus to enhance existing and future research projects with social and digital media analysis.
Researchers interested in engaging in the Public Insight Lab user group, working with the lab on current projects, or including the lab in project proposals can contact the Public Insight Lab at publicinsightlab@unl.edu.
Most professionals will tell you, career paths are rarely a straight line. On this episode guest co-hosts Elana Zeide and Elsbeth Magilton welcome our advisory board member, Sue Glueck. Glueck is the Senior Director of Academic Relations for Microsoft Corporation’s legal department where she works on AI and ethics, the future of work, privacy, and a myriad of other topics. In March 2022 she met group of law and graduate students at Nebraska about figuring out “Life After Graduation.” She spoke with us about her journey and her current interests at Microsoft - including quantum computing!
Sue provided some additional links for listeners! Check them out here:
- The book I mentioned on Quantum Policy is Law and Policy for the Quantum Age (cambridge.org) co-authored by Professor Chris Hoofnagle at Berkeley Law and Simson L. Garfinkel.
- I mentioned misinformation/disinformation and the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public (https://www.cip.uw.edu) - specifically a class created by two of the professors titled “Calling Bullshit.” Now it’s a book! Calling Bullshit by Carl T. Bergstrom, Jevin D. West: 9780525509202 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books.
- Microsoft has a website that features the tech policy work of over 170 scholars - it’s a great way to get to know the latest in tech policy - Technology | Academics | Policy - / (techpolicy.com). You can follow on Twitter at TAP (@TAPolicy) / Twitter.
- Here’s an article about AI I didn’t mention but think everyone interested in AI policy should read: Moral Crumple Zones: Cautionary Tales in Human-Robot Interaction (pre-print) by Madeleine Clare Elish
Every day it seems cybersecurity is in the news. From data breaches to ransomware to national security, these incidents have become a feature of every day life. And they affect everything from individuals and small businesses to nation-state actors. On this episode we’re joined by Asaf Lubin to help us understand the challenges of cybersecurity generally and, in particular, the role of cybersecurity insurance in addressing some of these concerns.
Asaf is an Associate Professor of Law at Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a Fellow at IU’s Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research. His research includes the regulation of cybersecurity harms, liabilities, and insurance as well as policy design around governmental and corporate surveillance, data protection, and internet governance.
In this episode Gus talks to Rezaul Mahmood, a professor at the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is also an applied climatologist and the director of the High Plains Regional Climate Center.
In 2021, Dr. Mahmood received a supplemental grant from the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center, a program designed to provide supplemental research funding to teams that are already engaged in active internally or externally funded research at the University of Nebraska. These grants encourage researchers developing new technologies to consider potential policy aspects of their research and are meant, in the longer term, to facilitate new interdisciplinary collaborations.
Dr. Mahmood’s research conducted in conjunction with his NGTC funding “will comprehensively identify and review academic and industry literature examining connections between policies and impact on land use land cover change LULCC, with a focus on how agricultural policies, RFS and trade agreements may influence LULCC in the agricultural sector of Nebraska.
Episode Notes:
The Great Plains Irrigation Experiment
In the third episode in this series we again speak with Ash Eliza Smith on their project called “Flyover Fictions,” that pairs scientists with artists to create digital books. For the second half of the episode, Professor Kyle Langvardt sits down with one of these pairs, Joshua Herr and Yasaman Sheri , whose digital project is titled, “Desert Skin & Microbial Glyphs.” This is the final episode in the series that will explore the digital books in the Flyover research platform.
Click here to listen to episode 1.
Click here to listen to episode 2.
Checkout all the projects:
https://www.flyoverfictions.com
Joshua Herr is a biologist with broad interdisciplinary interests, focused mainly on the genomics and metagenomics of microbial interactions. His main interests center around understanding the symbiosis of mycorrhizal-plant interactions, but he follows interesting research questions where ever they may exist. Josh's research is generally environmental and laboratory studies, although he utilizes computational and bioinformatic techniques heavily.
Yasaman Sheri is Designer & Director investigating the creative inquiry of technology and biology. Her research explores interfaces of sensing, perception and aesthetics of simulation. She is an advocate for diversity in technology and builds platforms and tools that support artistic practice in Life Sciences.
On this episode we explore what leadership and innovation look like in the industry and in academia focused on the tech sector. Matt Perault is the director of the Center on Technology Policy at University of North Carolina’s School of Information & Library Science. He previously led the Center on Science & Technology Policy at Duke University. Before returning to academia, Matt was a director on the public policy team and the head of the global policy development team at Facebook. He covered issues ranging from antitrust to law enforcement to human rights and oversaw the company’s policy work on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
Alec Stapp is the co-founder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress, a recently-launched think tank dedicated to accelerating scientific, technological, and industrial progress while safeguarding humanity’s future. Gus spoke with Alec Stapp about how he thinks about the goals of his his think tank and modern challenges in advancing scientific, tech, and industrial progress.
Dr. Ali joins the podcast to talk about his book, Farm Fresh Broadband: The Politics of Rural Connectivity. He was part of our spring speaker series, visiting Nebraska for a joint event with the Rural Reconciliation Project. His work provides an analysis of U.S. broadband policy and the rural–urban digital divide, with a proposal for a new national rural broadband plan.
Ep Notes:
Related Topic Research/Articles:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/06/opinion/rural-broadband-fcc.html
- https://www.benton.org/blog/everything-you-wanted-know-about-broadband-were-afraid-ask
- https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/15203
- https://lpeproject.org/blog/the-legacy-of-the-rural-electrification-act-and-the-promise-of-rural-broadband/
In the second episode in this series we again speak with Ash Eliza Smith on their project called “Flyover Fictions,” that pairs scientists with artists to create digital books. Gus also sits down with one of these pairs, Andrea González Garrán and Shannon Bartelt-Hunt , whose digital project is titled, “Flush.” This is the second episode in a series of 3 that will explores the digital books in the Flyover research platform.
Click here to listen to episode 1.
Checkout all the projects:
https://www.flyoverfictions.com
Shannon Bartelt-Hunt is professor and department chair in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNL. She is an environmental engineer whose work focuses on the occurrence and effects of contaminants in agricultural systems.
Andrea González Garrán is a designer with a background in architecture and a strong focus in editorial innovation, experimental publishing, physical and online platforms and cross media formats. Her research focuses on spatial politics, infrastructure and landscape in a playful manner.
Last year Congress allocated $48 billion, as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to broadband (internet) access. But more than the money, we need to know where we need broadband before we can build it. Our guest for this episode, Sarah Oh Lam, talks to us about the Tech Policy Institute’s (TPI) Broadband Map Project.
Follow Sarah on Twitter: @sarahecon
Related Topic Research/Articles:
Comments filed with NTIA
State of Broadband Report
TPI Broadband Map
Best selling author Brian Christian joins the podcast to discuss machine learning and his latest book, The Alignment Problem. Brian and Gus cover the alignment problem - when what we intend to teach machines to do, isn’t what they do - and the many challenges and concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and machine learning. This episode is the first featuring a speaker from this semester’s speaker series, a part of the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center’s Fellows Program. Coming later this season is Christopher Ali on rural broadband, and Anita Allen on race and privacy.
Ash Eliza Smith is one our center fellows, a professor in emerging media arts, a speculative artist, a designer, and a researcher. She is leading a project called, “Flyover Fictions” that pairs scientists with artists to create digital books.
On this episode we speak with Ash and interview one of these pairs, Santosh Pitla and Parrr Geng, whose digital project is titled, “Codex Nebolusian.” This is the first episode in a series of 3 that will explore the digital books in the Flyover research platform.
Show Notes:
Read Codex Nebolusian: https://parrr.net/Codex-Nebolusian
View and explore the Flyover Fiction books: https://www.flyoverfictions.com/fictions
Santosh Pitla is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Santosh’s research is in the area of agricultural robotics, control architectures for safe and secure operation of autonomous equipment, and tractor power characterization for multiple field operations.
Parrr Geng grew up in the Yangtze River Delta and now lives in Berlin, Germany. She currently works as an artist who builds conceptual worlds, designs characters and creates immersive environments through video games and illustrated stories.
We’re revisiting the supply chain with a new focus: the pharmaceutical industry. Joining us is Leon Xu, an Assistant Professor in the Supply Chain Management & Analytics Department at the University of Nebraska. Leon and Gus dive into the significant challenges facing the U.S. healthcare system, such as drug shortages, the opioid crisis, and exorbitant drug prices — all of which can find their root causes in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Related Articles Provided by our guest:
Drug and Vaccine Approval:
- https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/pdf/10.1287/msom.2019.0822?casa_token=XU7ZOalyna8AAAAA:nefmZh0s6MqSwBVpdZHNYIE2bWcapIrYp0Djgwga4691_xF6jIStDkuwGvNYOI4zFe15zJODHfY
- https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-covid-19-vaccine
Drug Shortage:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7378009/
Hospital Staff Shortage:
- https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/patient-flow/5-hospitals-temporarily-permanently-closing-services-because-of-staffing-shortages-2.html
Drug Pricing:
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/02/president-biden-announces-prescription-drug-pricing-plan-in-build-back-better-framework/
On this episode Jennifer Huddleston, the director of Technology and Innovation Policy at the American Action Forum, comes back on the show to discuss some of the latest antitrust bills shaking up the business and tech world this month, and we learn more about the legislative process on how a bill becomes law and the committee processes. Jennifer joined us in June 2021 to discuss some of these bills at their initial introduction, and you can find that discussion here. While a great episode for extra details, it is not necessary background for this one.
This week we’re joined by Derek Bambauer, a professor of law at the University of Arizona, where he teaches Internet law and intellectual property. We’re discussing his latest paper with Michael Risch on the rise of algorithm-driven decision making enabled by Big Data. Derek explains what algorithms are, how they work, and we get into the depths of why people trust (or don’t trust) algorithms.
Episode Notes:
You can find their paper ‘Worse Than Human?’ here.
This week we're featuring an episode from Girls Code Lincoln, a local nonprofit which we support in their endeavor to empower girls to learn more about STEM and technology.
Elsbeth Magilton and Aakriti Agrawal profile Hollywood starlet Hedy Lamarr and interview Ash Banaszek, Associate of User Experience, at Union Pacific Railroad about their career, education, failures, and successes.
Each month they profile a historical woman in STEM and introduce listeners to a coder in or from the Midwest.
Girls Code Lincoln is a community organization in Lincoln Nebraska that focuses on teaching 4th-9th grade girls coding and confidence through free weekly clubs, as well as public events to promote technology literacy across the community.
Theme music is 'Then it Went Like' by Grace Mesa.
Lysandra Marquez is a producer (and a Girls Code Lincoln volunteer and teacher).
As we plan a few forthcoming Tech Refactored projects for our listeners, we re-visit one of our favorite episodes--Culturally Rerouting the Oregon Trail. We'll be back with new episodes soon!
Original description: We're discussing the role of video games in shaping popular understandings of history - specifically the game a generation of adults played as kids, The Oregon Trail. Each of our guests, Margaret Huettl and Katrina (Katie) Phillips, drew on their expertise with Native American history and culture in consulting on the popular reboot of the game and joined us to talk about the experience. Note, William Bauer from the University of Nevada, also advised on the reboot, but was unavailable for this podcast.
On this episode Elsbeth welcomes Jona Van Deun, the executive director of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative. The collaborative is a a business-led workforce initiative committed to convening leaders from government, education, and not-for-profit organizations across the state to develop, attract, and retain tech-talent and entrepreneurs to Nebraska.
Note: Tech Refactored is on winter break! There will be no new episode next week as our team spends time with their families--see you in 2022!
It’s the 50th episode of Tech Refactored! We’ve talked about so many different technologies - but this is one of the coolest and scariest! On this episode Gus is joined by on of our faculty fellows, Dr. Bonita Sharif. Dr. Sharif is an expert in the use of eye tracking technologies to enhance the efficiency of software programmers in searching through thousands of lines of code.
New technology is great -- but adopting new technology often means moving on from older generations of technology. Take, for instance, 3G cellular networks. Cellular providers are in the process of turning off their 3G networks over the next several months, so that the spectrum currently used to offer 3G service can be repurposed for higher-speed 5G services. To look at some of the challenges that go with these transitions, the show welcomes Harold Feld, Senior Vice President at Public Knowledge, and Richard Shockey, Principal of Shockey Consulting LLC, a consulting firm specializing in strategic advice and action plans for Internet protocol communications technology.
On this episode we welcome Brent Skorup, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, to explore his work on the legal history of the often politicized Section 230. Section 230 is a section of the United States Communications Decency Act that provides immunities for website and social media platforms regarding content posted by users and other third-parties - and it is often used as political fodder. Brent helps us break down the highly politicized, famous/infamous, Section 230.
This weeks host, Kyle Langvardt, sits down with his friend Khaled Beydoun to discuss Islamophobia and surveillance. Beydoun is the author of the critically acclaimed American Islamophobia: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Fear and co-editor of Islamophobia and the Law. His next book, The New Crusades: Islamophobia, the World and the Wars Between will be published in 2021 with the University of California Press.
Earlier this fall we released the TR/∂T (of the moment) episode ‘Supply Chain Shortages and the Cost of Building Fiber Networks,’ but one trip to the grocery store or the gas station and it’s clear: fiber and broadband aren’t the only industry being impacted. On this episode we welcome Erkut Sönmez, an associate professor of supply chain management and analytics at the University of Nebraska and one of our center’s Faculty Fellows to discuss problems that arise with the development of new business models and technologies across industries and in agriculture.
On this episode we talk with John Rissetto, the State Environmental Coordinator with the USDA-Farm Service Agency for Nebraska. He and Gus discuss the curious juxtaposition between protecting the old by leveraging the new, such as the use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) in archeology and how it was used to find historic trails and buildings in Nebraska that are not discernible to the naked eye. Thank you to the Preservation Association of Lincoln and Ryan Reed for suggesting this topic and assisting in the production of this episode.
Links to materials discussed in this episode: LiDAR scanning of Robber’s Cave
On this episode Rebecca Crootof, a law professor at the University of Richmond, joins Gus to discus Autonomous Weapons Systems and the analogies that they conjure in our minds - and why those analogies don’t do much to help us govern the use of these weapons.
Note, near the end of this episode there is a brief mention of violence towards animals during wartime.
3D printing technology could revolutionize the cost and sustainability of housing across the globe. Not to mention, the environmental impact of concrete use (spoiler: it’s not great) is of increasing concern. The key to shifting away from concrete may be reviving the traditional use of local soils—for a 3D printing process. Here to talk to us about his work helping to develop these new 3D printing techniques is Dr. Sarbajit Banerjee, Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University.
On this episode Gus speaks to Professor Barney McCoy. Barney is a Professor of Broadcasting Journalism at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Barney was a full-time journalist for 27 years, during which time he won six Emmy awards for his journalistic excellence. Barney is also an expert on teaching methods and as an educator he also wrestled with the difficulties of teaching during a pandemic. He joined us to talk about his research in classroom distractions and teaching in the era of Covid.
On this special live episode we welcomed University of Nebraska law faculty Professor Anthony Schutz and Extension & Research Entomologist Dr. Judy Wu-Smart to discuss the environmental crisis caused by a new way of making ethanol in Mead, Nebraska – from discovering the impacts of the technology, to how states and cities are attempting to avoid it in the future.
Notes: In this episode Gus mentions the Nebraska Public Media story ‘The Smell of Money: Mead, Nebraska’s Fight For Its Future’ by Christina Stella, which can be found here.
This episode of the podcast is a little different from the rest. We’re featuring two special segments exploring the work of two members of our faculty, Professor Kyle Langvardt, who specializes in constitutional law, and also our own center director and usual host, Professor Gus Hurwitz. These segments were recorded for Faculty 101, a University of Nebraska–Lincoln podcast that offers a listen into the pursuits and perspectives of Husker faculty, hosted by Mary Jane Bruce. In his segment, Kyle talks about the complex issues related to free speech and governance of social media, and why it’s important for students and universities to study them. Gus Hurwitz shares his perspective on current challenges to cybersecurity, and the mission of the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center.
SciPop is a series of interactive talks and events open to the public at Love Library, that explore the intersection of science and pop culture. Experts share their research through the filter of pop culture on topics from the Chemistry of Harry Potter to Zombies and Brain Science. Dan Claes, a professor and the Department Chair of the University of Nebraska’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has given a number of these talks, recruited speakers, and helps facilitate the SciPop program. Also joining the show on the other side of the microphone is Elsbeth Magilton, Tech Refactored executive producer and executive director of the Nebraska space, cyber, and telecommunications law program. She gave a SciPop talk in 2019 that went all the way from Nebraska to Las Vegas to the SXSW festival.
On this episode we’re talking about the protein folding problem, the challenge of determining the 3D shapes that proteins form, and how Google’s DeepMind system stands to transform biology. We won’t lie to you listeners. We don’t really understand what most of that means, which is why we’re joined by Dr. Nicole Buan and Dr. Juan Cui, researchers at the University of Nebraska, who can hopefully help us to understand what this all means.
On this TR/∂T (of the moment) episode, we’re joined by Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA, The Rural Broadband Association, to discuss how problems in the supply chain are affecting efforts to build communications networks and to close the divide between who has reliable connectivity and who doesn’t.
On this episode Jack Keating, a 2021 graduate of the University of Nebraska’s mechanical engineering program, tells us about the creation and development of his business Corral Technologies. Jack is joined by Dr. Santosh Pitla, a professor in the Biological Systems Engineering Department at the University of Nebraska, to discuss his work, current research, and inspiring another generation of engineers.
Across the country law enforcement units are encrypting their communications, barring the general population and journalists alike from following police radio channels. Weighing concerns with privacy and officer safety with citizen watchdog oversight and freedom of the press is an extremely complex policy issue. On this episode we get into why that may matter with an introduction from Danielle Conrad, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nebraska and an in-depth dive into the issue with Mailyn Fidler, an expert on constitutional rights and intellectual property who recently authored a piece about the growing use of encrypted communication by local police departments, who will discuss with us some of the potential issues that covert police communication presents.
Glossary: Encryption: the process of encoding information by converting the original representation of the information into an alternative form known as ciphertext that only those with the key to that text can access.
FOIA Request: a request for information from the government using the Freedom of Information Act
In this episode of Tech Refactored Gus and our Research Associate Neil Rutledge speak with Colton Harper of Broader Considerations of Technology (or BCT), a student organization that is a part of the Kutak Ethics Center at Nebraska. BCT is launching several impressive initiatives from data visualization workshops, to game jams, to a science fiction and ethics book club. They’re getting students across programs and disciplines engaged in applying tech skills to their interests, serving their community, and cementing the truism: the story of technology is the story of our society.
On this episode of Tech Refactored our Executive Producer Elsbeth Magilton interviews Justin Stark and Aakriti Agrawal, founders of local non-profit, Girls Code Lincoln. They discuss the need for tech instruction for young women, pivoting how we reach communities during a pandemic, and the lessons learned from forming their own non-profit.
onald Rizzuto from the University of Denver joins Gus to discuss the history and state of the cable and telecommunications industry with a focus on how municipalities try to build out broadband services, why it often fails, and what is takes to succeed.
We're discussing the role of video games in shaping popular understandings of history - specifically the game a generation of adults played as kids, The Oregon Trail. Each of our guests, Margaret Huettl and Katrina (Katie) Phillips, drew on their expertise with Native American history and culture in consulting on the popular reboot of the game and joined us to talk about the experience. Note, William Bauer from the University of Nevada, also advised on the reboot, but was unavailable for this podcast.
Over the past several months we collaborated with a group of scholars working on projects to discuss the challenge of the rural digital divide, or internet access gap--from virtual learning in the face of a pandemic to politics to dig permits. We are discussing the projects in a series of one-on-one discussions. This endeavor was undertaken in conjunction with the Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law Program at the University of Nebraska College of Law.
For more info about these projects and the authors visit ngtc.unl.edu/digital-divide
On this episode we discuss a prospect that has moved from fantasy to possible feasibility - the mining and extraction of resources from asteroids and the moon. Our producer (and space lawyer) Elsbeth Magilton co-hosts and welcomes Kristi Bradford from In-Q-Tel to learn about the economic and business development side of space resources.
We're joined by Mike Tobias, host of the What If? series from Nebraska Public Media. Mike shares what's it like to seek, find, and explore the interesting characters and topics around Nebraska, and how to best tell their stories.
Have you stopped answering your cell phone because most of the calls are scams or ads? As of June 30th, 2021, every telephone carrier in the United States is required to have a plan in place to deal with robocalls. In this episode Richard Shockey joins Gus to break down why we get so many of these calls and whether these new plans will help address them.
On this episode our producer, Elsbeth Magilton, joins Gus on the other side of the microphone to welcome Dr. Lisa Kort-Butler, a sociologist from the University of Nebraska who recently published a paper entitled 'The Wellbeing of Gamers, Video Game Players and Non Players,' to discuss the world of gamers.
Another "just in time" exploration in our TR/DT series, this week we're looking at the many antitrust bills shaking up the business and tech world this week. Jennifer Huddleston, the director of Technology and Innovation Policy at the American Action Forum, joins Gus to break it all down.
Center Student Fellows Jasmine Alexander and DeAndre' Augustus welcome center executive director Elsbeth Magilton to talk about her experiences online as a parent, and professors Valerie Jones and Elana Zeide to discuss the world of sharing the lives of children online.
Christal Sheppard and Sam Zyontz join Tech Refactored again to discuss patents: what they are, how they work, and how they impact innovation. Of course, we can't cover patents without discussion of the COVID vaccine and patent waivers in the news recently.
Center Student Fellows C. Mitchell Clark and Aryan Singh welcome law professors Matthew Schaefer and Frans von der Dunk to dive into space law and the Artemis Accords – a series of political commitments spearheaded by NASA. Episode Notes: The number of signatories has changed since the recording of this episode.
This is our final episode in our Regulation at Scale series, featuring research focused on the challenges that arise when new rules or technologies affect broad swaths of society all at once. In this episode we examine Section 230 and web content, short term rentals and the platforms that facilitate them, and the economics of the ride share industry.
On this TR/∂T (of the moment) episode we welcome cybersecurity attorney Jacob Tewes to the show to discuss the Colonial Pipeline and his experience working with companies on cyber security issues.
This is the second of our Regulation at Scale episodes - we worked with a group of scholars on projects under the heading of “Regulation at Scale” looking at challenges that arise when new rules or technologies affect broad swaths of society all at once. This episode features Catherine Baylin Duryea discussing her paper, “’Crumbs of Judicial Relief?’ Regulatory Oversight During Emergencies,” and Barak Orbach on his paper, “The Duty to Monitor Disruption Risks.”
In this episode we hear from Kent Urwiller, who founded a wireless internet provider, sharing his story and his concerns for the future, followed by a discussion with Christina Mason and Michael Romano on funding for telecoms and wireless internet providers.
On this episode we’re joined by Virginia Postrel to discuss her book, The Fabric of Civilization, How Textiles Changed the World. As the book’s description explains, “since the first thread was spun, the need for textiles has driven technology, business, politics, and culture” and in this episode we touch on all of that… plus a little college sports.
This is the first of our Regulation at Scale episodes - we have been working with a group of scholars on projects under the heading of “Regulation at Scale” looking at challenges that arise when new rules or technologies affect broad swaths of society all at once. This episode features Tabrez Ebrahim discussing his work on how digital platforms may create access to justice, followed by Cassandra Burke Robertson and Sharona Hoffman discussing the regulation of professional speech.
On this episode we're talking to Eric Goldman, the Associate Dean for Research and Co-Director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law. We are breaking down Justice Thomas's concurrence that dropped this week, discussing section 230 in response to a first amendment case. What's section 230? Passionate about 230? Either way, this episode is for you. This is the latest in the “just-in-time” series of episodes on recent news, we call TR/∂T. Shout out to the math fans who appreciate our fleeting calculus humor.
On this episode Gus is joined by Joshua Tucker, Professor of Politics and co-Director of the Center for Social Media and Politics at New York University. Joshua joined our center earlier in the month for a guest discussion on his recent book with our faculty fellows. That conversation is explored more broadly today as we focus on his work on the effects of social media on democracy, and his recently published book, co-edited with Stanford’s Nathaniel Persily, Social Media and Democracy: The State of the Field. Join us as we travel through Russia, Facebook, and state of our democracy.
We’re discussing spectrum: what it is, how the government decides who can use it, and why maybe that process needs to change - from the battle for spectrum between 5G and satellites, to forecasting the policies of the new administration. Spectrum refers to the invisible radio frequencies that signals travel over. Those signals are what enable us to use our mobile devices, but wireless uses are only a portion of what spectrum is used for. Our guest is Jennifer Manner, the senior vice president of regulatory affairs at Echostar Hughes and this episode is co-hosted by the founding Director of the Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law program at Nebraska Law and one of the center’s faculty fellows, Matt Schaefer.
On this episode we discuss the recent Texas power grid failure during the record cold temperatures in mid-February. We’ll be talking to Lynne Kiesling, who has been studying energy regulation for two decades about what happened and where to go from here. This is the latest in the “just-in-time” series of episodes on recent news, we call TR/∂T. Shout out to the math fans who appreciate our fleeting calculus humor. Everyone else, happy googling.
Facial recognition software is now widely used and available, from schools, to our workplaces, to our personal devices. It is so pervasive that many states, including Nebraska, have or are working on legislation to try to guide its usage, including in some cases banning its use outright. This episode was prompted by a question from a listener, Danielle Conrad, the executive director of the Nebraska ACLU who joins us to introduce the this topic. We also welcome Elana Zeide and Woody Hartzog back to the show.
In this episode we’re discussing CRISPR, which is a gene editing tool that acts like a pair of molecular scissors, capable of cutting strands of DNA. CRISPR technology is a simple but extremely powerful tool for editing genomes. It allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function. It should go without saying, this is equal parts very cool and very scary. The episode is cohosted by Christal Sheppard, distinguished fellow at the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center, and inaugural director of the Midwest Regional Office of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and guests, Jacob S. Sherkow, Professor of Law at the University of Illinois, and Samantha Zyontz, Fellow at the Center for Law and the Biosciences and Research Fellow of Intellectual Property at Stanford Law School.
Even if you’re not a very “online” type of person, you’ve probably heard about Robinhood, GameStop, and cryptocurrencies in the news. On that extremely hot topic, we have a special episode of Tech Refactored today, which we’re calling a TR/∂T episode. Shout out to the math fans who understand derivatives, and for the finance folks who will get the triple entendre. Everyone else, happy googling. These episodes are informal explorations into current hot issues - so what else could we be talking about today? That’s right, we’re talking stonks, with Nebraska Law Professor James Tierney.
Multi-year water deficits and compound events leading to unexpected water surpluses have led to multi-billion-dollar losses in states around the U.S., and this is becoming the norm worldwide. Those losses highlight the vulnerability of our infrastructure to extreme climate events. Historic approaches to regulation are not easy to change and as more and more weather events occur due to climate change, some advocates are suggesting that laws need to be more flexible and adaptable. In this episode we ask "what the heck is water law" and how it is changing as our world does? This episode is hosted by Gus Hurwitz (Nebraska Governance and Technology Center) and Peter McCornick (Daugherty Water for Food Institute). Guests include Rob Cifelli, Felicia Marcus, Francisco Muñoz-Arriola, and Anthony Schutz.
The ongoing pandemic brought many technical challenges into the spotlight, perhaps none more than educational technology and student privacy. The shift from traditional school to remote learning and teaching is riddled with digital privacy concerns, and the intersections of race, class, and technology-access amplify these issues. Elana Zeide, Anisha Reddy, Jim Siegl, Chris Gilliard, and Bill Fitzgerald join us for a dive into student privacy and online proctoring in the era of 'Zoom School.'
We study the intersection of law and technology, but that begs the question - what do we mean when we say law and technology? Over the next two episodes of Tech Refactored we’ve asked six scholars writing in this area to give us their take. The first episode in this two-part series asks ‘What is Law? What is Technology? ZOMG What is Law and Technology?’ and if that sounds like it’s going to get esoteric, it’s because it is. Note, the acronym STS used frequently in this episode refers to "Science and Technology Studies." Guests include BJ Ard, Rebecca Crootof, Ryan Calo, Joshua Fairfield, Meg Leta Jones, and Woodrow Hartzog. Be sure to check out all the guest's posts on The Record.
In this episode of Tech Refactored we discuss the state of the digital divide with expert commentary from Nicol Turner Lee, Senior Fellow at Governance Studies, and Director of the Center for Technology Innovation; and Christopher Yoo, John H. Chestnut Professor of Law, Communication, and Computer & Information Science; Director, Center for Technology, Innovation & Competition. Check out ngtc.unl.edu for more information on Tech Refactored and the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center.