Bilateral Tech Diplomacy Series: Inaugural U.S.-Australia Dialogue

The “Bilateral Tech Diplomacy Series: Inaugural U.S. – Australia Dialogue” kicked off at Purdue University on August 30. The conversation was co-hosted by Purdue University, the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, Flinders University, and the Jeff Bleich Centre for the U.S. Alliance in Digital Technology, Security & Governance, with participation from the Australian Embassy in the U.S. and the U.S. Embassy in Australia.

The series intends to bring together academic, industry and diplomatic leaders around the world to discuss critical topics in technology and diplomacy and how technology should be used to advance freedom. This inaugural dialogue featured speakers from the United States and Australia and focused on key aerospace technologies and technology implications for misinformation and disinformation.

The program began with a fireside chat between Dr. Mung Chiang, President-elect, Purdue University and Hon. Arthur Sinodinos, Australian Ambassador to the U.S., followed by a keynote lecture from Hon. Jeff Bleich, Former U.S. Ambassador to Australia. The program included two roundtables with experts from both the American and Australian perspectives:

Roundtable – Aerospace Technologies

Moderated by Hon. Daniel Goldin, longest-tenured Administrator of NASA, 1992-2001, USA

• James Brown, CEO, Space Industry Association of Australia
• Dr. Dan DeLaurentis, Aeronautics and Astronautics Professor, Director of i-GSDI, Chief Scientist of the Department of Defense Systems Engineering Research Center Purdue University, USA
• Joel Lisk, Research Associate – Space Law, Jeff Bleich Centre for the US Alliance in Digital Technology, Security & Governance, Australia

Roundtable – Misinformation and Disinformation

Moderated by Melissa de Zwart, Digital Technology, Security and Governance Professor at Flinders University and Director, Jeff Bleich Centre for the US Alliance in Digital Technology, Security & Governance, Australia

• Emily Bienvenue, Senior Analyst, Defence Science and Technology Group, Australia
• Dr. Ed Delp, Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, USA
• Dr. Sorin Matei, College of Liberal Arts Associate Dean of Research, Graduate Education, and Professor Brian Lamb School of Communication, Purdue University, USA