Advisory Council

Science fiction is becoming more and more science faction. Our world will be a different one by the end of the 20s. We are heading toward a future in which we measure everything that can be measured. "It will be a world of exceptional, radical transparency," predict Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler in their New York Times bestseller, "The Future is Faster than You Think." The opportunities in the new world will fascinate us. There is no question that deep tech offers great opportunities - but there are also risks lurking that should not be underestimated.

System of systems integration is my research area and my passion; integrating technology and diplomacy for mutual benefit is the grandest manifestation of this approach.

Human rights is often the point of the spear in Tech Diplomacy. When ingenious men and women collaborate to devise innovative solutions to practical problems, tech diplomacy is needed to protect both their interests and the common good. When unscrupulous governments and non-state actors use sophisticated technology to spy on or manipulate their trading partners and customers, tech diplomacy is needed to organize the opposition. As AI, synthetic biology, and the adoption of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) threaten to upend our understanding of the key concepts of “life, liberty, and property”, human rights advocates will need to become sophisticated tech diplomats themselves. The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue offers creative men and women a forum in which they can collaborate to devise humane and mutually beneficial solutions to thorny political problems. That, of course, is the essence of diplomacy! I am honored to join the Institute’s Advisory Council and look forward to contributing to its success.

In recent years it has become clear that technology in all forms will be a basis for diplomatic activities worldwide. This applies to both friendly and adversarial relations. Technology provides the basis for cooperation in all spheres. But it also offers challenges in the form of establishing vulnerabilities that can be exploited by our adversaries. The Krach Institute provides a forum in which Technology in all its dimensions can be considered in a thoughtful and coherent way. The Krach Institute offers leaders the opportunity to dialog and act to shape policy and practices that will assure continued US leadership in realizing a more secure future. Purdue is the ideal location for the Institute. The university clearly has a reputation for excellence in technology. And in recent years it has established itself as a leader in providing information that is vital to the formulation of policy on all fronts including food security to information security.

Having worked in the wireless industry since 1G in 1986, I’ve witnessed how technology has contributed to overall quality of life throughout the world with 2G (1991), 3G (2001), 4G (2010) and now 5G (2019). Societies are increasingly connected, increasingly mobile, and increasingly digital. Therefore, it is essential that networks continue to be secure, affordable, and supportive of free societies at scale, especially as we plan for 6G in the coming years. The current global effort to “open networks” (OpenRAN) must not only support these values, it can and should enable a new and robust supply chain for wireless networks that is based on software, cloud, and merchant silicon. This is a massive opportunity to further secure our national interests for decades to come.

Trust and Freedom are what create a successful community, company or government. I am thrilled to join Keith Krach and the Tech Diplomacy Advisory Council to spread this good message around the world.

The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is at the cutting edge in exploring how to advance our national security through fostering diplomatic and security partnerships with like-minded nations while leveraging the ingenuity of the private sector to advance the technology that will ensure that we can successfully compete with and overcome those who would pose a threat to our citizens, our allies and our friends. The Krach Institute fills a critical need at a time when newly emboldened autocratic governments aggressively attempt to undermine our institutions and threaten the very foundations of our democracy.